Less than a week after unveiling the surprise new single “Rubber Band Man” featuring Hozier and produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, Mumford & Sons have confirmed that their second album in less than a year, Prizefigher, will arrive Feb. 13 from Glassnote.
The material came together quickly last fall at Dessner’s upstate New York studio Long Pond, but was temporarily put on hold while Mumford & Sons focused first on completing the album RUSHMERE, which was released in late March.
Dessner, who previously worked with Mumford on their chart-topping 2015 album Wilder Mind, helped secure guest appearances by Chris Stapleton, Gigi Perez and Gracie Abrams for the upcoming 14-track set.
“We feel like we’re hitting our prime as a creative force,” says Marcus Mumford. “We’re putting everything we have into this now, and we’re using everything about our experience so far to embrace exactly who we are. We’re comfortable in our skins these days. And Prizefighter is us going for it – serious and playful, sometimes bruised and always hopeful. We’re nowhere near done yet. I hope and believe and we’re in the beginning of something we don’t want to let up on. I’m more excited to be in this band than I’ve ever been.”
Mumford & Sons begin a 22-date U.K. and European tour begins Nov. 6 in Stockholm and concludes Dec. 10-11 at the O2 in London. The band will be back in the U.S. for a one-off Dec. 27 appearance at San Diego’s Wild Horses Festival, and will also play Noah Kahan’s Out of the Blue festival in Cancun in early January and the Innings Festival in Tempe, Az., in late February.
Here is the track list for Prizefighter:
“Here’”(with Chris Stapleton)
“Rubber Band Man” (with Hozier)
“The Banjo Song”
“Run Together”
“Conversation With My Son”
“Alleycat”
“Prizefighter”
“Begin Again”
“Icarus” (with Gigi Perez)
“Stay”
“Badlands” (with Gracie Abrams)
“Shadow of a Man”
“I’ll Tell You Everything”
“Clover”