I first found Florence when I got the soundtrack to one of the Twilight movies. Sidenote: Even though the movies are lacking, the music is not. The soundtracks from the Twilight movies are rockin'. Anyways, on the soundtrack Florence + the Machine bring their A-game with "Heavy In Your Arms." By using their bass and drumbeats, you can easily picture heavy footsteps. Florence is able to get the pain and anguish found in the lyrics through to the listener. Needless to say, I wanted "Lungs" after hearing that one track.
Finally, two weeks ago I got paid, hopped in the car with my partner in crime, went to Cartersville to the Target and purchased the CD (We also made a trip to the Goodwill. It was awesome, but that's no surprise). Once we got back to our apartment, Florence + the Machine found their home on my iPod.
I like to think of music, and especially CDs/albums, as a journey. Florence fulfills this expectation more than I thought they would. At first, you are thrown into the exciting "Dog Days are Over". It's light and floaty which makes you want more. From here, you move to a whimsical sounding area that reminds me of the feeling of falling in love. One of my favorite songs on the album is "I'm Not Calling You a Liar." It gives a voice to those of us who are cautious in love. After a few more tracks, I found my favorite song of the album "Cosmic Love." In this song, Florence + the Machine portray the struggle of being blinded by love. With the powerful rhythmic section and the fanciful strings, a tension builds throughout the song. It reminds me of having to find the balance between what is really there and what can be hard to see. The end of the album is hopeful. Ending with the song "You've Got the Love" leaves me with a smile. It makes me think of all the people in my life that hold me up when I want to fall. Not only that, it makes me think the big guy in the sky. Regardless of who I think about when listening to this song, I definitely feel better after hearing it.
As you can probably tell, I don't really skip any songs when listening to Florence on the handy-dandy iPod. However, one that I do skip every now and then is "Kiss With a Fist". Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but the lyrics are, well, interesting? I don't know how to put it, but I just rather not rock to that song in my car with the windows down. Yet, that doesn't take away the fact that without Florence + the Machine several papers would not have found themselves completed in my professors hands.
Do I think Florence + the Machine is lovely?
Umm. Yep.
4 out of 5 roses.
