Florence + the Machine: Ceremonials

florence + the machine, ceremonialsFlorence + the Machine: Ceremonials
There is an old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Florence + The Machine seem to have this as their motto on their sophomore album, Ceremonials. While their debut album, Lungs explored area of garage, pop, and rock, Ceremonials takes the folk/gospel feel of “Dog Days Are Over” and attempts to turn it into a full length album.
Having a focus on Ceremonials does not necessarily hurt the album, because what Florence is focusing on is her strong suit. She mixes Kate Bush‘ style with Adele‘s vocal range to create something tribal but poppy at the same time.
Take Ceremonials lead single, “Shake It Out” for instance. The track begins with church-like organs with Florence belting out her lyrics about ghouls and demons. Once the percussion enters it is not just drums but it is accompanied by the now almost signature Florence + The Machine tambourine. By the time the chorus hits, Florence is backed vocally by what sounds like a tribal gospel choir hitting ever “shake it up/shake it up” along with her. It is the type of track that you just can’t help but enjoy.
The best part about Ceremonials is that it is filled with tracks like “Shake It Out.”
Rating: 8.3/10
MP3: Florence + The Machine “Shake It Out”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!

Leave a Reply