This week’s album review comes thanks to fellow ETS blogger Mailo, who introduced us to this artist in the very beginnings of the Artist of the Week segment.
Though Florence Welch is only 23 years old, she has already put together a solid and quality album for our listening pleasure with the help of the rest of her band (the Machine). Lungs has so many layers and amazing vocal stylings that you can’t help but become transfixed while listening to it. It almost takes you to that place that is in the background of the album cover! I listen to this album and I feel like I’m being carried through some sort of forest-y, green, vine-y place in some made up world.
Now, I know I just said there are a bunch of layers and vocal stylings, but the album’s first single, “Kiss With a Fist,” is pretty rocking compared to the rest of the album. The song has a bit of a punk/grunge feel thanks to the dirty distorted guitar (actually reminds me of the Thermals), big drums and guitar solo, which makes the song a departure from all the musical layers throughout the rest of the album. Even so, the song is quite catchy and shows off Welch’s quirky song-writing.
“Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” is the perfect example of all those instrumental layers and vocal awesomeness, though! It starts off with a harp that makes you feel like you’re going to float away into some dream but there are also big drums, jingle bells, and let’s not forget Welch’s voice. The chorus is by far the best part of the song because it gains so much speed and energy. She has said that she is a big fan of choirs and gospel music and you can definitely hear that influence in this song. I am a huge fan of choirs as well, so I am definitely digging on this track! Her harmonizing vocals are almost haunting while the drums and pounding pianos make this song something totally worthy of destroying your hearing for! You gotta turn up those headphones to full blast to really appreciate this track.
Another one of my favorites off of Lungs is a pretty little ditty entitled, “My Boy Builds Coffins.” This song sounds to me like there’s a little bit of country influence, which you hear in the beginning with the matching guitar and piano melodies. That beautiful harp chimes in eventually along with some light strings which contributes to those layers I was telling you about earlier. I mean, you have to really listen … You’ve got harps, piano, guitars, violins, cellos and drums. What I love about the drums is that they’re constant. I’m not much of a musician so I don’t know the proper term for this but there is a way the drums are played so that there is no open space. There’s just always something being used on that drum kit and it speeds up the pace of the song while adding to the busy-ness of it all. Once again, Welch’s strong and beautiful voice just adds so much more to the track!
Welch creates that world imaginary world you hear in Lungs, and you will not want to leave! This album is quite the listen; not only because the music is catchy but I mean … It’s just BEAUTIFUL! There is so much going on that you’re definitely gonna put this album on a loop!
Other Highlights
“Drumming Song”
“Cosmic Love”
“Hurricane Drunk”
Buy the album at our record store on Amazon
Were you digging this article? Here are some others you may want to get your shovel out for!:
- Artist of the Week [Legend Series] – Elton John
- Editorial – Ringo Starr
- Covers Revue – Joe Cocker covers The Beatles
- Artist of the Week [Legend Series] – The Beatles