The hype has hit the roof and Florence Welch has emerged as the perfect female antibody to La Roux or Little Boots 80's electro-pop revival. We grabbed a quick first listen to her debut album Lungs earlier and thought you might like to know what Florence has in store come July 6th.
SIDE A:
Dog Days Are Over starts off as a frighteningly simple guitar line with Florence's vocals defining themselves early on before booming drums come crashing down into the mix. Endorphin inducing stuff. Following smoothly in, our love for current single
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) is well documented. In an album context it fits perfectly, an early showcase of Florence's potential for storming radio-friendly tunes. "I'm not calling you a liar, just don't lie to me, I'm not calling you a thief just don't steal from me" sings Florence in typical velveteen tones at the opening of Lung's first non-single track
I'm Not Calling You A Liar. Flanked by simple piano and harp, it's a slower burning track than the previous two, but not quite carried enough by Welch's voice to justify its place on the album.
Howl follows with dry drums underneath a bridge desperately panted past Florence's lips. Again, her voice reaching heights that, while impressive, somehow feel predictable. Back into familiar territory
Kiss With A Fist brings memories of summer 2008 rushing back, it's newly produced iteration wallowing gloriously in frantic guitar and simpler percussion.
Girl With One Eye showcases previously unheard facets of Florence's voice due to it's sparse nature, deliciously primitive.
SIDE B: One of the more interesting beats on the album suitably introduces previously unheard track
Drumming, a fantastically off kilter number, brimming with energy. Another non-single track but not the worst for it,
Between Two Lungs follows the now familiar template of leaving space between the instrumentation for Florence's voice to soar, carrying suitably ethereal and dreamy vocal lines high in the mix.
Cosmic Love is more akin to her current single than the rest of the album, borrowing even more heavily from Bat For Lashes than the rest of the album; cascading drums building up to an orgasmic ending framed by sounds of fireworks and gentle harp scales. From the highpoint of Cosmic Love,
My Boy Builds Coffins starts with a driving bassline intertwined effortlessly with some afro-pop guitar parts, sorely lacking in strong chorus though.
Hurricane Drunk is somehow instantly forgettable, a worrying lapse in an otherwise constant level of songwriting throughout the album. Building slowly over plucked violins,
Blinding has a refreshingly less defined structure compared to other tracks on the album and is perhaps the most "experimental" track on the album.
With a sharp intake of breath it is over; 12 tracks of partially delicate, partially storming pop. While not quite living up to the promise shown in her first few singles, Florence Welch has crafted an album of undeniably bright sunshine pop laced through with enduring charm.
[PREVIOUSLY] Read our interview with Florence
here.
[MYSPACE] Visit Florence & The Machine on
myspace.
[PRE-ORDER] Pre-order Lungs from
Amazon.
