Second albums are notoriously difficult for artists, particularly when their first album was as brilliant as Florence + The Machine's debut, Lungs. Florence Welch, however, makes it look easy with Ceremonials. Welch has ramped up the melodrama on this album to levels which would look plain silly in the hands of mere mortals, but she has a voice of incredible power and depth, and the backing of tribal drums, swirling strings and gothic orchestration suits her perfectly. The songs tracks on Ceremonials pull you in and won't let you go as Welch rages against the darkness and the music takes you with it as it achieves transcendence. It's as theatrical and over-the-top a pop album as will be released all year and it shouldn't work, but it does - Ceremonials is a classic. Britain has not seen a pop star anything like Florence Welch since Kate Bush arrived on the scene in the 1970's. That is high praise indeed, but on the basis of her first two albums she absolutely deserves it.
Top Tracks: Shake It Out, What The Water Gave Me, Never Let Me Go, Leave My Body
Rating: 9/10
Release Date: 1 November 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment