How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful - Florence + The Machine (2015)

By Easton Lane (Songs of the Week)

The first word that How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful brings to mind is majesty—sheer, breath-taking majesty. At no point on this record are Florence Welch’s commanding vocals anything less than rapturous, anchoring an ark of disparate musical styles through the hurricane that is heartbreak and the heartbreak that is existence. On How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Florence turns an eye outward and an eye inward, reflecting optimistically and pessimistically on just how big this world is.

Between theatric drama, tragic love, and hopeful renewal, the record’s first four songs are a perfect run of soaring emotions and spiraling instrumentals. It’s impossible to resist singing along, even though Florence’s stunning vocals put an imitator to shame. This first run culminates in “Queen of Peace,” a symphonic anthem featuring creative lyrics and unforgettable similes. With just 10 words, Florence creates the image of a boat sailing off the edge of the world as the sunset fades from the sky.

The momentum generated by the opening suite slows as the varied mid-section introduces itself, but that isn’t to say the remaining songs aren’t special in their own right. From the dancing euphoria of “Delilah” to the cathartic sermon of “Caught,” Florence’s vocals continue to shine like illustrious gems.

“Third Eye” and “Mother” close out the album with the emphatic stomp of “Queen of Peace,” cementing ‘How Big, How Blue’ as a cohesive journey through life on Earth. “Mother” is unrivaled, breaking the pop status quo with prominent drumwork and desert rock guitars. In “Mother,” it seems as though Florence reaches for Earth’s vaulted ceiling in a celebration of life, becoming the rain, the trees, the dirt—embracing nature itself.

Though not every song hits as hard as “Queen of Peace,” How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, is a vivid window into the mind of one of the most singular modern artists, accented with lush instrumentals and gripping vocals. Sometimes the best way to reconcile life’s sadness is to embrace it, to wear it as a reminder of how curious it is to be human.