“Florence + the Machine” is undoubtedly one of my favorite bands of all time. For the uninitiated and those who may only know the band for hits such as “Dog Days are Over,” “Shake It Out,” and “What Kind of Man,” “Florence + The Machine” is a band that features alternative rock and soul music while highlighting the impressive vocals of lead singer Florence Welch.
The band was formed in 2007 in London, and they have come a long way since the band’s inception. They now sport worldwide appeal on the charts and from critics, and their third album “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” just released in June of this year. To celebrate that achievement and to commemorate that trio of amazing albums, my next few articles will be spotlighting each one individually. I will be starting with their explosive debut album “Lungs” that saw a 2009 release.
The range of emotions “Lungs” elicits in its 13 tracks is wide. Some songs like the titular “Dog Days are Over” and “You’ve Got the Love” sound happy and hopeful while others like “Cosmic Love” and “My Boy Builds Coffins” sound downright tragic.
The thoughtful writing in each song really supports Florence’s booming or haunting vocals depending on the song. Traditional pop melodies or lyrics are not found here as harps and poetry combine to create pieces about fated love, the conundrum of talent and relationship turbulence.
A couple of the songs on the album too also break the fourth wall a bit and relate Welch’s own experience of having her voice discovered and then using it for her current career. This makes songs like “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” and “Between Two Lungs” all the more interesting.
One of my personal favorites of the album is “Drumming Song,” a track that continually builds up in intensity with Welch’s trademark vocal prowess and diction. Like most of the band’s songs, it also tells a simple and symbolic story of the effect the presence of a lover has on another.
For me, what makes “Lungs” stand out from the band’s future work is the youthful tone and feel of the album. Somehow, it is obvious this is a debut album despite all the songs being expertly crafted both on account of the instrumentation and writing from Isabella Summers. The topics covered in their material relate to young people, and the edgy demeanor of which they tackles some of their songs sort of dissipates in future, more sophisticated albums with more subtlety and complexity.
That being said, “Lungs” is still a fantastic first outing for “Florence + The Machine.” A lot of the more popular tracks still remain fan-favorites to this day, and most of the music has a universal appeal in terms of the stories the songs tell.
And since the band is a hybrid of classical, soul, rock and alternative pop music, I believe that a lot of music lovers will be able to gravitate towards them if they have not done so already.
Next week, check out my review of “Ceremonials,” the band’s second studio album.
