Everyone is born with a set of lungs. But no one is blessed with a pair of lungs like Florence Welch. The fiery diva has put an end to what is a year long wait for most of her fans and has released her magnificent debut album, ‘Lungs’.
The album opens with single ‘Dog Days’ and is then followed by recently released single ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)’. So by getting the two singles out of the way, this leaves us with songs that just have to be listened to. The songs that make this album are the ones that may not get released but nevertheless these are such beautiful songs that will not go unheard.

‘I’m Not Calling You a Liar’, ‘Howl’, ‘Cosmic Love’ and ‘Hurricane Drunk’ are great examples of album tracks that make a record so special. Of course the album has the brilliant ‘Kiss with a Fist’, ‘Girl with one Eye’, ‘Between Two Lungs’ and ‘My Boy Builds Coffins’, they too make this a record worth waiting for. Each song is their own stunning fairytale and you can tell which songs come from Florence’s own personal experience as expresses her emotions throughout. The album sadly does not feature her marvellous ‘Bird Song’ but makes up for it by having a bonus track, her beautiful cover of ‘You’ve Got The Love’.

Miss Welch obviously has her own take on music. Being not quite indie, not quite folk or pop, there is a mixture of all those things but with this album she proves she is something different by having her own version of girl power and awesome attitude. There is a definite pop-diva feel to this record and who is to say there should not be? Florence has most definitely proven herself a unique and talented young woman in her debut and hopefully her music shall continue to grow and progress.

With many Amy Winehouse sound-a-likes and UK Top 40 pop princesses melting the music world into a bland place, it is refreshing to know that there is a musician so unique, not driven by saying something to get attention, not just a pretty face and has a blinding voice.

Lilly Roberts

Rating: 9/10
Format: Album
Release Date: 06/07/09
Label: Island