Some lucky concert goers in London got to be the first to hear three tracks from Florence + The Machine’s upcoming album. How Big How Blue How Beautiful won’t be out for months, so we’ll have to wait for the studio version. But now, thanks to a very thoughtful fan’s mobile phone, we have a better idea of what to expect.
This was done during an intimate club show at London’s The Dome on Wednesday night. The set-list also included tracks from their 2009 debut album Lungs and their 2011 follow-up album Ceremonials, as well as music from their new album.
The first new track we heard was Third Eye. An exciting look into what we can expect off the new record, it’s got the kind of catchy melody that’ll be stuck in your head for days. The track created an atmosphere full of so much energy and strength, it’s no wonder it received such a positive reaction from the excited fans.
The next one, however, was much more calm. St Jude eased up on the backing instruments, allowing Welch to carry the song with her whimsical vocals. Though it was more restrained, that undoubted strength and power behind her music didn’t falter for a moment.
Finally, the full version of the title track was revealed – previously, we had only heard a little snippet. In a recent interview, Welch told Triple J hosts Veronica and Lewis about the inspiration for the title of the album. “I was actually in L.A. and I was looking [at the sky] – just trying to describe it in a text message to somebody… about how much I felt a lot of love in general and that was a really amazing feeling. So it encapsulates that time, I think.”
With all this in consideration, How Big How Blue How Beautiful, sounded like it was going to be something big. I really hoped it lived up to that assumption, and it did. The beat and orchestral layers really brought the entire track to life, while her beautiful vocals soared above, embodying the precise kind of appreciation you feel when you realise how lucky you are to have all that you do.
On the UK’s radio 1, Welch revealed why she has stayed out from the spotlight for a while:
“[I had] a bit of a nervous breakdown…In the year off, I was still going out and going to events but something wasn’t quite right, I was spiraling a bit. I wasn’t making myself happy. I wasn’t stable.” The actress said this stemmed from working non-stop on back-to-back albums, her 2009 debut Lungs and 2011’s Ceremonials. How did that affect this year’s How Big How Blue How Beautiful? “It was a really vulnerable time for me when we first started making the record and because of that it’s the most personal record I’ve ever made.”
We’re glad you’re back Flo!
Adding all this to the recent Nicolas Jaar remix of another new track What Kind Of Man, we really can’t wait for the album. How Big How Blue How Beautiful will be out in Australia on May 29th.