my coworker nelson has wicked taste, sometimes. our itunes collide when it comes to u.k. imports. it was nelson who introduced me to florence + the machine. we swapped a bunch of records about a month ago but i only got around to uploading them to itunes this weekend. disappointing, only because i wish i had listened to LUNGS a month ago. it was on repeat all turkey-weekend long."dog days are over" is clearly the stand-out track. check the video here. i have to say, it's totally amazing and weird, complete with creepy clowns, children and a tree fairy. however, the track shows off 22-year-old Florence Welch's impeccable, organic sounding vocals.
the video for "rabbit heart" is as equally creepy and weird - think jane austin on acid and a tea-party with entirely too much pork. i love wacky videos. but back to the song; it's the perfect indie-rock-dance-party-anthem. the chorus is soulful and powerful. the verses are pretty and ethereal - a great juxtaposition.
"between two lungs" was the first u.k. single. it's very pretty and quirky... and here's where the kate nash comparisons start. not because they sound the same, because on most tracks they don't. you could never confuse one artist for the other. the comparisons start because when kate nash released her debut you could argue she was trying to do the same thing: quirkify pop music.
florence and + the machine does it better and they're a better band too. not because her voice is amazing, which it is, but because florence + the machine do a better job of making their pop music legitimately different by taking bits and pieces of contemporary pop and indie rock and melding those pieces with dance, some r n' b and a healthy dose of 80s pop. (sidenote: i accidentally wrote poop and only caught it on my final read-through. i should have left it.)
the production is also totally brilliant. it sounds like the album was recorded in a big empty theatre with every instrument, synth and beat at their disposal. for an example of amazing production value, check out "cosmic love." you can check out the live video below, but do a little hunting for the mp3 to really get what i mean.
needless to say, this record will be the soundtrack to my solo-bedroom-dance-parties for months to come. if someone has an extra ticket to their sold-out toronto show, i will happily take it. please.
