Ceremonials- A nuanced and painful look at the effects of alcohol in the most perfect way

Music Review- Florence and the Machine- Ceremonials (2011)

A somewhat of a concept album as Welch explores her turbulent relationship with alcohol, Ceremonials is the kind of personal high level drama album that is fantastic to listen from start to end. She beats herself up in the first half of the album and goes through a well deserved state of euphoria by the end. It is the perfect album to turn up loud when you are in pain and you will go through the cathartic journey with Miss Welch. There is no amount of time that can be spent not singing this albums praises because it is the most ambitious, epic and sensational body of work to be released this decade. Yes, with every album, there are tracks that don't miss the mark. But, Welch has a unique talent to hit it out the park and then blast it into space where she will let her voice consume your whole being as nothing else matters. You may think I am being dramatic, but wait until you hear this album because every single track oozes drama from beginning to end. Welch's lyrics with her fascination of drowning, brutal honesty and medieval imagery elevates all the melodrama into something that is undeniably believable and oh so painful. It is the dramatic experience of being entirely consumed by one entity in an intoxicating and unwavering fashion. The album makes you want to scream out even though you know you'll never match Welch's delivery , though, to the dismay of my family, that doesn't stop me trying.

Nearly every song is over four minutes with many going further past five minutes as every single song is epic, orchestral, other worldly, and thundering as it is a lavish spectacle from beginning to end. A tepid listener may drown in the weight of the grandiosity of the album, but for me it is this over bearing and in your face drama that makes it the perfect experience to turn up loud and just drown into the floor as Welch's vocals wash over you, her drums pound into you and the harps make it feel glorious while doing so. She is a master of switching from the vulnerable beauty of Never let me go, to the thunderous and dirty Lover to lover or the haunting No light no light (that high note though, damn gurl). She is everything you can ask for and so so much more. She has always been a master lyricist, her poerty book is testament to that, on ceremonials her over the top ghosts and witchcraft give enough metaphors to make even the slightest of pain feel like an epic war movie. Though after the release of this album the band took it down a notch with the more rock infused HBHBHB and the vulnerably pretty High as Hope, it is more than understandable as no one could get bigger than this.

Album review: 9

Track by track breakdown:

Only for a night- With lyrics that mirror a personal conversation, the listener feels like they are impeding on Welch's inner thoughts in this introspective track. Welch sings about her Grandma coming to her in a dream and telling her to fight on even when everything is hurting. And, the harps, piano and chimes give it this appropriately angelic feeling to this deeply personal vision. It is one of the few subdued tracks on the album, but it certainly has a hint of darkness that keeps the listener intrigued as well as enough tensions to introduce the behemoth of an album. For its less bombastic nature, it does not remain a stand out on the album, but it is undeniably an enjoyable listen and sets your intrigue alight with expectation for the bigger things to come. (7)

Shake it out- Welch has always had a problematic relationship with alcohol that she discusses in her music has cost her friends and lovers. This hopeful and bombastic track is Welch attempting to regain control of her past and her struggles. What elevates the track is her constant inner conflict as she tries and to the right thing, but ends up trying to hide her problem "It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat". She is undeniably aware of the right thing to do, but can't seem to shake off the grip that her addiction has on her; it's a simple relatable message that leads to the most cathartic and euphoric choruses as she desperately screams "Shake it out, shake it out". Every single inch of your body will want to dance and sing a long to Welch as you both fight for your life. It's highly dramatic and purposefully so as these personal struggles consume a person's world. It is an epic masterpiece. (10)

What the water gave me- Easily her weakest lyrics, Welch describes a form of suicide because a lover seemingly does not reciprocate her love (?). Unlike other tracks where the high tension and bombastic drama is woven through the lyrics making her over the top reactions feel justified, the use of repetition in the track feels like the listener are missing one or two steps in Welch's reasoning. As a kind of prelude to other tracks, where the metaphor of drowning and Welch's fascination of water is utilised better, the track adds some thing interesting. But, on its own it is a first draft of a better song. The production is pleasant and Welch'd delivery redeems the track as the listener gets lost in both. However, the production and Welch are excellent throughout the track list, so this one has little that stands it out from the rest. (5)

Never let me go- Even before looking to the lyrics, Welch's delivery is so soft and beautiful; she has never sounded so vulnerable. Her vocal delivery is flawless and works to make this a stand out on the album. "I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in", the track is the emotional end to shake it off and damn does it hurt. It is Welch giving in to her urges, drowning in the silence as this is the only way she can escape. And, when she screams at the three minute thirty mark you feel every ounce of pain. She wishes that she could just stay in this sense of euphoria that alcohol gives her as she knows she's going to come crashing down when its over and she will try again. The metaphors are nuanced and her imagery is gorgeous as she explains how the drink gives her the devotion that she never feels while sober "In the arms of the ocean, so sweet and so cold". It is perfect from start to finish. (10)

