Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials

Q have announced this to be the album of 2011 (I started writing this review way after the 'publishing date', by the way, as I have done with many of my reviews since I format the images and rating system way in advance). As a huge fan of the Lungs album I was concerned that Welch would have difficulty in living up to her debut - where spirituality, atmosphere and guttural vocals all blended into some stellar performances (my favourites were Howl, Blinding and Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) if you're interested). Yet it's with a mix of cynicism and defiance to her hype - particularly when much better albums have seen the light of day this year - that I must confess I'm disappointed in Ceremonials.

I try to judge artists fairly neutrally, even when they're ones I'm an observant fan of, which is why I mostly avoid the internet's breeding grounds of "she's sold out! / she's too mainstream! / she's repetitive!" nonsense. Perhaps it's Welch's own admissions of Ceremonials being a much happier, brighter album that can explain my mourning of her darkness:

"It does feel more joyous, but I wouldn't say happily-ever-after. It's not completely a case of 'Everything's fine, now!' because everything's still… Even if you're in a relationship things are complicated. There's probably lots of things to deal with."

I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce that she has fuck all on Kate Bush, and never will.


We begin, then, with resplendent harp strings and a resonant choir on 'Only If For A Night' and it's immediately obvious that Florence isn't holding back. "The only solution was to stand and fight/ my body was bruised and I was set alight" certainly hints at the physical ordeal that often seems thematic with Bush's work, but the next line, "But you came over me like some holy rite" effectively vaporises any comparison with Bush's often richly ornate lyrics - indeed, Welch only ever seems capable of vagueness at best. Second single 'Shake it Out' still to this day reminds me of Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun in its chorus, but it's a bold, fun and catchy single that's worthy of praise - first single 'What the Water Gave Me', however, moreso. Rich in suspense and theatricality, it hints at Virginia Woolf's suicide with "the overflow" and "pockets full of stones", and its organ hook blends perfectly with the harps and crashing drums.

At times though it seems that Ceremonials is trying too quickly to jump into powerful ballads and melodrama. 'Never Let Me Go' features Welch on full-foghorn duties retelling her ready-to-die stance with some admittedly beautiful lyrics, but the arrangement just feels too bold to get immersed in. 'Breaking Down', however, features a whispery vocal and unusual note sequences for a much more natural and enchanting effect. 'Lover to Lover' to me just sounds like a bad Whitney Houston single, where a strong gospel influence jars uncomfortably with her unrestrained howls. Third single 'No Light, No Light' again reiterates my point that less is more, and although I have no real qualms with Welch at her most shrill (my undying love for 'Rabbit Heart' proves this) there's just a welcome relief when she suggests rather than exclaims.

There are other complaints than her vocals though - 'Seven Devils' is borderline absurd in its lyricism and atmospherics, sounding like a rejected Pantera track ("all your lies will be exorcised" / "I was dead when I woke up this morning"). Although throwing in a tribal beat might've risked more ridicule, 'Heartlines' is a fine, simple and sweet track about faith and destiny - slightly reminiscent of Björk's Earth Intruders with its primal energy. Similarly sweet, 'Spectrum' uses colour as a metaphor for romance and rejoices in harps and a bouncy rhythm - although her voice during the chorus could quickly grow to piss me off.


Perhaps the quietest and therefore unflorence, 'All This and Heaven Too' is an endearingly cute ditty that finds Welch unsure of what true love is - but it almost cheapens her with its obvious, universal themes (not worthy of the nation's gothic chanteuse, after all). Closer 'Leave My Body' hints at Platonic forms with the references to "higher ground"s and a prominent dissatisfaction with human life, and it seems such a shame she's left it this late to get mythological.

Because whilst there's a handful of hooks here, Ceremonials suffers from what I can only diagnose as collapsed Lungs. There are too many embarrassing lyrics and shrill, opulent masquerades on show for this really to hold any spiritual connection (for me, at least) and even the hooks are nowhere near as strong as Dog Days Are Over or Blinding. It's an album for the iPod generation - you can pick and choose your highlights and throw away the rest. That's not the hallmark of a good album.

Rating: 5.5/10
Highlights: Breaking Down, Heartlines, What the Water Gave Me, Spectrum, No Light No Light
Avoid: Seven Devils, Lover to Lover

Artwork Watch: It doesn't really feel very 'her'. It's also totally unimaginative.
Bonus material watch: If she'd ditched Seven Devils and Lover to Lover for the unusually sinister 'Remain Nameless' and the brilliantly rhythmic 'Bedroom Hymns' we'd probably have a much better reception.