I trust you, blog-readers.

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I have a confession: I have never listened to Mumford & Sons.

I know.  They’re, like, all the rage these days.  But I don’t even know what they sound like.

Everybody loves them and will probably murder me for not being on the bandwagon already.  Who knows – maybe if I heard them, I would promptly die of love anyway.

Julie tells me that one of my strong suits is the fact that I know what I like, I know what I need, and I know how to say no to things that don’t fall into those categories.  Other people tell me that this makes me a boring, prudish, unenlightened killjoy – but then again, they just promptly earned themselves a place on my List of Things I Don’t Really Like.

Other things on my very short List:
– Watching sports
– Going out to lunch
– The Twitter

But really.  I’m trying to be more OPEN.  Should this list actually be called the List of Things I Don’t Really Like (Even Though Maybe I Should)?  Tell me the truth.  I’ll believe you.

And if you tell me to listen to Mumford & Sons, I’ll do it. You have the power.

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32 Comments

  1. Marije on January 12, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    Listen to them. Then decide if you like thim. (You will)

  2. Val on January 12, 2011 at 11:33 AM

    Never listened to Mumford either. I know, I’m terrible. …I guess?

    Not a sports fan.

    LOVE going out to lunch. It’s a vice.

    Currently on the Twitter because I am supposed to be all social media-y for work. Mostly I just retweet funny things others have “tweeted.”

    Faebook, however? Totally in love with the Facebook.

  3. Marijke on January 12, 2011 at 11:39 AM

    Ok, as somebody who is very much with you on this one – except I am a LATE joiner (vs. a non-joiner), I JUST purchased Mumford & Sons. As well as Ray Lamontagne and Ingrid Michaelson and a few other albums suggested to me by friends or Pandora.

    And I have to say, for someone who doesn’t normally listen to the style of Mumford, I don’t love it. It’s ok. I kind of like it. A little angry. Maybe more the type of music that I want playing in the background while I’m working. But I don’t love it. Granted, I’ve only listened to it through 2 or 3 times, so maybe it’s the kind of thing that has to grow on you.

    (But, as an aside, I love Ingrid Michaelson – and this is a change for me, because 3 or 4 years ago I wouldn’t have. I was all, “Bethany Dillon or bust!”)

    All that to say, if you don’t THINK you’ll like them, don’t buy just because everybody else loves them. Not in a “don’t succumb to the peer pressure” kind of way.. But in a “I just don’t think the fact that they are the flavor of the month is alone an indicator that you will love them” kind of way.

    Also, you don’t like going to lunch? Interesting..

  4. Matt on January 12, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    I know I love a lot of music you don’t, but I do think Mumford and Sons is a quality band, and also one you’d enjoy.

    I am going to pretend I didn’t hear that thing about sports though.

  5. jasonmichael on January 12, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    Ms. Parsons, you are a do-er and a life liver. Two of the three items don’t involve either of those. Watching sports doesn’t actually involve doing anything, and The Twitter is essentially reading about others doing life. Those two on the list are perfectly acceptable. Even going out to lunch is usually rushed so you can’t relax and enjoy the time/company.

    I say all 3 are perfectly acceptable to be on your list.

  6. Christina on January 12, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Well, except I have told you, and I guess it didn’t work. Which is fine, to each her own :)

  7. Brooke on January 12, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    Confession: I haven’t either

  8. Katie on January 12, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    I do love going out to lunch. But I love that you know what you like and don’t like.

    And I’ve never listened to Mumford either. (My husband loves them, so don’t tell him.)

  9. Eric on January 12, 2011 at 1:19 PM

    Mumford & Sons…listen to them. They will fill the banjo deprived void that is in your soul.

    Sports are fun to watch as long as you know what is going on and actually care enough to cheer. I could do without many sports on tv though. IE basketball.

    I like your idea of exploring things that are in your “you don’t really like but maybe should” category. I tried that with Radiohead. Still don’t like them.

  10. Peg on January 12, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    just listened … since those around you told you to I figured that was a pretty good endorsement. Nice band – nice banjo.

    AND…I think having a list of don’t likes is fine. Why waste time?

    I like going to lunch, but find it a stifling way to talk with a friend since there is usually a time limit. I prefer hanging out, cooking with someone, and yes sometimes watching sports with someone.

  11. stephanie on January 12, 2011 at 1:59 PM

    me neither! i keep hearing about them, but i live overseas at the moment so i’m a bit disconnected from what’s up in music these days. i finally loaded up a song of theirs via youtube a week ago, but i was too distracted to figure out if they’re as life-changingly awesome as everyone claims. so that prob didn’t count. i’ll give them a(nother) try if you do!

    p.s. totally with you on both watching sports and twitter. i tried for a while to get into them, because i felt like it would make me “cooler” if i did…but whatevs. i’m cool enough without.

  12. Christy on January 12, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Ok, I have listened to them. And that’s even my kind of music….but I am just not feeling them. Like, at all. But everyone loves them so much…maybe I should give it another shot. I think I may still be too enamored with the Avett Brothers to have any room in my heart right now!

  13. the handygraham on January 12, 2011 at 3:05 PM

    eh, that stuff’s lame. You NEED to listen to some Van Halen.