Breaking down- The chorus is so flippant "Oh, I think I'm breaking down again" that you understand how often Welch has found herself in this broken faze that it is no longer a world shattering ordeal. This kind of numbness to the situation is channelled in the production that is way more subdued than the title would suggest. It is an excellent track discussing depression and anxiety and the lonely feeling it causes onto a person. But, for someone who doesn't have depressive episodes it is still exceedingly relatable as she discusses "On the edge of sleep, my old familiar friend comes and lies down next to me" a time of the day which is hard for many as your darker thoughts seep into your mind. It is solemn but beautiful and gets better as you listen deeper to the lyrics. (7)

Lover to lover- A somewhat of a one night stand anthem as Welch walks road to road to the next lover to find some form of happiness or feeling. Coming after the numb Breaking Down, it adds an extra layer of pain as Welch's numbness is continued into her love life and how she can't seem to find a connection with anyone. It hurts and is relatable for many. Usually I am averse of repetition in songs, however Welch repeating "Lover to lover to lover" not only makes narrative sense but add a desperate scream to the song that is spine tingerling. It makes you want to scream along to the song and let out all your inhibitions as you run down the road with her. It is dark, it is tense and it is so very dramatic. It's the kind of song that Welch's raw vocals shine on as she pulls off every high note with a crack in her voice that hits you in your core. (10)

No light no light- It would be a crime to not start the discussion on this song without noticing the HUGE note Welch pulls off in the centre of this track. It is the kind of performance you have to just sit back and commend even if you are not a fan of the song. Luckily, I am a fan, well, more than a fan. The angelic production with the thumping drum driving the track, it is like hearing an exorcism in art form. It's got a level of anger and frustration that bites back and is not found in many places on the album, so makes it stand out as one of the more in your face tracks. Welch fights herself and how she cannot bring herself to tell the people that need to hear her in the hauntingly relatable track as she knows what she must do "But it's a conversation I just can't have tonight". We have all had that thing in the back of our mind which we know we should act upon, but know that when we do it is going to cause so much upheaval that you just leave it to the next day that never comes. It is the dark twisted drama that Welch does so well. (9)

Seven devils- A haunting production matches equally ghoulsome lyrics with a witch-like performance from Welch, this is atmosphere at its finest. The opening verse shows Welch is not here to mess around, she is a broken woman and she has nothing left to lose. Welch is gunning to change and she knows it may kill her, the stakes are higher than ever. The imagery is so medieval and gothic mixed with a piano medley ripped out of a Halloween movie, you cannot help but feel tense. It is dramatic, over the top and only Welch could master such a song, any other voice would get lost in such a production, but the listener is left wondering why you've never heard Welch do this before because it is such a perfect fit. However, because of all the atmosphere, the song is a heavy listen so isn't really left on repeat as much as the others. (8)

Heartlines- The first song on this album that would be home on the band's debut, Lungs. Also, the first song that songs happy on the track list, so it certainly stands out from the rest. With a message of remember yourself, trust yourself and you will find happiness, the song is hopeful respite after the barrage of drama and desperation that came before it. It is a self love song without being cliche or cringe, so should definitely be commended for that. The claps in the background and Welch's background vocals make the track the bright and happy track that it is. But, it is still Florence and the machine so has their distinct earthy feel to it. It is only a tad too repetitive, and though the joy is definitely deserved after the previous songs, on its own it is a tiny bit hollow. (7)

Spectrum- I have expressed my utter devotion for Sweet Nothing, the Calvin Harris and Welch team up, so it is no surprise that I feel the Harris remix goes that little bit harder and electrifies the song. But, what is on the album is a spectacle in its self. Even without the EDM dress, it screams for your attention and begs you to turn it up loud to attempt to hit those high notes. With a stripped down opening that entices you in, to then be hit over the head with Welch's belts in the chorus and the euphoria that entails. It is a magical experience that makes you wonder why more songs do not use the harp as it sounds so good hear. Furthermore, it is the accumulation of everything that came before: we enter this world "with no colours in our skin" and as we live we collect scars and bruises that make us into who we are, our very own spectrum, that we have to embrace. It is a well deserved euphoria after the bruises and beating Welch gives herself throughout the album. Also, it has my favourite metaphor for the commonly used phrase in pop, words hurt, "With metal in our tongues, and silver in our lungs". (9)

All this and heaven too- "And the heart is hard to translate, It has a language of its own" and poetry/lyrics are the way we understand such a complex tongue. This is the type of song that works just as well as a poem as it does as a song. It describes the difficulty to put Welch's feelings into words. It is relatable and heartfelt, but doesn't exactly fit the album. It is cute and a pleasant listen, but on an album that is nearly an hour in length and is filled with the biggest of productions, this quaint song shouldn't have made the cut. On a different album, I may give it more love than I do as it is well written, but as the eleventh track I rarely go back to it. The albums narrative has already experienced elation and euphoria, so this feels like a peculiar detour. What the song lacks in spectacle it has in quotable lyrics, if you are the type of person to quote song lyrics then this will give you a field day. But, for much else, it is rather tepid. (4)

Leave my body- The perfect closing track. It marries the haunting atmosphere of previous tracks, but adds this kind of confident air that makes it feel like a euphoric ending. She has come to terms with her demons and knows to move forward she has to separate her body and her mind. It is euphoric and well deserved, it is not got the same joy as previous songs but a sense of reckoning that you will not mess with her as she has gone through enough. It is a beautiful end to one of the bets albums of all time. (7)