Lungs

Lungs is the debut album of Florence + The Machine. As all of their music it is over dramatic, over the top and over confident, but this it works. Great songs like "Dog Days Are Over", "Kiss with a Fist" and "You've Got the Love". The vocals are of course top notch and the instrumentation and production is good too.

My most listened to artist in the last 365 days. I saw her twice this year on the Everybody Scream tour and my god is she a witch. F+tM was one of the candidates I thought about submitting and I was surprised it wasn't on the OG list or that it took this long for someone to add them. Absolutely banger album with songs that still sound fresh almost 17 years later. My personal rating: 5/5 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Strong yes.

Of course I’ve heard this before, everyone has. But it really is one of those albums that defined its era. Such a simple pick compared with some of the more obscure ones on this list, but I like that!

It’s a new-millennium classic. There’s no excuse for it not showing up on the original list.

Sometime around the release of this album I had a British colleague who was visiting my office. I think he had attended the Glastonbury music festival and was raving about this amazing group he heard called Florence + the Machine. He played some songs and I was hooked and immediately set about buying this album. I loved listening to this again… it has been a while since I played the album all the way through. It’s absolutely thrilling. I wish I had been at that festival!

There's a genre here I don't known is appropriately named, a particular type of British maximalist rock soul. I liked this a lot, she's pulling off whatever she's aiming for with a superb backing band and it maintains a remarkably high energy without getting wearing. Been hearing about this band for years and just didn't get around to listening, something I'll have to rectify.

Indie icon and a great debut. Somewhat strange that it was overlooked for the list proper

This is just a classic album of 2000's Indie, some all-time great songs on here!

Florence is a Nymph bringing love and joy to our world with her magical voice. This album sure has some iconic hit songs. Love this very much

This is the first time in a while that I got an album I already knew was a 5 before I even hit play because of how often I listen to the tracks on it. (Including some tracks from the deluxe edition, the original release is much shorter.) It's also one of the albums I can point at and go this literally rewired my brain and I am a measurably different person because I heard it. The song "Cosmic Love" in particular, since it made me want to seek out more. I cannot begin to try and properly explain how much this one means to me. I've seen Florence live, and that was probably my favorite concert I've ever been to.

This rips

What a voice!

The front half of the album is the sort of "anthemic" malarkey I'm still fed up with 15 years later. Vernon f*cking Kay I was bored at the time and Dog Days, and all that E4 'legend' emotive clip compilation of the worst person you know's 'best' bits, are certainly well and truly Over, and good riddance. But from track 7 ( A Kiss With A Fist) it suddenly becomes far more interesting. A pop song about abusive relationships, deeper atmospheric tracks, a n autumnal vibe with a streak of darkness and a voice that demands you listen. I may buy it, and just vandalise side 1 to have a five star short album!

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Dog days are over, Rabbit heart, Howl, Kiss with a fist, Drumming song, You’ve got the love

Pretty good 3.5

Very solid album from a talented and dedicated artist. Not really my style, but I can appreciate what she's doing here.

I really like her voice. Enjoyed the album.

I love Florence but honestly never listened to this whole thing before. No surprises but a lot of bangers. She has such a great voice and always pals a punch

Favorite Tracks: Dog Days Are Over, Kiss With a Fist, You Got the Love, I'm Not Calling You a Liar This is one of those albums I know is really good, Florence is a very powerful and impressive singer. 4/5

It's fine. 3.5/5

I like it! But definitely not her best work 4

4.5

It was good. Only one memorable song. The rest were fine.

On the whole I’m not a massive fan of Florence + The Machine, and I thought listening to a whole album would only cement that opinion, but I actually quite enjoyed. Not enough to make me a massive fan but gave me a different perspective and I’m glad this artist and art exists.

This is full of the pomp and grandiosity of the mid-2000s, only with a bit more dramatic flare. I do not enjoy it. That being said, the album is produced well, the vocals are superb. I can't not mention the problems I have with "Kiss with a fist" - it's unpleasant, and in addition to being unpleasant, it's out of keeping from the rest of the album.

She certainly has some lungs this Florence

I was of course familiar with Dog Days are Over and Kiss With a Fist, but this is the first time I've listened to this album all the way through. Overall I like it. She has a really powerful voice, although sometimes comes off a bit shrill. Probably not something I'll listen to again though. 3 stars.

Another nostalgic one

Easy to remember the summer when ‘Dog Days’ played after every other song on the radio and had pop culture in its grip, that fatigue influencing my outlook coming into this listen. Have to say this LP surprised me, though – it’s not the most memorable thing in the world, but the dense, layered instrumentals and Welch’s powerhouse vocals make rne tracks feel immediate and genuine. There could have very well been a tinge of corniness given the early hints of stomp-clap, car-commercial indie here, but the band’s commitment and chops sell the experience. Probably won’t return to this LP, but it was nice to see the band as more than a one-hit wonder.

1. dog - 1 2. rabbit - 1 3. liar - 1 4. houul - 2 5. kizz - 1 6. eye - 2 7. drum - 2 8. lungz - 1 9. cozmic - 1 10. boy - 1 11. drunk - 0 12. blind - 1 13. love - 0