Noise out of nothing: Ceremonials!

Finally the review of Ceremonials. Prepared my self with watching first some old Florence + The Machine music videos. Like Dog days, You've got the love and Cosmic love. What stuns me always with this band is how well they have thought all the details, even the smallest ones. This band is very visual. Even the booklet of the album is full of amazing pictures, everything is thought well. And I find it always great when you go to see a concert that you can see something that is bit out of this world or gives you that feeling. And Florence + The Machine gives this.

Here's one nice interview of Florence in an Australian radio Nova. She answers to some questions about Ceremonials.

Ceremonials was a very waited second album from this British band. You could follow the live stream from the album launch party all over the world from internet. And the album rose to the first place on several charts.

Ceremonials is a very different album from Lungs. As Florence told in the interviews that this album is more one. Where Lungs was more separate songs, this is more in a unison. And it's also recorded in one place, in Abbey road with one producer. What struck me on the first listening was the strong drums, they are more massive! And I think this gives a lot more kick to the songs and fits very well together with Florence's voice that is quite hard. This album has also more colors in it, it has darker songs and brighter songs, it travels through something, a story. This album I want to hear in a big concert and jump with all the others with the songs!

The songs which caught my attention at first were "Shake it out", "What the water gave me". What the water gave me was a funny thing, when I first heard it with the video I was like noo, this is something else, I didn't quite like it, but as I listened it couple times it sounded better, but still there's something in that song. Can't say I would miss something from it, just don't know. Something.

"Never let me go". never lets me go....This song I played a lot. For me it is the best song from this album. It's stunning with it's sound and power it has. I think this song means lot to many people in many different ways. And that I find a very beautiful thing with songs. You can feel them, in your own way, and every way is the right one and it still doesn't loose its power.

Here's part of the lyrics.

"Well it came up from underneath,

Fractured moonlight on the sea

Reflections still look the same to me,

As before I went under.

And it's peaceful in the deep,

Cathedral where you can not breathe,

No need to pray, no need to speak 'now I am under'.

And it's breaking over me,

A thousand miles onto the sea bed,

I found the place to rest my head.

Never let me go, never let me go.

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me,

And honest devotion was rushing out of me,

And the crushes of heaven, for a sinner like me,

But the arms of the ocean delivered me."

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/florence_and_the_machine/#share

With "Breaking down" I get this feeling like listening an old favorite song that comes from the radio again and makes you happy. "Lover to lover" goes bit through my ears and out. It's nice, but yea. I miss something. "

"No light, no light" is another great song from the album. I liked the live version a lot. It is a very strong song. This song was my first favorite from the album. It has very beautiful lyrics, this is only part of them:

"You are the hole in my head

You are the space in my bed

You are the silence in between

What I thought and what I said

You are the night time fear

You are the morning when it's clear

When it's over, you will start

You're my head, you're my heart

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes

I never knew daylight could be so violent

A revelation in the light of day

You can't choose what stays and what fades away

And I'll do anything to make you stay"

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/florence_and_the_machine/#share

"Seven devils" starts with haunting sounds. It's a very different kind of Flo-song. But it has something quite catchy in it. Something mysterious. It grows into a orchestra like piece of music.

"Heartlines" Was a song that also struck me. It is great! It is powerful song. This I want to hear in a big group raising my hand and singing out loud together with everybody:

"Just keep following the heartlines on your hand

Keep it up, I know you can

Just keep following the heartlines on your hand

Cause I am"

"Spectrum" will be the party song from this album I think. It has very catchy drums! When I listen this I get bit of a feeling of a mix of Flo and some old american singer, like Roy Orbison or someone else. I see this song being played very loud and the people jumping up and singing loud "Say my name!"...And every colour illuminates, We are shining, And we'll never be afraid again."

The second last song from the album "All this and heaven too". I don't know neither what I miss with it, but something. The last song "Leave my body" is a great song to end the album with. It has big sound in it.

I was happy that I waited for couple days more to get the Deluxe version of Ceremonials, that has a bonus cd with some extra songs and acoustic versions. I was shocked to find the "Remain nameless" on the bonus cd, it should be on the actual album! It is amazing! It the favorite together with the "Never let me go". It has more electronic feel in it and I like it very much. I think this same bit more electronic touch could have worked also very nice on the actual album. Remain nameless is very addictive song, I played it on repeat for lot of lot times. Don't like the lyrics videos, but it had the best sound quality from the other youtube uploads.

"Remain nameless"

" I was born in a big gray cloud

Screaming out a love song

All the broken chords and unnamed cries

What a place to come from

I wish to remain nameless

And live without shame

'Cause what's in a name, Oh

I still remain the same

You can call it what you want

You can call me anything you want

You can call us what you want

You can call me anything you want

Everybody lets you down

In this brief hole of a town

What a difference of the rushing out

Tell me what you're running from

I know everybody lets you down

I'll do the same

But know I'll always be around

This can remain the same

Call me when you need me

Call me anything you want

Darling, believe me

Nothing I haven't done before "

"Bedroom Hymns" has kicking drums in it also. I liked a lot the demo version of "What the water gave me" it has some Röyksopp like things in it. It's more rock than the album version with some extra electro kicks. I still like the demo version better! The acoustic version of "Heartlines" is touching, it gives so much more space for Flo's voice. It sounds pretty damn good with the guitar! The acoustic version of "Shake it out" works also very well with guitar! Also the acoustic version of "Breaking down" works out beautifully!

There has been announced already some tour dates for the coming year in Europe! Check them out!

http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/live

1 April 2012 She will be playing in Paradiso, Amsterdam! Pre-sale starts on the 18th November!

Florence + The Machine: Shake it out