"We are all too young to die" (Lungs - Florence + The Machine)

Member Name: AllyPally1991

Product:	Lungs - Florence + The Machine
Date:	27/07/09 (49 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Welch's voice, several good songs

Disadvantages: Second half of the album is mediocre

Florence & The Machine are a five piece indie band from London, consisting of Florence Welch, plus 'The Machine' (Robert Ackroyd, Christopher Lloyd Hayden, Isabella Summers and Tom Monger). Their debut album 'Lungs' reached Number 2 in the UK album charts, coming second only to Michael Jackson's 'Number Ones' following the hysteria after his death.

The album has since been nominated for the UK Mercury Music Award 2009, joint favourite to win the prize with Kasabian's "West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum". Let me tell you, it is worth the hype.

First, I'm going to come straight out with it and say that when I first heard Kiss With A Fist, the first single off the album, I downright hated it. You can argue about the meaning of it all day long; is she providing a candid observation of why women stay in abusive relationships? Is she saying that its better to be in a abusive relationship than in no relationship at all? Is it a metaphor for a couple pushing each other to psychological extremes in order to get a reaction? Or is she suggesting she's in a BDSM relationship where she enjoys getting punched for fun? Either way, it was an in your face, obnoxious tune that you either love or hate, and I fell distinctly into the 'hate' category.

My dislike of that song was so intense that I didn't even bother to listen to 'Dog Days Are Over' when it was released, and it wasn't until I finally caved in and bought the album that I realised just how magical her second single truly was. The song itself is relatively basic, heavily relying on repeated structures, however it works well live; the repetition means audiences can latch on very quickly, generating an improved atmosphere (another example of this is Munich by The Editors, where all the verse lines are repeated.) This song was significantly less comercially successful than its predecessor, but don't let this deter you; I believe this to be much much better than Kiss With A Fist.

The third single was a cover of 'You've Got The Love', originally recorded by The Source. I have a soft spot for cover versions, and I think this one works well with her voice, though I would argue its not all that different from the original - from a cover version, I like to see more originality and experimentation, not just a repackaged version of the original recording.

Her cover of Hospital Beds, which was released on the Kiss With a Fist single, is more impressive, as it bears little resemblance to the original Cold War Kids version. I would go as far to say that it is one of my favourite covers, as it really stands out, and if you're looking for some Florence + The Machine that isn't on the album, I'd direct you straight to this song, it is magnificent.

The fourth single off the album is 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)', which is the band's most successful single to date, currently resting at No.12 on the UK singles chart. It is a good song, there is no doubting that, a bit surreal, but it works well with her voice. The song is as magical as Dog Days, but with the added benefit of one of the better choruses on the album.

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

It proves very catchy, and the instruments work well together, building up to the crescendos as a unit in a manner which compliments Florence's voice really well.

The fifth single to be released is one of my favourite songs on the album, as well as being one of the most annoying songs on the album. The lyrics are overly simple, the rhyming sounds like its been done by a five year old, and the offbeat drumming makes my toes curl. But somehow, the insanity works, and the song is immense. Like 'Kiss With A Fist', its a love or hate song, but with this one I fall on the 'love' side. The 'louder than sirens' bridge makes me cringe though.

'Between Two Lungs' is one of my favourite songs on the album, and could (in my opinion) easily be a future single. The 'ooh'ing in the background is at times grating, but there's something completely enticing and charming about the song, and the way Welch sings the line "And my running feet could fly
Each breath screaming: 'We are all too young to die'" is beautifully haunting and poignant.

Other songs on the album, such as 'Howl', 'My Boy Builds Coffins' and 'I'm Not Calling You A Liar', are not necessarily impressive, and did not leave me yearning for more in the way that 'Between Two Lungs' and 'Dog Days Are Over' did. The songs are all slightly middle of the road, not overly different to every other indie tune out there. These songs are background noise, best served to be played in situations where you do not want to be entirely absorbed in a song. These are the songs never designed to be released as singles, and as such the album does dip in energy and panache whenever one of these appears.

One of the big drawbacks of the album is that the songs don't flow well together in the order that they are placed in; for example, after the energy of Kiss With A Fist, the slow rhythm of Girl With One Eye isn't really what I find I want. Same occurs after Rabbit Heart; 'I'm Not Calling You A Liar' is a good song on its own, but after the heights of its fast paced predecessor, it feels empty and overly slow.

Away from the music, the artwork on the album is gorgeous, I love it. The booklet's quite interesting too, but nothing beats the initial photo of Florence with that amazing lung necklace on.

Overall, I think this is one of the best releases in an otherwise slow year musically. For a debut album, it has a lot of potential, and displays the talent that Welch & Co have. If they can build from this, I can see them becoming a very good band indeed.

If you like this album, others to try would be First Love by Emmy The Great, Alas I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling and Colour It In by The Maccabees.


OVERVIEW
1 "Dog Days Are Over" 9/10
Brilliant song, doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Definitely worth a listen. Florence's vocals are amazing in this song, and its a brilliant opening song to set the mood.

2 "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" 7/10
After the airplay this song has received recently, you know what you're going to get. The album version's slightly more refined than the radio/single version, but not greatly so.

3 "I'm Not Calling You a Liar" 6/10
One of the songs on the album that finds itself trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time. The song appears too drab after Rabbit Heart, but is actually okay if listened to separately.

4 "Howl" 5/10
Performed live, this song works well, but on the album this song is lost completely. The atmosphere created at a concert is what makes this song special, but listening to it on a CD makes it feel empty and generic.

5 "Kiss with a Fist" 5/10
Once again, the album version is slightly different than the single/radio version, but not greatly so. The album version is, in my opinion, better, as its not quite as 'in your face', but Welch's vocal talents are wasted completely.

6 "Girl with One Eye" 6/10
This song is unique on the album, with the style significantly more blues-based than the rest of the songs. It doesn't gel within the album, but is nonetheless a good tune.

7 "Drumming Song" 8/10
'There's a drumming noise inside my head that starts when you're around' is one of those lyrics that encaptures you, and this is one of the more charming songs on the album.

8 "Between Two Lungs" 9/10
This is, in my opinion, the best song on the album, though not my favourite. Musically, vocally, and lyrically, it is excellent, and Welch's best attempt at a slow song on the album.

9 "Cosmic Love" 7/10
One of the songs on the tail end of the album, this song isn't overly memorable, though the chorus sounds as magical as some of the earlier songs on the album.

10 "My Boy Builds Coffins" 7/10
This song is a 'reliable song'. Its not mind blowing, but there's something that will always keep you going back for more. It makes for enjoyable listening, that's for sure.

11 "Hurricane Drunk" 7/10
I almost didn't rate this song, as I couldn't remember for the life of me what it sounded like! Its a very good song, but not one that you'll really keep going back to, I have found.

12 "Blinding" 6/10
Mediocre. Although there are songs on the first half of the album that you'll either love or hate, its better than the mediocrity of the second half of the album.

13 "You've Got the Love" 7/10
Okay cover version, nothing that will blow the mind. Overly similar to the original version, it could have used with a bit more invention and creativity than what was produced.



(Apologies for the length of this review, This album is just so opinionated that I felt I needed to express everything I felt about it!)

Summary: Good debut, but there's a lot more to offer.