Florence + The Machine’s debut album ‘Lungs’ is wonderful. The record company promotion of it, less so – to get all of the bonus tracks required purchasing no fewer than three different releases – but the original thirteen songs represent a terrific release nonetheless. By the time ‘Lungs’ appeared in it’s third special edition, it had to be asked, was this just sheer record company greed, knowing a cash-cow when they saw one, or were the record executives genuinely worried that Florence couldn’t deliver a second time?
Although it seemed unlikely, the follow-up release, 2011’s ‘Ceremonials’ really upped the ante, taking everything that was enjoyable about ‘Lungs’ and polishing it up farther. Making “that difficult second album” seem easy, ‘Ceremonials’ had a greater focus on bigger musical arrangements, while the songs themselves offered just as many hooks. Any fears of a second album disappointment soon vanished after hearing the first tracks to appear ahead of release.
Here – as posted on YouTube – is an all too brief snapshot of everything that’s been great about Florence Welch’s first few years as one of the bright lights on an often dull UK mainstream music chart: a complete half-hour performance filmed for BBC Radio 1’s ‘Live Lounge’.
Sit back and enjoy some fabulous tunes.