If Jin and Jang had a baby, it would definitely be Florence Welch. There are not a lot of musicians out there who can hold attention for so long. Still, she failed my expectations with her last album. How Big How Blue How Beautiful is only the name of the album and not the description of the content. It is not that big and beautiful, rather predictable and ordinary.
Ok, it is not a complete disappointment, but it could have been much better. She didn’t step out of her comfort zone. There are not some major mistakes and the aura is still present but it is not as intricate as first two albums. I understand it is hard to decide to make a big change when you are making music cause there is a lot of risk to take, but after listening to this album, I have realized that the sound that made the band famous is not enough anymore.
Songs are still attractive when you listen to them for the first time, but after a while you realize the attraction is superficial and the album has no capacity to stick in your brain. Indie pop as a subtext is more pop than indie. Pop ballades with simple lyrics. There is a spirit of the 80s, synth sections, electronic but the sound of pop is dominant.
Lyrics are not enigmatic and metaphoric as before, they are rather banal in their tendency to describe what love is. Everything is transparent and raw but not in an inventive way. For example And with one kiss you inspired a fire of devotion that lasted 20 years, What kind of men loves like this on the first single What Kind Of Men. Speaking of, I really love the theme of splitting in music video that continued to be a motif in their next videos from the album.
Ship To Wreck is an explosive opener and I wanted the rest of the album to burn with the same fire. Lyrically, this is the most interesting song, beautiful in its simplicity: And oh my love remind me, what was it that I said, I can’t help but pull the earth around me, to take my bed. And oh my love remind me, what was it that I did, Did I drink too much, Am I losing touch, Did I build this ship to wreck. If there is anything to remember this album for, it is those few lines.
In Delilah I have heard the self-conscious Florence in her top form. The song is inviting you to dance. These three tracks are my favorites, everything else is relatively uninspiring, If we are talking about the standard edition. Once again, I don’t understand why the record label would miss putting Which Witch and Make Up Your Mind on the regular album when these are delicious pop tunes.
This album might have proved why Florence + The Machine are so glorified and kept them at the top of the game, but I was left wanting something more memorable.
