Florence and the Machine garners attention w/ enchanting album

                London based band Florence and The Machine has made a remarkable mark in the U.S. The band is composed of solo singer Florence Welch and a backing band of musicians.  The 24-year-old fiery red head has been making a notable track record when it comes to live shows by touring most the U.K. since 2009.

                They performed at the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in December, and most recently Welch performed during the opening Aretha Franklin Tribute at the 53rd Grammy Awards.  The band was nominated for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy’s. They will also be embarking on a U.S. tour this summer.

                They’ve been classified as art rock, folk rock and soul, which is a very rare mix to uphold.  The debut album, Lungs, was released July 6, 2009, by Island records. The album has received immense praise in the U.K. by debuting at number two on the charts.

                Lungs stayed at the top of the charts for 65 weeks making it the top selling album in the U.K. in 2009 and 2010. It has been certified four times platinum in the U.K. and two times platinum in Australia.  

                The first single released off the album, “Kiss with a Fist,” became a worldwide commercial hit.  It was featured in several U.S. television shows, including the NBC comedy Community. Contrary to its lyrics, the song is about a ‘punch drunk love’ type of relationship.

               Welch used the album as a 46 minute therapy session after a short lived spilt from her boyfriend at the time.  The second and the most triumphant of her singles, “Dog Days are over” became a hit during the summer of 2010.

                It was used in countless television promos and movie trailers such as the 2010 Julia Roberts movie, “Eat, Pray, Love.” She even performed the song at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.

                Originally the song had a stripped down version that was included on the album. The song became so widely popular that it was performed by the actors on the high school based musical show, Glee.

                The album is encased with spitfire passion and aggression about a relationship gone wrong. The imagery and vivid lyrics give the listener the hint of a scorned lover speaking their mind.

                The one instrument that the album possesses that others lack is a harp. As uncommon as it may sound, the harp brings the seemingly wood nymph feeling to each song.  Other notable songs on the album include, “Drumming Song,” which showcases Welch’s songwriting skills, and “You’ve got the love” significantly displays Welch’s vocal ability.

                The album basically entails a whirlwind romance that goes through bumps and the spark ignites between them repeatedly.  Most of the lyrics have a hint of similarity with Edgar Allen Poe writings that depict death and sadness.

                Welch has that mysterious ability to entice a listener with love sick melodies and then slap them in the face with every sad emotion known to mankind.

                The band is currently working on their second studio album which is set for a 2011 release date. Welch is also in the studio collaborating with Canadian Rapper Drake for his second studio album.