As if their inclusion in the Bonnaroo lineup wasn’t enough, Mumford & Sons are officially returning with a brand new album, Wilder Mind. Due out on May 4th, Wilder Mind marks a departure from the band’s acoustic sound, delving into the realm of electrified folk music.

Marcus Mumford explained the switch in a statement, saying: “Towards the end of the Babel tour, we’d always play new songs during soundchecks, and none of them featured the banjo, or a kick-drum. And demoing with Aaron meant that, when we took a break, we knew it wasn’t going to involve acoustic instruments. We didn’t say: ‘No acoustic instruments.’ But I think all of us had this desire to shake it up. The songwriting hasn’t changed drastically; it was led more by a desire to not do the same thing again. Plus, we fell back in love with drums! It’s as simple as that.”

Ben Lovett continued: “It felt completely natural, though, like it did when we started out. It was very much a case of, if someone was playing an electric guitar, drums were going to complement that best; and, sonically, it then made sense to add a synth or an organ. We chose instruments that played well off each other, rather than consciously trying to overhaul it.”

In addition to the new album, Mumford & Sons have announced a series of ‘Gentlemen of the Road Stopovers,’ with bands like The Flaming Lips, The Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket, The Foo Fighters, and more. Tickets for each show goes on sale on Friday, March 6th, at 10 AM Local Time. Check out the tour information below:

Seaside Heights, New Jersey, USA
June 5th + 6th – Mumford & Sons, The Flaming Lips, Alabama Shakes, The Vaccines, The Maccabees, Dawes, The Very Best, Jenny Lewis, Little May, JEFF The Brotherhood, Blake Mills + more TBA

Waverly, Iowa, USA
June 19th + 20th – Mumford & Sons, The Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket, Dawes, Jenny Lewis, The Maccabees, The Very Best, Rubblebucket, JEFF The Brotherhood, Blake Mills + more TBA

Aviemore, Scotland, UK
July 31st + August 1st – Mumford & Sons, Primal Scream, Simian Mobile Disco, Ben Howard, Lianne La Havas, The Maccabees, Jack Garratt, Honeyblood + more TBA

Walla Walla, Washington, USA
August 14th + 15th – Mumford & Sons, Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips, The Vaccines, Dawes, Jenny Lewis, TuneYards, James Vincent McMorrow, JEFF The Brotherhood, Blake Mills + more TBA

Salida, Colorado, USA
August 21st + 22nd – Mumford & Sons, The Flaming Lips, Dawes, Jenny Lewis, The Vaccines, TuneYards, James Vincent McMorrow, JEFF The Brotherhood, Blake Mills + more TBA

 

Until then, fans will have to wait until May 4th to hear the new tunes from Mumford & Sons. You can pre-order the album here. Check out the tracklisting below:

Tracklist

1. Tompkins Square Park
2. Believe
3. The Wolf
4. Wilder Mind
5. Just Smoke
6. Monster
7. Snake Eyes
8. Broad-Shouldered Beasts
9. Cold Arms
10. Ditmas
11. Only Love
12. Hot Gates

 

[Via Rolling Stone]