34th & Now

Soul. Inspired. Indie. Rock. Those four words perfectly describe the force that is Florence and the Machine. Led by singer/songwriter Florence Welch’s powerful, arching vocals the band is finally getting the praise and recognition outside of the UK that it deserves after a stunning performance at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards; a performance that, for many, served as an introduction to the Londoners.

What’s great about Florence is that her sound is completely unique; even bands of a similar vein like Marina & The Diamonds or The XX—bands I totally dig—don’t come close to matching the raw power behind Florence’s music. Music so good, in fact, that Florence and the Machine were able to secure a coveted spot at the Glastonbury Festival before their first album, Lungs, even debuted.

Add to that the fact that Welch who admittedly writes her best music when “drunk or hungover,” was discovered while singing motown covers in a nightclub toilet, drunk, and I’d say we’ve got the start of a very epic music career on our hands.