Florence and the Machine
Lungs (2009)
Songbird Florence Welch burst onto the music scene back in 2008 with a number of grandiose singles. The music world was captivated by her powerful, soulful voice, a throwback to an older time. Teaming up with long time collaborator Isabella Summers (the 'Machine') and a litany of musicians and producers, Welch produced Lungs, her debut studio album (which included the aforementioned catchy sing
My impressions of the album were unfortunately tainted by the radio bombardment of the singles. The song about the 'dog days' was oversaturated to the point of frustration. However, given Welch's undeniable talent, I felt it was only fair to give the album a fresh listen through objective ears.
The Album
The first thing that jumps out about Lungs is just how lush the whole thing sounds. A myriad of instruments are utilised throughout the album; everything from 'traditional' rock instruments (drums, keys, piano, guitar) to less traditional ones (the harp, for instance.)
The most prominent instrument however is the drums. Describing them as 'booming' seems like it is not going far enough - they dominate much of the soundscape, which gives the album a huge, epic quality. It does also, unfortunately, mean that sometimes the other instruments are lost.
Then, of course, there's Florence Welch herself. Basically, believe the hype. At times she evokes memories of 60s soul siren Dusty Springfield, yet at no time does Welch ape or copy anyone else; she has her own distinct style, and sounds equally powerful when singing those crashingly explosive sections or more subtle, quiet parts.
Of the tracks on the album, some of the singles are sterling efforts, while others for mine fall flat. Dog Days Are Over might have been oversaturated to the point of frustration but its constant shifts from quiet to HUGE are tremendous. It rumbles with a booming indie feel while Welch's soul-inflected vocal soars above the instrumental din. It's a terrific bloody song. Almost as terrific is Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), where a multi-tracked choir of Welches create a wall of vocal magnificence. It also features a highly catchy and singable (yet quite complex in terms of its soundscape) chorus. Drumming Song is also of note - its superb lyrics painting a picture of burning, passionate love, while (quite fittingly) the drum and percussion work is first rate.
Other quality tracks are the soul throwback I'm Not Calling You A Liar, the mildly disturbing but feisty Girl With One Eye (where Welch knocks a fiery vocal out of the park) and the rumbling, smoky indie pop of Howl.
There were a few tracks though that didn't quite click for me. Singles Kiss With A Fist and Cosmic Love were a little bit bland, and seemed to lack the energy and power of other tracks, although the latter certainly adds weight to those critics who have compared Welch to Kate Bush. My Boy Builds Coffins was notable for its very Gothic themes, but featured a few too clever by half lyrical moments - if he's not building coffins for work or play, what's he building them for? I do feel the need to point out though that while these were probably the album's lowest points, they weren't necessarily bad songs, and in fact still had good things about them...but whereas the highlights are sprawling, high-octane tunes (not necessarily high-tempo, mind), these songs were just a bit lacklustre.
The Verdict
Lungs is a very, very good album that is enjoyable from start to finish. I quite liked the emphasis on drums and percussion, although I can certainly acknowledge how this production decision can make some songs very difficult to listen to as it drowns out the melody, leaving the heavy melodic lifting to Florence Welch. Speaking of Florence....she's a star, and deserves to be considered one of the most talented singers out there at the moment.
Definitely worth checking out.
My rating: ****
Standout Tracks
Howl
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Dog Days Are Over
Up next is an album from a long-serving collective of Swedish punksters.
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