Dog Days Are Back and Better Than Ever
The second album can be make or break for an artist. Very few with successful first albums are capable of following it up with an album of equal stature, while most are crushed under the pressure and fall into the abyss of one hit wonders. Florence and the Machine is one of those few artists with the tenacity to produce a follow up album every bit as good as its predecessor. Already a gem, Florence has emerged as a diamond with Ceremonials.
Florence Welch won acclaim with her first album, Lungs due to her unique ability to mix classical harp with a heavy drumbeat to produce a pop friendly sound. These elements are still here, but the music is much fuller and more polished. The result is an album that is both earthy and ethereal. Ceremonials is rich with radio friendly songs such as “Breaking Down”, though a deeper listen will reveal a darker Florence.
One of the few things that make her truly unique is her ability to combine sing along tunes with gothic lyrics; Take into consideration “Seven Devils:” “Seven Devils all around you/Seven devils in my house/See they were here when I woke up this morning/I’ll be dead before the day is done.”
With Ceremonials, Florence has earned her place in music history. Every generation has an artist that sets the musical direction that others must follow. This generation may very well belong to Florence Welch.
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