November 6, 2011

Ceremonials - Florence + The Machine


This past week on Tuesday, if you live in the states that is, one of the most important occurrences of the year had occurred. Florence + The Machine's second album, Ceremonials, had dropped, leaving us with more enamoring vocals, eerie mystic pop, and words that make me want to grab her hand and runaway to lovable lyric land. Then the thought occurs "OH MY GOD what would happen if I actually got to hold her hand?!?!?! and then run away with her!?!" :: maintaining composure:: Needless to say every song on Ceremonials is my new favourite song. It was recorded at Abbey Road and if you take a gander at the studio, you can see that it is the perfect spot for Flo to unleash her vivacious vocals. And she did.


I admit, it may be a tad biased. I will love anything she ever does...ever. She got me through tremendous amounts with her first album. There could be a version of her singing the alphabet in a hallway somewhere and I'd be like "Oh yeah, can you get me that in an MP3 and Vinyl version, ASAP?" The most unusual part of Ceremonials to me is how many people have access to it after such a short period of time of it coming out. I had the glorious Lungs to myself for a good year before it was anywhere, let alone in the ears of the masses or found anywhere on a frequency. However, this is not going to be a story about a girl who loved a musician more than anyone thought possible and then she got all famous and she totally ditched this artist she loved because all these other people started getting in on the fun. But this isn't some shitty garage band you fell in love with and they got huge and you started hating them because their music just got bloody awful. THIS IS FLORENCE, PEOPLE! I WANT everyone to be exposed to this bands work and not only like it, but LOVE it


I tend to have a rather difficult time delving into new albums. I generally shun out 'new sounds' by an artists whose 'old sounds' have captured my heart in just the right way. I just worry, "WHAT IF THERE IS NO CAPTURING?!" Mind you, I wasn't really "nervous" in this instance, but I glided through this album with such delicious ease. I desperately wanted to listen to every little beat in order, no skips, no repeats. I fell in love. Song after song. I wanted to give this album to every single being I know. A few songs stood out to me, but the general consensus was, "Oh, good god, she stole the other half of my heart". The first part was taken by Lungs in 2009. I can tell you, that her albums come out at time where they are absolutely vital to me. Her songs are almost replications of my emotions being yanked out and thrown into musical composition. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Her words puncture my soul and make me bleed musical ambition. Let's get rolling with my favourite songs in the order they appear on the album [which is impossible because they are all my favourite, remember?...]

2). Shake It Out


I can guarantee some tears will be shed during this song when I see her Dec. 4
This is obviously the breadwinner of the album and I am so revved to dance it out in her presence. It is the new 'Dog Days' and we all knew how hard I clung to that...
wait..you probably have NO CLUE how hard I remained loyal to that song, but I did.
I love it to pieces no matter how many times XRT plays it.
Again, this song is just what I needed right now.

Favourite lyrics from this song:
"...And all of the ghouls come out to play
Every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep somethings to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn.."


&


"I'm always dragging that horse around, our love has pastured such a mournful sound,
tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground!"

This is not where I will be sitting, I have two other tickets.
(I'm taking my mom this time around)
This is actually going to be a ticket for one of my girlfriends.
I am so glad I can provide her with a Florence ticket so she can be rocked by her presence. It's a pretty phenomenal experience.
They have this saying..."Third time's a charm".
I hold no doubts.


6). Lover To Lover


I really liked this song and as soon as I heard it and I felt like I was thrown back to some Motown grooves. Does anyone else feel me on this? I enjoy it and can't wait until she plays it live. I think it would make such a groovy opener. I don't get a general consensus in my adoration for it, but I like that even more. Plus, it is so fun to sing along to
...but not as fun as 'Shake It Out'.

Favourite lyrics from this jam:
"And I've been taking chances
I've been setting myself up for the fall
I've been keeping secrets,
from my heart and from my soul"

THIS NEXT SONG IS A KNOCKOUT. I CANNOT WAIT TO DANCE UP AND DOWN THE AISLES OF THE CHICAGO THEATRE LIKE I AM IN A POW-WOW CEREMONY. I HOPE THEY LET ME!

