Drawing its name from the scandalized nineteenth-century spirit photographer William H. Mumler, the San Jose indie folk collective adopts a multi-genre songwriting method that blends an eclectic assortment of instruments obtained through a giveaway from the San Jose Unified School District with textures recalling the work of Devendra Banhart. Singer/songwriter Will Sprott launched the Mumlers in 2005, gathering the multi-instrumentalists Mercedes El Vencere, Andy Paul, James Fenwicke, Müller, Felix Archuleta, and Paolo Gomez. Convinced he had assembled a supergroup of longtime friends and local players, Sprott guided the band through warmly received shows around San Jose. The group issued its debut album, Thickets & Stitches, on Galaxia in 2007, then followed with Don't Throw Me Away in 2009 before embarking on a first national tour opening for the Black Heart Procession.
