Music and Florence Welch

"I like music that makes you feel funny in your chest! You know, when you hear a song and it's like 'ahhhh!'?" -- Florence Welch

Well here we go, another crack at blogging.  In all likelihood I'll post just this post and never again.  But I'm really going to try.  Really.  I swear.

This is going to be a blog about things I like.  And maybe sometimes things I don't like.  But mostly things that please me greatly.

One thing I like is music.  Actually, I have a torrid love affair with music.  Anyone who knows me knows this.  But I'm not one of those people who claims to like "all music."  That's great for them.  But I'm selective.  I only like great music.  Music that is beautiful and made by talented, creative people.  I'm really bad at describing the genres of music I like, because honestly I'm not sure what the exact terms are.  If "The Kooks Pandora Station" is a genre, then that comes close.  I tend towards... well I hesitate to say indie because many "indie" bands are on big, non-independent labels.  I like classic rock too, and some pop.  I like guitars, pianos, harmonies, great lyrics, 3/4 time signatures, and things that impress me.  What does not impress me is almost anything you hear on the Top 40 stations.  So many songs lately are auto-tuned and have the same beat tracks and have lyrics that don't particularly make sense, and even if they do, they are about partying and are specifically designed for club dancing.  I suppose they do serve a purpose (I admit, when I was in Spain, after a few glasses of sangria I would even dance to Ke$ha. I'm not proud.) but mostly it seems to me like a bastardization of this intangible, wonderful beauty.  If the music has lyrics, they should be thoughtful, whether they're serious or happy or playful.  The melody should infect you, surround you, and make you feel something, independent of the lyrics.  Probably most important to me is that those whose names brand the music should have a part in writing it as well.  It's not enough to have a pretty face and auto-tune.  I feel a rant coming on and I'm terrible at arguing, so I'll stop there.

 Most of the time I can't tell you exactly why I like a certain artist; usually I'll hear a song, enjoy it, and go to check out the rest of that artist's work.  Sometimes I'll listen to that artist for the rest of the night and forget about them in a few days.  Once in a while something will strike me with such force that I become so obsessed with an artist that I can listen to little else for an extended period of time (A good part of my freshman year of college was consumed by The Killers and much of my senior year belongs to Laura Marling and Florence Welch).  Something in the music hits me, sticks with me, consumes me, wraps around me like a shimmering blanket, and makes me feel all the things.  It can change my mood in an instant; hearing a great song playing in Macy's can turn a day of painful errands pleasant.  I remember one day, driving to my summer job at a fast food restaurant, my dread increasing with every block I passed, and "Little Secrets" by Passion Pit came on the radio.  Suddenly I felt that I could face 6 hours standing at a register with a smile on my face.  I'm sure by the end of the day I wasn't in such a great mood, but for those few minutes the day seemed a little brighter.  Mostly, I like music that I can physically feel.  I don't mean bass vibrating up my spinal column; I mean listening to music that makes my heart beat more quickly and gives me goosebumps or takes a weight off my shoulders.

I could go on, but this post is getting really long and honestly I wouldn't want to keep reading either.  Time to bring some more specificity and some media into the mix.  This is a blog of things I like, so here's a thing.

Florence + The Machine

Yes, Florence + The Machine is one of my more recent intense musical loves.  This band and this woman produce pure art.  The music is exquisite, the expression is deep, and the live performances are wondrous.  Florence + The Machine make me want to don a crown of flowers and dance through and enchanted, dark forest and be swallowed up by the magic of it all.  Florence Welch has said in an interview that she is fascinated by the idea of drowning; not death but the sensation of being completely surrounded and consumed by something.  Her music does just that.

It's not that I only just found out about Florence Welch & Co.  I was all about "Rabbit Heart" and "Drumming Song" when Lungs came out in 2009, and I (illegally, sorry) downloaded a copy of the album.  I liked it and listened to a few songs on repeat, but it eventually fell by the wayside.  All that changed with Florence's sophomore album, Ceremonials.  Lungs does have a distinct flavor to it, but style-wise it is a sort of a pick-and-mix of songs.  Ceremonials is much more cohesive; darker with bigger, intense sound.  Once the album came out last October, I downloaded it and gave it a good listen.  Now, some albums have to grow on me before I appreciate their greatness.  Ceremonials, however, hit me like a tidal wave of drums and harps and the voice, oh god, that VOICE.  Florence Welch has a voice quite unlike anyone else I have heard.  It explodes from her chest with such intensity that you'd swear you could see the sound. "Say my name," she sings, "and every color illuminates."  She has a wonderful talent for communicating a range of emotions; her voice can be delicate and fragile one second, and powerful the next.

But the truth is, if all Florence Welch did was sing, I probably wouldn't give her as much thought.  But she writes, and it's as if she were a sorceress in a mystical world; she sings of ghosts, devils, animal sacrifice, rivers, drowning, and you find yourself swept into this world that is at once supernatural and deeply mortal.  The lyrics to "Breaking Down" are an especially great example of her uncanny ability to put into words a very human experience that is difficult to explain.  She hits the nail on the head and it's probably my favorite song on the album.

Last November, while perusing Twitter, I saw that my favorite radio station, 93XRT, posted about the Big Holiday Concert with Florence + The Machine, with Laura Marling opening.  At the time, I was really enjoying Ceremonials but I was more excited about Laura (She is my other great love, and I will likely blog about her after I see her live next Tuesday).  It was such a great bill I asked some friends if they wanted to go.  When the time came to buy tickets, however, they went so fast that the tickets available were so far away they weren't worth the price.  My disappointment did not last very long, as I won a pair of tickets to the show thanks to a Twitter giveaway by Laura Marling's label, Ribbon (I won the contest by professing my love for Laura Marling through 5 enthusiastic tweets to Ribbon).  I went to the concert mostly looking forward to Laura, who completely floored me, as usual.  I was content once Laura finished, but I had no idea what was in store for me.  I cannot describe Florence + The Machine's live show and do it justice, but I will say it was hands-down the most beautiful live music I have ever seen, and Florence was a massive presence on stage, with her long red dress flowing and swishing as she leaped about the stage.  After this experience, I was deeply and completely in love.

I feel that words fail to accurately describe this music.  As Ms. Welch sings in "All This and Heaven Too,"   "all my stumbling phrases never amounted to anything worth this feeling."  I'll pause here and give you some videos so you might understand.

"Only If For A Night"

"No Light, No Light" - Live at the Brits, really incredible performance

Official video for "Shake It Out" - her videos are consistently pretty

My Florence Photos!

When I found out that Florence and Jack White would play Lollapalooza on the same day, I was devastated, believing that they would both be headlining at the same time.  I had decided that I should see Jack White because one of my life goals is to see him live, but I felt absolutely awful that I wouldn't get to see my beloved Flo.  But joy of joys when I found out that Florence's set is before Jack's!  I am positively giddy to see her again, and at a festival no less!

It is worth noting that while yes, Florence Welch is the driving force of Florence + The Machine, the rest of the Machine is completely brilliant.  I haven't familiarized myself with all of them yet but Isa Summers, who plays the piano as well as writes and produces, is amazing.  I recommend following her on Twitter at @isamachine.  Click here for an example of her music-producing badassery.

This has been a post.  Join me next time when I talk about other things I really like, such as Oreos: Milk's Favorite Cookie and mine.

**UPDATE**

I saw Florence and the Machine at Lollapalooza this past summer.  I cried.  I screamed my head off.  I took some amazing pictures.  I was so happy.  I think I hugged the strangers around me.  Highlight of my summer.  Love affirmed and intensified.