more likely Pat "musical manwhore" Monahan is jumping on the Mumford bandwagon. I like the Mumfords but the 87 bands trying to sound just like them get to be a bit much. What on earth is "alternative" about banjos and mandolins? Especially when EVERYBODY is using them. The Mumford/Avett Sons/Brothers Head and Heartineers. Sheesh.
Groups of singers all singing in unison seems to be on the rise too (Youngblood Hawke, Fun., probably others). The Polyphonic Spree was just a decade ahead of their time.
OMG...Yes and yes. We were just discussing that these are two of the three hot current trends at alternative, the third being electro-rock (i.e. Capital Cities, Passion Pit. M83 -- all of which KFOG has apparently also added.)
Bands that sound like the Lumimumfettbros have been on AAA forever, but the Mumfords just slickly packaged it and threw in an F-bomb to get it on alternative...and look at what followed.
It's such a change from the 2000s, when were were inundated with Redhotfoostonetempleriseagainstthenirvanamachinefighterpilots.