Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials

5/5

Many music snobs have a story about how they were a fan of an artist before they "hit big". Although I don't consider myself much of a snob, I indeed have a story like that, as I first discovered Florence + The Machine back in 2008, when her early single "Kiss With A Fist" appeared on my radar via some now-long forgotten blog or magazine. In the next two years, Florence + The Machine - the British art rock group led by singer/songwriter Florence Welch - more or less exploded. The groups excellent debut full length record Lungs was released in 2009 to great sales and well deserved critical acclaim, and the album's best song, "Dog Days Are Over" became a hit in the United States the next year. "Lungs" is a tough act to follow for Welch, as are the lofty comparisons she has garnered to other alternative singer/songwriters such as Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and PJ Harvey.

Ceremonials is the all-important "sophomore album" for the group and it absolutely delivers for those who loved Lungs or even those who've only heard "Dog Days Are Over" and "Rabbit Heart" on WBRU a couple dozen times and enjoyed those songs.

The single "Shake It Out" is excellent, near-perfect and one of the year's best songs. The thumping drums might remind one of "Dog Days Are Over". Like most songs on Ceremonials, "Shake It Out" is similar enough to songs on their debut record, without being a total rehash. A song like "Shake it Out", being both a little different and a little bit the same, means that Florence has likely already grabbed die-hards and casual fans alike, drawing them into the superior tracks deeper into the album.

For instance, "Breaking Down" recalls the early 90's work of Annie Lennox while still being identifiably a Florence and the Machine song. There's a nice vocal effect on the chorus and its use of the celesta – a keyboard-like instrument not often heard in pop music – makes it extremely unique. Additionally, It's probably my favorite song on the album.  Another single, "What the Water Gave Me" is a little more low-key than what we've heard from Florence in the past and it's nice to hear an artist with a sound as identifiable as Florence try something a little different than her previous work. Depending on the version you get, there are various "bonus" tracks. Out of these, "Strangeness and Charm" is the highlight and it is kind of surprising that it didn't make the actual track listing

There's a distinct influence of British dance music on Ceremonials that was not present on Lungs, which was more concerned with fusing folk and soul together into an irresistible combination. Florence's journey from the indie rock underground to headlining huge festivals probably had something to do with all these new sounds making their way into her music. This is evident on tracks like "Never Let Me Go" and "No Light, No Light".

The album is produced by Paul Epworth, who produced several tracks (notably singles "Rabbit Heart" and "Cosmic Love") on "Lungs", and other albums and singles by dance-inspired alternative artists like Friendly Fires, Kate Nash and Bloc Party, as well as two tracks on Adele's "21" album (including "Rolling in the Deep") His focus on vocals, strings and drums is perfect for Florence and the Machine, whose sound has always relied heavily on the same things.

Like Lungs, Ceremonials is an album that is best experienced listened to through headphones or a surround sound system. The group - and in turn Florence's truly amazing voice - is known for how "huge" and "expansive" they sound, and these songs need your attention to every detail to really get hooked on this album. Ceremonials is as good as Lungs and it is absolutely the worthy follow-up that I wanted out of Florence and the Machine. Considering how much I loved Lungs, this isn't something I'd foist lightly. In fact, not only is Ceremonials as good as the band's previous work, it's also one of the best albums of the year.