  14. Emily from Seattle on January 12, 2011 at 3:11 PM

    I’d never even heard of them until just now….

  15. Katie on January 12, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    I love them. Really, really love them-and even though music THIS “built up” is usually bound to fail with me, I was won over by their lyrics and banjo-ing. So, give them a try! (Maybe you can go out to lunch at a sports bar and then twitter whether you like them or not).

  16. Julianne on January 12, 2011 at 4:38 PM

    I just bought a few of their songs over Christmas. I haven’t listened to them enough to know if I love them, but I do like them so far.
    I’m with you on sports and twitter.
    But going out for lunch? I would love to go out for lunch (without having to ask for a highchair). It’s a rare thing in my life.

  17. Emily on January 12, 2011 at 5:21 PM

    I’ve never heard of Mumford and Sons, but since the other Emily from Seattle hasn’t heard of them either, I don’t feel quite so lame.

  18. Julie on January 12, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    I was enjoying not being on the bandwagon and not having heard Mumford & Sons for quite a while. Then, a couple months ago, I heard a song in a coffee shop, had to look it up, aaand it was them! “White Blank Page”… you might like it. I really do.

  19. Dani Lin on January 12, 2011 at 5:57 PM

    OK, so I married a football FANATIC. and I actually enjoy it… when else can I wear purple eyeshadow unironically? OK, so kindof ironically. But still.

    Also, I think that if we got a choice group of gals to go out to lunch, you would LOVE it.

  20. Erin L from KC on January 12, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    if you went to lunch, it would solve the problem of eating the same thing everyday…unless you went and ordered the same thing everyday.
    PLUS: it’s cheaper than dinner and if you’re a homebody (like me-which I know you are) you can eat at home because “i ate out for lunch, sorry!”

    also: have only heard ONE mum & sons song…eh.

    also: twitter is great because of the funny things ellen degeneres says. srsly. i also follow a few other celebs and they have good thoughts too…who would have thought i’d spend an hour reading pat sajak’s tweets? (i don’t follow him though)
    give it a try…if anything, you can cancel your account or unfriend dumb people. :)

  21. Lyla on January 12, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Who the heck are Mumford and Sons?

  22. Carrie on January 12, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    Crazy-I just drove home from Meg’s with a freshly burned cd of theirs. I tried to find the CD in the store-apparently CD’s are old fashioned and you must get things online. I realized I had an obsession with them today after listening on youtube on repeat x20.

  23. AnnieBlogs on January 12, 2011 at 11:10 PM

    There are so many reasons you will like them.

    I mean, SO many reasons.

    Start here : After The Storm

    Slays me.

    Love you.

  24. Mike GP on January 13, 2011 at 2:49 AM

    They’re pretty awesome, truthfully. Idea: watch Nettles’ cover of “Sigh No More” and if you like it, maybe try the real (Mumford) version

  25. E on January 13, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    Mumford and who? I’ve never even heard of them.

  26. Juliette on January 13, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    I love going out to lunch. :)

    And Mumford is all well and good (Todd loves them), but I still think they’re a poor man’s Avett Brothers.

    Annd I just read some other comments and Christy thinks so too! Check out emotionalism. Seriously fantastic storytelling. I And Love And You is great too.

    Also, needtobreathe. Their last album is brilliant.

  27. becca on January 13, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    mumford’s lyrics rule.

  28. Sarah Kate on January 13, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    1. Mumford and Sons are awesome. Listen to them.
    2. Sorry for torturing you with a lunch date when I was in town.
    3. I would totally follow you on The Twitter. I have one.

  29. amy on January 13, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    mumford&sons have taken over my life. in a good way.

    you deserve to listen to them.

  30. Sarah on January 14, 2011 at 1:05 AM

    Yeah, listen to them and they’re decent. Watch them on youtube and you might get a little distracted by the frontman’s skeevy mustache.

    I did look up “Sigh no More” covered by Sugarland and Little Big Town – nice!

  31. Rebs on January 23, 2011 at 10:51 PM

    I’m going to be one of those really annoying people who says, “I heard them two years ago before they were famous…blah blah blah” It’s true. …I thought that would sound funnier, but now that I read it, it’s notsomuch.

    Anyway, while they are good and I enjoy their music, you don’t have to drop everything to listen to them, nor are you way behind the times, nor are you “uncool”, etc. Because WHO REALLY HAS THE TIME to listen to all the new music out there?! It’s not 1987…or 1997 for that matter. Music is so accessible it’s not even humanly possible for anyone to hear it all. NOT POSSIBLE.

    I do have to say it’s wonderful to listen to while driving (do you have a car yet?? I’m so behind on reading your blog…:( Makes me sad), or on a run/walk. It has larger-than-life, driving rhythms and great lyrics…from what I remember. But, it can start to all sound the same when you first listen to the album, so give it a few listens. :)

  32. Rebs on January 23, 2011 at 10:54 PM

    Oh yea, I’m not into sports either. Right now Sunday nights are SO ANNOYING because my Facebook feed is full of football nonsense. ;) And Twitter doesn’t make much sense unless you have a “smart” phone. To me, at least. xoxo

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