Hand me down 2sdaY: Wagon Wheel//Mumford & Sons

Mumford and Sons have been jamming everybody’s radar lately. They sold out our Riverside Theater months ahead of time and were also in the news thanks to this Pavement loathing, fun killing, filtered cigarette hating man that heaved empty bottles at them and very maturely referred to them as “a load of retarded Irish folk singers.” Well… they’re British. And it seems that Mark E. Smith seems to be one of the only people not gushing like Tidal Wave when their names are mentioned.

Mumford and Sons land on Seizure Chicken today with their cover of a song that I’ve listened to more times in the past three years than nearly anything else, Old Crow Medicine Show‘s “Wagon Wheel.” It’s loosely based on the chorus of Dylan’s “Rock Me Mama” and is such an easy song to like. If you stay true to the lyrics and the sway of it, you can do know wrong with the cover. Fiddles, banjos, smoke, froth and in the case of this cover, Brits instead of Tennesseans. Either way you rock it, it rolls. While I’ll remain loyal to the original due to authentic twang, Mumford and Sons do a hell of a job with it.

Mumford and Sons have been playing “Wagon Wheel” out lately and Milwaukeeans were treated to what I’ve only heard was a terrific version last Saturday night at the Riverside. Dig this Mp3 and head here to check out Old Crow killing it with Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Justin Townes Earle, and the Felice Brothers.

MP3: Mumford and Sons- Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show)

Shout out to my boy Mike from Wizconsin for passing this my way.