The Mumlers
San Jose, CA
The Walkmen, Tom Waits, Devendra Banhart
Conjuring up images of smoky jazz cafes inhabited by a desperate cast of sepia-toned hustlers, black-nailed ditch diggers and bourbon-soaked card sharks, the Mumlers lay down a dirty, dusty brand of Americana steeped in a brassy haze and stitched together with a throaty croon that simultaneously pierces the gut and melts the soul.
The Mumlers are the product of Will Sprott and a host of multi-instrumental cohorts, whose fortuitous run-in with the San Jose Unified School District allowed them access to a grab bag takeaway of old school battered brass that would ultimately help them develop their distinct sound, far different from today’s current offerings.
The Mumlers have crafted a loose, free-and-easy amalgamation of multiple genres including jazz, blues, and 50’s pop, so ghostly in tone, that it’s only appropriate they be named after a disgraced American spectral photographer.
Solidifying their music and building their reputation through a host of shows around the San Jose area, the Mumlers released their first album, “Thickets and Stitches” in 2007. Their sophomore effort, “Don’t Throw Me Away” followed in 2009 and builds upon its predecessor by offering an even stronger batch of melancholia that will haunt you late into the night while triggering that occasional sinister grin… You simply need to hear this.
--Eric Quist
Photo credit: Max Dolberg
I love it when songs can represent a sort of weather and place and this song has that ability! It reminds me of warm, summer day on a beach or grassy area. Great stuff.
LOVE the reverb-y sound quality of the vocals on this track. Do they have anything new coming out soon?
First time I saw The Mumlers was at Treasure Island Music Festival, great performance. Anyone else see that performance? They wanted to do one more song and the sound guys cut their sound. HAHA so lame.
haha I didn’t see that. Sound guys are usually the coolest, but they probably had people on their ass to keep on schedule
I absolutely love these guys. I’ve seen them play 6 times now. Don’t Throw Me Away (title track, 2nd album) is just classic. Red River Hustle has one of my favorite lyrics (I live across from the Shell station, but the S fell off long ago…).
They’re starting a tour late Feb so keep an eye out for them!