Album Review: Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials

Florence Welch, aka Florence and the Machine, was one of the breakthrough acts of 2010 even though her debut album Lungs was actually released halfway through 2009. Lungs didn’t go completely under the radar when it was released - it was number two in the UK chart for five consecutive weeks - but it didn’t quite take off like it did at the start of the new year when it reached number one. 

The second rise of the album, this time to the peak, was undoubtedly helped by the constant reoccurrence of Florence and the Machine songs in a host of films and T.V programs. ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Kiss With A Fist’ and ‘You Got the Love’ were, among others, pretty much everywhere. Consequently, the album spent a total of sixty-five consecutive weeks in the top forty. So, it’s fair to say that the expectation was high for Florence’s second album, entitled Ceremonials.

The album kicks off with the sparse piano of ‘Only If For A Night’, as that delectable voice chimes in for the first time. It is a straightforward combination between Florence’s enticing vocals and the piano, but one that is incredibly effective. The album’s first official single, ‘Shake It Out’, is a colossal song that starts with an organ that forms the basis of song, before exploding into an irresistibly addictive chorus of “Shake it up, shake it up, woaaah / And it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back so shake him off”.

Isle Of Wight Festival 2010 - 11th-13th June

What a way to kick off the festival season. Isle of Wight may not have the reputation to match Glastonbury or Reading/Leeds, but this year it will be difficult for either festival to match the three brilliant headliners of Jay-Z, The Strokes, and Sir Paul McCartney. Granted, Glastonbury has had both Jay-Z and McCartney in recent years; however, to get both to appear in the same year, and add the seminal New Yorker’s is an achievement which should help increase the reputation of the festival.

The atmosphere was buzzing as expectant campers arrived for a weekend of fantastic music and by the time 4pm hit on Friday everyone was desperate for the music to begin.

NME Tour 2010 @ Bristol 02 Academy

The 2010 NME Tour provided one of my musical highlights of 2010 with an extremely strong line-up. Having already seen The Maccabees twice, this gig was more about the new acts breaking through in 2009/10 and Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink and The Drums are possibly some of the best new bands to surface recently. The bands which have opened previous NME tours have often gone on to big things, some of the previous openers have been: Florence and The Machine, The Ting Tings, Kaiser Chiefs, and Coldplay.

The Drums took the opening slot for 2010 because of the hype (mostly from NME themselves) that surrounds their Beach Boys/Cure sound, and the hype is perfectly just if this performance was anything to go by. With songs such as ‘Let’s Go Surfing’, ‘I Felt So Stupid’ and the brilliant ‘Best Friend’ the four boys from New York are certain to take 2010 by storm with their energetic live performances. Frontman Jonathan Pierce appears so comfortable and confident on stage with some quirky dancing to accompany his Robert Smith-esque vocals.