Mumford & Sons just dropped their latest album, Prizefighter, and this album show them fully leaning into vulnerability. Who are we when the fight is over? What do we hold onto, and what do we finally let go? Across fourteen tracks, the band explores love, loss, regret, and redemption with a level of vulnerability that feels lived in rather than performed. It is not just about loss. It is about what comes after.

With Aaron Dessner collaborating across the entire record alongside Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane, there’s a cohesiveness that holds it all together. Leading up to the album's release, the band teased several tracks during their "Live at Five" Instagram lives, which made hearing the full versions feel even more personal. What stands out most is how often this album returns to authenticity and the idea that change is always within reach.

HERE (ft. Chris Stapleton)

A collaboration I did not see coming, but one I absolutely loved. Chris Stapleton fits into the Mumford world so naturally that it almost feels overdue. “Here” reflects on the things that shape us, the moments that define who we are, and the courage it takes to put your whole self on display. There’s a rawness to it that feels grounded in real life. The electric guitar adds a subtle grit that balances the emotional weight of the lyrics. It sets the tone for an album that isn’t afraid to be exposed.

RUBBER BAND MAN (ft. Hozier)

As the first single off the record, this collaboration with Hozier feels like a perfect fit. Their voices blend effortlessly, especially in the harmony on the line, “to call you the second that you die just to live,” which lands with emotional force. This track feels like an invitation to loosen up and let go, to love someone for who they are at their core. With Brandi Carlile credited as a writer, you can feel that layered emotional depth throughout.

THE BANJO SONG

A track called “The Banjo Song” is so fitting for Mumford & Sons, and yet it still feels fresh. But beneath the familiar instrumentation is a message about community and showing up for one another. Lines like “I’m a mess myself, but I think I could be someone if you need someone” speak to shared struggle and connection. The piano harmony break adds emotional lift, and knowing Jon Bellion had a hand in writing it makes sense. You can feel his influence in the layered instrumentals and subtle shifts in tone.

RUN TOGETHER

This song might be my favorite on the album. The first time I heard the chorus, it genuinely brought tears to my eyes. “Run Together” defines love in a way that is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The banjo, the piano, the swelling instrumentals all carry as much weight as the lyrics. “I am yours, and yours, forever” and “I will love you, now and ever” feel like vows, and it is the line “cause change is never too late” feels like hope wrapped in melody. The banjo and piano are just as important as the lyrics, swelling at just the right moments. It is unity, devotion, and belief in growth all wrapped into one. FINNEAS is also credited as a writer on this track, as a writer, there are subtle echoes of the emotional build found in “Till Forever Falls Apart.”

CONVERSATIONS WITH MY SON (GANGSTERS & ANGELS)

I had the chance to hear this live in 2025, and it already felt special then. At their Columbus tour stop, Marcus shared, “I think this might be my favorite song we’ve ever written.” Hearing the studio version confirms why. “Here is where heaven starts. I am with you till the end with my hand over your heart” is one of the most powerful lines on the album. The song shifts between two tones, almost like a metaphor for good and bad, light and dark. It feels like a father telling his son that life will test you, but you always have a choice in how you respond. It’s the longest track on the album, and it earns every second.

ALLEYCAT

“Alleycat” wrestles with nostalgia. “Is this all there is?” paired with the response of “What do you mean, is this not enough for you?” feels like a conversation between expectation and gratitude. There’s a longing for something, for a past that felt simpler and maybe happier. It captures that dangerous habit of romanticizing what’s behind you instead of embracing what’s in front of you. While it didn’t hit me as strongly as some of the others, it still fits the album’s larger emotional arc.

PRIZEFIGHTER

The title track centers on missing someone who has moved on and sitting with the wreckage of what was lost. The line “Just say he’s really not me, now is he?” feels like a plea wrapped in denial. There’s regret here, the weight of a relationship damaged beyond repair, and the frustration of not being able to apologize in the way you wish you could.

BEGIN AGAIN

Obsessed is the only word that fits. “Begin Again” is a reminder that you can change your path at any time. You can let go. You can start over. “Don’t carry your father’s sins more than you can take” feels like one of the album’s thesis statements. The instrumental swells in a way that makes you want to scream the lyrics at the top of your lungs. It feels freeing, like taking your first full breath after holding it for too long.

ICARUS (ft. Gigi Perez)

I was eager for this one after hearing it live in Indianapolis in 2025, especially after learning Gigi Perez would be featured. The track draws on the Greek myth of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun and paid the price. The metaphor is clear: loving someone who was never good for you, taking a risk that burned you in the end. The vulnerability in “I got too close to the sun” feels both personal and universal. Gigi elevates the emotion, adding a sharp clarity to the regret woven through the track.

STAY

“Stay” feels like a plea, but also a promise. On the surface, it’s about begging someone not to walk away. Underneath, it reads as something deeper, almost like a pact to keep fighting when things get heavy. “So will you stay?” followed by “‘Cause I swear I’ll stay” feels like two people holding onto each other in the dark, a pact. It carries the quiet weight of mental health struggles and the promise to keep going.

BADLANDS (ft. Gracie Abrams)

With Gracie Abrams featured, “Badlands” explores the pressure of balancing on a high wire, trying not to fall. It’s about expectations, about not fitting into the mold others set for you, and still believing you’re meant for something bigger. There’s a quiet defiance here.

SHADOW OF A MAN

This one feels rooted in anxiety and the fear of settling down. There is a push and pull between wanting connection and wanting to run before you can be hurt. There’s an unease woven through it that mirrors the feeling of not being ready to stay still. Someone who is not quite ready to stop moving, unsure of who they are without the chase.

I’LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING

“I’ll Tell You Everything” might be one of the most intimate tracks on the album. It starts guarded, almost pretending, before slowly opening up. “How much is too much, babe?” feels like the question at its core. It’s about trust, about wondering if someone can love you fully, not just the easy parts. The promise to reveal everything if it’s safe to do so is tender and honest. This one hits especially hard if you’ve ever struggled with letting people in.

CLOVER

Closing the album, “Clover” feels like resolution. When you find the right person, they feel like home. “The chase is over. I am done. The chase is over, my love” carries a sense of peace. It’s about slowing down, about choosing to stay instead of running. Seeing someone’s highs and lows and loving them anyway. It is a reminder to slow down and be present, to recognize that safety and love can coexist. A reminder to be present and to appreciate the gift of feeling safe with someone.

Prizefighter is an album about choice. The choice to love. The choice to stay. The choice to change. It weaves together romantic love, fatherhood, personal identity, and faith in a way that feels intentional and cohesive. The harmonies across the record are some of the strongest the band has delivered, and the collaborators never overshadow the heart of Mumford & Sons.

ON REPEAT: “Run Together”
It is the clear standout to me. It was the first one I saved to my favorite songs and the one I’ll keep returning to.

COULD SKIP: “Alleycat”
If I had to skip one, it would probably be “Alleycat,” though even that plays a role in the larger story.

At its core, Prizefighter feels hopeful. It acknowledges the mess, the regret, the fear, and still insists that change is never too late.