Album Essentials: Florence & The Machine "Lungs" (2009)
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Many a good story begins with the phrase, "seemingly out of nowhere," so, seemingly out of nowhere, Florence Welch came forth with her Machine and presented her debut recording in the summer of 2009. Welch, barely 23 years old at the time, had worked on various projects before connecting the dots that led her and the band to a contract with Island Records and global success with Lungs, selling millions worldwide.
Critics have tried to draw lines to everyone from Kate Bush to Aretha Franklin, but Florence and the Machine laid out their own brand of artful pop music for a new era. Songs like "Dog Days Are Over," "Kiss With a Fist," and "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" all propelled F&TM into the spotlight. She also drew upon the likes of Sinéad O'Connor and a bit of Annie Lennox’s gusto in her delivery. Both US and UK press fell in love with the art-pop world she and the band created.
With each new single released, the band climbed higher on the charts, finally hitting the top 10 (#5) with "You've Got the Love," the fifth and final single from Lungs. The steady rise of the album went hand in hand with various awards, including a Critics' Choice at the Brit Awards, while her live shows were often an unexpected display of chaos that routinely ended with her diving into the crowd. "Singing can be really exhausting," she told The Telegraph in a 2009 interview. "I love that sense of release as you throw yourself into the crowd as hundreds of arms are carrying you."
Florence and the Machine have kept rolling with four more albums over the past sixteen years, and while not a large catalogue, it is a strong one. Each release that followed hit the Top 10 worldwide, including a couple of number ones. With all her success, Lungs still stands tall.
Early on, Florence had a good attitude toward what she does: "I've got my ideal job. I like to sing, I like to dance, I like to bang drums and dress up, and someone pays me – it's incredible!"