Listen: Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard, Michael Kiwanuka & The Staves – Over The Hill (John Martyn Cover)

Listen — By Andrew Evans on 10/04/12

The mecca of the current rootsy resurgance here in the UK is Ben Lovett’s Communion label. When he’s not stamping his feet and playing keys with his paymasters – that little-known group called Mumford & Sons – Lovett has welcomed artists such as Michael Kiwanuka, Ben Howard, The Staves, Gotye, Daughter and To Kill a King into its bossom.

Rightly so then, when the label recently decamped to SXSW it was seen as a hub of all things acousticy and beardy. It was to be expected that these lot would, at some point, burst into song together and when they did it was pretty damn lovely.

Recording a cover of John Martyn’s Over The Hill those involved sit on sofas, stand in corners, hang by the BBQ and teach each other the chords at the last minute. Communion are just one big happy family.