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Lungs
EMAILPRINTby Florence And The Machine
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 15 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Island
Release Date: 20 October 2009
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Alternative, Pop
Summary
The debut album for the band led by Florence Welch was produced by Paul Epworth, James Ford and Steve Mackay.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly
The debut from Britain's much-fussed-over Florence + the Machine finally hits the States, and Lungs proves they're worth the adoration.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Florence Welch has a penchant for dramatics. But what would be a dubious distinction for most twentysomethings becomes an advantage when paired with Welch’s otherworldly vocals and a trio of top-tier British producers who elevate her Mercury Prize-nominated debut album, Lungs, to something that manages to be grandiose, relatable, and incessantly catchy all at the same time.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Because those pipes are big enough to shake the rain from the trees and, with an eclectic balance of genres leaning heavily towards folk and soul, she’s got enough support to make her seem powerful rather than overbearing.
Read Full Review >Sputnikmusic
Lungs is one of the most exciting, compelling, fearless and ultimately promising debuts of the year.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
Freed from her irritating live persona, moments here justify the hype.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
As it is, they’re more than quite good, and all the better for the tracks that surround them.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
It's a bold, inventive record that bristles with energy and passion.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
Sometimes the rough edges have been over-smoothed: there are all kinds of strange, cheap synthesised noises buried under the layers of polish that I'd like to hear more clearly. But this is a minor gripe, for despite its dark heart, there's a real joy about this debut.
Read Full Review >Spin
From the way she sings, in big gulps and Teen Wolf growls, to the mystical art-rock ballads she bedazzles with sleigh bells, harps, and choirs, there’s enough drama here for a Broadway musical. But her delivery is so raw that every mess feels genuine.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
There's a lot going on, but Welch never confuses breadth with depth. [Aug 2009, p.98]
Under The Radar
Lung's song peaks and valleys can occasionally be tiring. But when taken as an insight into the artist, it's nothing short of brillianrt. [Fall 2009, p.62]
All Music Guide
While the comparisons were apt at the time, 'Kiss with a Fist' turned out to be a red herring in the wake of the release of Lungs, one of the most musically mature and emotionally mesmerizing albums of 2009.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
Florence's music is particularly sensitive to studio gloss; her singing is a fine balance between elegance and frenzy.
Read Full Review >The Phoenix
Even though damn near every third song sounds designed to sell overpriced sweaters at the Gap, the nectar at the heart of this album is worth the roughage you have to chew through to get there.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Lungs is a cloud-headed introduction to Welch's world, where It Girl hype, coffins, violence, and ambition combust on impact; it's a platinum-shellacked demo reel drunk on its own hi-fi-ness.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
If Lungs fails to make as much impact as those other debuts, it may be because Welch puts a little too much emphasis on singer and not enough on songwriter.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
The best bits feel like being chased through a moonless night by a sexy moor witch.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express (NME)
It may be breathtaking in places, but Flossie’s Lungs are just a bit too full of bluster.
Read Full Review >Mojo
This is a brave, bold, inevitably flawed record from the kind of talent we should be esctastically happy to have around. [Aug 2009, p.92]
Uncut
Too often a limited voice and over-egged arrangements strain to little effect. [Aug 2009, p.94]
No Ripcord
These songs probably sound otherworldly when played live, but the over-laden stylization actually fills Lungs with unnecessary fat.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 15 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a10:
I've been listening to the songs on this CD since I bought it England this summer and it continues to sound better and better. Florence has a strong and agile voice which she uses to great effect in a variety of genres.
Toby H gave it an8:
Pretty decent album. Her calling card Kiss With A Fist is enjoyable if you can get past the fact that it basically rips off The White Stripes' We Are Going To Be Friends. Vicious stomper Girl With One Eye is just embarrassing, with truly dire lyrics capped off with savage production. And Howl just sounds like filler. Anyway, that's the bad stuff out of the way. The rest of the album is brilliant. Cosmic Love has to be one of the most powerful tracks of the year, along with epic single Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up). Opener Dog Days Are Over manages to be sad and uplifting at the same time, with a briliant melody. Other highlights include the dark My Boy Builds Coffins, the propulsive Drumming Song and the Kate-Bush-esque Blinding. De
T Hall gave it a7:
A pretty decent album. It's stange in that it sags in the MIDDLE of the album, finishing and starting very strongly.The awful.
