Album Review: Florence + the Machine 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful'

The third studio album for the band Florence + the Machine, "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful" is just as dauntingly beautiful as the other two albums before it.

It's been a few years since Florence + The Machine came out with a new album.

Their last album, "Ceremonials," come out in 2011 and is known for the single "Shake it Out." The band has always been good about blending the music and lyrics with the vocals but the time away has seemed to bring out a whole new side to Florence + The Machine.

The album blasts off with "Ship to Wreck." The song was the bands first single from the album. It's a beautiful mix of rock, strings, and Front woman, Florence's, incredible voice.

It perfectly portrays the feeling for this album, that it might just all be built to be wrecked but she's going to continue on despite that.

The band has always used a mix of instruments to get the feeling they want. "What Kind of Man" is no different with it's combination of strings, brass, and rock instruments that perfectly match Florence's voice and the aggressive but reluctant tone of the song.

"How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful," says it all about the song. How Big, in sound with all the different instruments that never seem to overwhelm Florence's voice.

How Blue, in the concept of the sky, space, and pain that are continually spread through out the song. How Beautiful it is, lyrically and musically, that it transcends out of the lingering influences of the past two albums.

"Delilah" is a masterpiece. The beginning of the song starts off very slow and soft which allows Florence's voice to break free.

It's all very pretty sounding, the kind of song to close your eyes and just listen to. Then the music becomes more upbeat and soulful sounding as Florence sings for Delilah to free her through dance.

"Long & Lost" is the first song on the album that the band keeps soft. The song mostly relies on Florence's voice, of course she handles it beautifully.

It the perfect choice for a song solely about waiting and uncertainty.

"Caught" goes back to the theme of old love that was in the song before. However this song uses more rock instruments for a more anxious and hopeful sound.

"St. Jude," a song that was released before the album, continues on the theme of being lost.

The use of strings and wind gives the song an ethereal sound and the drum beat in the background mimics the beat of a heart.

"Mother," the final song on the album, has an almost sixties vibe to it in the music. It is a great ending for the album that makes you want to start it all over again.

The album is highly recommended. Florence + The Machine has grown wonderfully in the years that they haven't been releasing music. Mature, daunting, and emotional, "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful" is an experience all of its own.