7). No Light, No Light


She is absolutely stunning in this video, I cannot even believe it.
FLORENCE, THIS MAKES ME WANT TO KISS YOUR FACE!
she looks absolutely stunning
I had to post the live version because I wasn't going to stand for another album cover video. This song just makes me FEEL, you know?!

Favourite lyrics from this groove:
"I never knew daylight could be so violent
a revelation in the light of day
you can't choose what stays and what fades away"

"You want a revelation? You want to get right?
Well that's a conversation, I just can't have tonight"

*Edit: I actually woke up with the above lyrics in my head every single day for a good two weeks when this album came out. So amazing.

8). Seven Devils
I love this song, but cannot seem to score a good video for it.
I love how powerful it is. It is definitely something I have to choreograph a dance to. It's just too powerful not to use your whole body to express it. The lyrics here are great, but one always sticks out to me like crazy;

Favourite lyric:
"And no rivers and no lakes, can put the fire out"

I hope the intensity is there when she performs this, but I know better than having to hope for such things at her concerts. It'll be there.

NOW FOR THE FAVOURITE SONG ON THE ALBUM!!!!


10). Spectrum


BOTH VERSION THROWDOWN!


This song utterly amazing. It is my go-to sing-a-long song right now.
I will be rocking so hard to this in that theatre. THAT HARP?!
Absolutely amazing. I think those beautiful seconds where she is gently singing along to it where be the moments where I am balled up on the floor of the Chicago Theatre-CRYING.
I imagine a spin combo something like this when I hear that part;


[any chance to show off my favourite skating video of mine, right?]
seriously, yo! The timing works.

here's how to do to it for one rockin' Florence spin combo!
1) mute sound on skating video
2) start it from the top
3) start playing live version (just above) at 2:50
It will work out just swell, I swear.

This song also makes me want to hit the ice HARD. Can I sheepishly admit I've always wanted to do one of those cheesy ice shows where the artist is performing live for the skater? And I've always wanted to do that with Florence, he he! I choreograph something new in my head each time I hear it, or any of her songs really. It is just absolutely magic. The lyrics make me feel fluttery, light, and whimsical. The make me feel like the power of uttering ones name is more intense than I had once imagined...and my god, just look at her...

::drools::

Favourite lyric:
"So say my name and every colour illuminates
And we are shining..."

"And when we come back we'll be dressed in black

And you'll scream our names aloud! 

And we won't eat and we won't sleep
We'll drag bodies from their graves!"



13). Remain Nameless


I love this song. It doesn't remind me of any other Florence song in terms of beat.
It gives off 'The XX' vibe, which I feel works well here.

Needless to say, I embraced this album with every ounce of my being.
I knew it would likely be delightful, but I didn't expect anything quite like this.
When I first fell head-over-heels in love with Lungs, I pondered what the sophomore album was going to be like, I had imagined the excitement that would be created around the release. I just knew that it wasn't going to be Lungs. And that's okay,because part of me wants to say that it's better, that I like it even more.
Songs like "Never Let Me Go" have a serious Celine Dion sound to them and 
it makes me think Florence will be flocking to stages for some time to come and that kind of thinking gets me so excited! I better still be seeing her when I have gray hairs.


YEAH FLO, YOU GO!
YOU HAVE CREATED MAGIC.

THANK YOU.




I am so excited that they've reached Number One in the UK although it really comes as no surprise at all.
I love the exchange of tweets here, these gals are fun.

 isabella 

@ 
 can you reallllllllllly be bothered to do  ? I mean , the albums at number 1 we could just chill out?? ..... X
 florence welch 
 by isamachine
 soooo, what do you wanna do tonight? Roast? Film? ...or perform on x factor. Casual sunday..xx
 isabella 

 I can wear my pterodactyl costume right?
 isabella 

 so errrr which song we doing later? ... X


Older Flo posts that you may enjoy;


3 comments:

Katelin said...

i just started listening to more Florence and i am truly enamored. such beautiful music, i may just have to get the whole CD soon.

JUST ME said...

LOVE this album. It helps me write. In fact, it makes me feel like everything I'm writing is should win a fucking Pulitzer.

Tessa G. said...

I'm glad you both love Florence. She is absolutely amazing! :D