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Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch attended Camberwell College of Art in South London. While there she came across a Punk band named The Ludes and even dated a band member. That relationship led to the song "My Boy Builds Coffins" and a cover of The Ludes' "Girl With One Eye" on Florence + The Machine's debut album "Lungs."
After a year-and-a-half, Welch bailed on Camberwell for a career in music and began assembling The Machine. A couple musicians came and went before Robert Ackroyd (guitar), Christopher Lloyd Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp) solidified as the band's line-up.
Florence + The Machine released a handful of singles ("Kiss With A Fist," "Dog Days Are Over," "You've Got The Love" and "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)") that did well but failed to crack the U.K. Top 10 ("Rabbit Heart" did the best peaking at #12). However, their debut album peaked at #2 on the U.K. chart. Michael Jackson's untimely death and the rush to buy his music kept Florence + The Machine out of the top spot.
With the idea of creating a "more dark, more heavy, bigger drum sounds, bigger bass, but with more of a whole sound," version of "Lungs," Welch and producer Paul Epworth began developing demos for the next Florence +The Machine album in early '10. That process continued until April when the band entered Abbey Road Studios. Epworth continue to labor on the project at his London studio while Welch laid down vocal tracks in studios on U.S. tour stops.
Florence + The Machine also contributed "Not Fade Away" for the tribute album celebrating what would have been Buddy Holly's 75th birthday (had he not died in a plane crash), "Rave On Buddy Holly."
"What Water Gave Me" was released on iTunes as a buzz single while the song's video appeared on the band's VEVO channel on YouTube drawing 1.5 million views in two days.
"Ceremonials," with the lead single "Shake It Out," Florence + The Machine's sophomore set, dropped in '11. The "deluxe" digital and CD 20-track versions featured additional songs, demos and acoustic performances.
"Florence + The Machine MTV Unplugged" came out the following year and prompted more than a few to ask if MTV was really still doing the shopworn Unplugged series. Yep, they were. The set featured tracks from "Lungs" and "Ceremonials." It was also notable for the cover of Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" and a duet with Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age/Eagles Of Death Metal) on the Johnny Cash/June Carter classic "Jackson."
Albums:
2009 Lungs
2011 Ceremonials
2012 Florence + The Machine MTV Unplugged
"Lungs" trades on dark pop - which really isn't pop at all. Welch can soar like Grace Slick then deliver Annie Lennox edginess. No wonder "Kiss With A Fist" was the lead single. It's a Punk shot sonically and lyrically ("a kiss with a fist is better than none"). No other song reaches that intensity but "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)," the captivating ballad "Cosmic Love" and the closer "You've Got The Love" have Welch's throaty emotion which makes the drama all the more intriguing.
On "Ceremonials" Florence +The Machine again channel the post-Eurythmics Lennox. Keyboards, ballads with thunderous percussion and vocal acrobatics are all there. Too bad there are only a few appealing songs. The exceptions include "Shake It Out" and "Spectrum," a pair of engaging dance-Rock tracks. "Breaking Down" is a pop tune with strings. "Never Let Me Go" is the best big ballad on an album laden with them. Typically, the added demo of "What The Water Brought Me" sounds superior to the finished version.