Palatinate- October 2009
Olivia Swash takes a look at one of the hottest albums this summer
Unless you have been living under a rock for the whole festival season this year, there is no doubt the strikingly powerful screech of Florence Welch has been nestled amongst your Spotify summer soundtrack. The Mercury Prize nominated ginger banshee has been pushed into the limelight pre and post-debut release thanks to BBC Introducing and Steve Lamacq.
In some ways eclectic, Lungs is a fusion of animal passion and quirky fairytales fuelled by love and alcohol (Florence maintains that she is at her best state of creative mind when drunk or hungover. There is hope for us all!).
Not dissimilar to a bloodthirsty Kate Bush in her new single Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up), Florence crescendos sky high with a delicate backbone of intertwining, mellifluous harp tones. However, there are some rough edges which have been somewhat disappointingly smoothed over when her record company asked for ‘more upbeat’ tunes.
Florence, on her initial emergence with the kooky but simplistic Kiss With a Fist, was compared to fellow red-headed songstress Kate Nash and a 'rockier Lily Allen'. However this debut establishes her as a respected writer, a lover and a musician, capable of grandiose stage presence and relentlessly thrilling live performances.
Although there are some low points, the lyrics to Girl With One Eye being slightly disturbing rather than charmingly eccentric. The Source ft. Candi Staton classic You Got the Love provides a masterpiece of a cover, transforming her from nothing into a goddess of our musical age.
Lungs is out now through Island.
