Vance Joy’s “Nation of Two” released

 If you’re a Mumford & Sons fan, then I found the album for you: Vance Joy’s “Nation of Two.”

 I started listening to one of the songs on the album from a recommendation on someone’s Instagram story. This lead to me listening to the whole album, and I was surprised by how much the album had in common with Mumford & Sons’ music. Many of the songs have that indie folk sound with hints of rock mixed in that is on the verge of being pop that Mumford & Sons have.

 While many songs on the “Nation of Two” are harmony-heavy, some remain simpler with a melody line alone, similar to his older song Riptide. This is the one spot I feel where he diverges from Mumford & Sons. However, they still both have many parallels, and this is one of the highest compliments I can give to an artist; I love Mumford & Sons.

 Another thing that surprised me was how much I actually loved “Nation of Two.” My only real Vance Joy exposure prior to listening to the album was hearing his song “Riptide,” which I liked, but after hearing it half a million times, I’m bored of it. Luckily, “Nation of Two” isn’t a boring album. There isn’t a “skip” song on it. He keeps even the simple, stripped back songs interesting.

 There are a couple stand-out songs on the album for me. The first is Saturday Sun, the song I learned about on Instagram. I can’t remember who recommended it anymore, but they are an angel in my book. Saturday Sun is just so good. It’s catchy and it makes me smile every time I hear it.

 Another favorite of mine is Lay It on Me. It’s tight chorus harmonies are what make it one of the best songs on the album. It reminds me of Searchlight by Phillip Phillips, and I just love it.

 As a whole, “Nation of Two” is a cheery album that always brightens my mood. There’s not a person I wouldn’t recommend this album to. I have a feeling that it’s going to be one of the main things I listen to for the next few months.