Florence + the Machine’s Psychedelic Rock

Florence + the Machine’s new album is a mix of psychedelic rock, soul, and pop that is sure to get you moving.

Introduction

Florence + the Machine’s new album, “High as Hope,” might be their most personal and powerful work to date. The record is a raw and intimate look at Florence Welch’s life, with songs that address her struggles with depression, addiction, and self-doubt. But, despite the heavy subject matter, the album is also full of hope and joy, thanks in part to Welch’s willingness to experiment with her sound.

On “High as Hope,” Florence + the Machine embrace a more psychedelic sonic palette, resulting in some of their most ambitious and exciting music yet. From the ethereal opener “June” to the anthemic closer “No Choir,” the album is a journey through Welch’s psyche, one that is sonically as well as lyrically arresting.

Florence + the Machine have always had a flair for the dramatic, but on “High as Hope” they showcase a new level of maturity and restraint. This is an album that feels both personal and universal, an instant classic from one of our generation’s most important bands.

Early life and influences

Florence + the Machine’s sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and roll, indie rock, soul, baroque pop, and English folk music. Welch cited a wide range of influences for the album, saying “I was listening to a lot of early psychedelic music and 60s girl groups and garage bands. I was also listening to a lot of hip hop, like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. I was thinking a lot about The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes. And then Cat Power’s Moon Pix was a big influence.”

Musical style and themes

Florence + The Machine’s sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and roll, indie rock, neo-psychedelia, and baroque pop. Florence Welch has said that she is “most inspired by very visual artists” such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo, who create art that is “totally separate from [their] life and environment”, and that she strives for a similar level of artistic independence in her music. She has also cited Björk, Patti Smith, Chris Isaak, Patsy Cline, Nina Simone, and Lykke Li as musical influences.

Commercial success

Florence + the Machine’s music has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul. The band’s debut album, Lungs, was released in 2009 and was a commercial success. The album peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

The band’s second album, Ceremonials, was released in 2011 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album’s lead single, “What the Water Gave Me”, peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. The album was certified platinum by the BPI.

The band’s third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was released in 2015 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album’s lead single “Ship to Wreck” peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. The album was certified platinum by the BPI.

Critical reception

The album has received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 80, based on 32 reviews.

In a five-star review, DIY’​s Amy Martin praised the album, saying: ” Psychedelia might be an outdated genre but it provides the perfect backdrop for Welch and her Machine to explore new territory both musically and lyrically.” The Line of Best Fit’s Paul Gibb called it “an important step forward” and praised its conglomeration of genres. In a four-and-a-half star review, AllMusic’s Neil Z. Yeung commented that while it is “far from perfect”, it is a “bold, kaleidoscopic statement that’s full of exploration and growth”.

The Guardian’​s Caroline Sullivan awarded the album four stars out of five and praised its mix of genres, calling it “brave and often thrilling”. Uncut also gave the album four stars out of five, with Larry Claxton writing that with the album, Welch has created “a set as ambitious as anything in recent memory”.

Band members

Florence + the Machine is an English rock band that formed in London in 2008. The band consists of lead singer Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Robert Ackroyd, bassist Christopher Lloyd Hayden, and drummer Will Gregory.

The group’s music has been described as a combination of genres including rock, indie, pop, soul, and baroque pop. Their debut album, Lungs (2009), was nominated for the Mercury Prize and won Best Album at the 2010 Brit Awards. Their second album, Ceremonials (2011), reached number one in the UK and number six on the US Billboard 200 chart. The band’s third album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful (2015), topped the UK charts and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.

Discography

Formed in London in 2007, Florence + the Machine’s music has been described as a combination of various genres including rock, indie, pop, soul, psychedelic and baroque. The band’s discography consists of three studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, four extended plays (EPs), 25 singles (including four as a featured artist) and 32 music videos. Their debut album, Lungs (2009), was released by Island Records to critical and commercial success. It peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US Billboard 200. In October 2011, the album was reissued for its tenth anniversary; it included new artwork and an extra disc of remixes and live tracks. The band’s second album, Ceremonials (2011), was also highly successful; it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number six on the US Billboard 200. Certified double platinum by both the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it sold 676,000 copies in its first week worldwide.

The band’s third album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful (2015), debuted at number one in both the UK and the US. The album’s lead single “What Kind of Man” peaked at number eleven on the US Billboard Hot 100; it became their highest-charting single in that country since “Dog Days Are Over” in 2010. To date, Florence + the Machine have sold over thirteen million records worldwide.

Tours

Florence + the Machine has announced a world tour in support of their forthcoming album, “High as Hope.” The album is set for release on June 29, 2018, and the tour will kick off on July 9 in Florence, Italy.

The English rock band will make stops across Europe, North America, and Australia before wrapping up the tour on December 23 in Brisbane, Australia. Florence + the Machine is touring in support of their new album “High as Hope.” The album is set for release on June 29, 2018.

Awards and nominations

Since their debut, Florence + the Machine have received numerous awards and nominations. The band’s first award came at the 2008 Brit Awards, where they won the Critics’ Choice Award. At the 2010 Brit Awards, Florence + the Machine won Best British Album for Lungs and were nominated for five other awards, while at the 2011 ceremony they picked up two more awards out of six nominations. In 2012, they received three NME Awards and two Q Awards.

The group have also been nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning Best Pop Vocal Album for Ceremonials in 2013. Other accolades include an MTV Video Music Award, six Nominations for MTV Europe Music Awards—winning Best Alternative Act in 2010—and an Ivor Novello Award.