For whatever reason, my musical radar has been down for a few months. I heard Florence and The Machine’s new song, “Shake It Out” on the radio and said to myself, “Wow. What a great single she put out.” Turns out she put out an ENTIRE album. How she managed to escape my musical obsession is beyond me because quite frankly, I consider Florence Welch to be one of the only truly talented musicians of our time. Unlike many soloists, she actually writes her own songs, isn’t one for covers, and has not only a flawless voice, but a very unique and distinct one as well. Paired with unbelievably fantastic music, this 25-year-old England native can honestly do no wrong.
I was first introduced to Florence back in 2009 when her album, Lungs came out. Some of you may recall her song, “The Dog Days Are Over” from this album, amongst other lesser known (but equally as astounding) songs, “Between Two Lungs” and “Drumming Song.” At first, I found this album a little strange. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before, and living in a time where Rhianna is all over the radio, my immature ears had their collective mind blown. Her sound was so intense and quirky that I just didn’t know what to make of it. But upon further listening, I soon realized just how much talent Florence has.
To put her true talent into perspective, when recording the song “Between Two Lungs,” Florence banged on the wall as a substitute for drums, and picked out a melody on the piano. Simple enough, right? Well, here’s the kicker: She doesn’t even play piano. Being an almost 10-year player of this instrument, I can tell you right now that improvising a substantial, well-structured and catchy melody is next to impossible. So for her to just sit down and crank something like this out is just absolutely mind-blowing. And that is why I hold her to the esteem that I do.
Ceremonials came out on October 28, 2011, and extends Florence’s talent and creativity in a way I would have never imagined a follow-up to the already incredible Lungs could. Although every track has a similar sound with the incorporation of pounding drums, harmonies, back-up singers and orchestration, she does play around with accidentals, key signatures, and instrumentation (like mandolins and clapping) in songs like “What the Water Gave Me” and “Strangeness and Charm.” Florence still carries the same intensity with emotion-evoking harmonies and intricate rhythms. Her deep, out-of-this-world lyrics are still top-notch, which gives her music another level. Honestly, this album leaves me so speechless that all I can do is encourage you to listen to it, or more importantly, buy it! Find Ceremonials on amazon.com for $13.99!