Morristown’s Josh Stephens on Florence and the Machine’s ‘Lungs’
Posted by Josh Stephens on February 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Florence and the Machine’s hotly anticipated debut album “Lungs” opens with the deliriously joyful “Dog Days Are Over.” Whimsical strings and harp à la Bjork support Florence Welch’s soaring wail. Thick harmony layers bloom around Flo’s voice on the gospel-meets-Dido “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up).” You believe her when she declares, “This is a gift.”
“Lungs” loses its momentum temporarily when the band wanders into White Stripes territory with the punky freight train “Kiss With a Fist” and the stripped back “Girl with One Eye.” These harder, one-dimensional tracks don’t fit well in the context of the album simply because this group can’t do ‘tough’ songs. They are capable of more.
Hope is restored however with the playful “Between Two Lungs.” There are quirky-beautiful moments throughout the album that invite comparisons to the freewheeling Imogen Heap, but none more so than here.
Piano and drums tentatively ease in but once the dam breaks we are swept away by a cascading vocal line. This daring piece shows off a fearless spirit that makes the earlier missteps forgivable.
All of the Machine’s strengths lock together in exhilarating fashion in the form of “Cosmic Love.” It’s all there. That swirling unstoppable voice and the precise twinkly harp supported by the chugging strings all pound away as she rages, “The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out. You have left me in the dark.”
“Hurricane Drunk” demonstrates how Flo isn’t just an aimless pixie, she can really sing. She can straight up belt when she wants to. “Blinding” creeps in not unlike U2′s “Silver and Gold” and would’ve made a strong closer to this album with its rolling thump-and-fizz groove. ”You’ve Got the Love” is pretty but disposable. The Machine is better when things sound a bit weird.
Although uneven, “Lungs” shows great promise. Once the Machine can consistently tap into these moments of overwhelming joy, they are bound for great things.
Josh Stephens
Morristown resident Josh Stephens is a music fanatic. Check out his reviews here every week.
