Great Britain regularly churns out scrumptious music, I blame the accents. A lot of talented, female acts have hailed from Britain: Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Amy Winehouse, just to name a few. One of the newest and most satisfying acts is a Florence Welch - the face and voice of Florence and the Machine.
Florence and her Machine only recently gained recognition in the States when she performed at this year's VMAs. She was the ethereal British chick with red hair. One of the best VMA performances of all time, of all time.
Her first and to date only album, Lungs, is a perfect example of what music should be. Florence and the Machine don't shy away from big, sweeping musical scores. There is persistent percussion, harps, pianos, and other instruments that I can't immediately recognize. Lyrically, it often descends into dark imagery. On one track, Howl, she sings "Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins/I want to find you, tear out your tenderness" Then there is the sweet romantic side to Florence and the Machine, but the dark edge does not go away. Cosmic Love offers some incredibly beautiful images of stars, maps, and eyes.
Other standout tracks, besides the ones mentioned above, include: Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up), Between Two Lungs, My Boy Builds Coffins, and a cover of You've Got the Love.
