So, this album has grown on me. At first I didn't enjoy it much - like I said, it lacked energy. But I kept listening to it, and I've found the spots I actually dislike, and the good moments have really risen to the surface. So here's what I think.
June isn't a good opener, in my opinion. It's too slow and a bit timid for an opener, but that 'oh-oh-oh' has grown on me. Good song, but I would've chosen Hunger as the opener. Hunger is great. "The way you use your body, baby, come on and work it for me" - man, I love how she sings that line! A great song, nice catchy beat and hook.
South London Forever is one of the songs I don't like. Songs with weak choruses are really disappointing to me and I think this one is very weak, it doesn't stand out from the rest of the pack in a good way. I like Big God - it was weird to me at first but now I like it a lot.
Sky Full of Song is amazing. "Hold me down, I'm so tired now" - love it. Minimal instrumentation, emotional lyrics, powerful delivery. I love this track. Hope she plays it live. Grace is almost as good, very touching lyrics. These two songs really show off how "less is more."
I don't like Patricia. Again, the chorus to me sounds very weak and annoying. Some good lyrics in here though. 100 Years - awesome vocal performance towards the end but doesn't do much for me otherwise. The End of Love takes a while to pick up but it's a great track that I didn't appreciate at all until just a couple days ago. No Choir is a good closer.
This is a really quiet album overall compared to everything that came before. I think now I might rank it over Lungs because I don't listen to Lungs that much, the following albums all have a greater sense of maturity and sophistication that I think serves the image and vibe of the band more than some of those songs (although I do love Hurricane Drunk). Definitely a grower in my case and I hope she plays a few of these live this fall.
Topic: Florence and the machine (Read 1426 times)