It was that way for me after the first listen, but as you know, first listens of any album are deceptive. So while some flaws have jumped out since then, I still place it slightly above Lungs, since I pointed out some problems with Lungs a few posts back. Ceremonials does flow a little better than Lungs, although the run of NLMG-BD-LTL is pretty flat without any momentum shift ("Lover to Lover" easily being the best of these 3, while I would have substituted the other 2 for "Strangeness and Charm" and "Bedroom Hymns" respectively).

 

"Bedroom Hymns" might be my new favorite Florence B-side, and not just because I heard it get soundchecked the day it was written. :laugh3:

I am in love with Landscape and the album as a whole is amazing, but I need a few more listens to compare it with Lungs

Where can we get the B-sides????

Where can we get the B-sides????

 

For Ceremonials? They're on the deluxe edition.

anybody here can PM a link with the 320 kbps version of the bonus tracks?

 

Thanks!!!!

Can't wait to pick this up tomorrow! I've avoided the leaks :)

Holy moly, I just realised how amazing Remain Nameless is. Corkus, you were right. It sounds a bit like a Radiohead tune... I love it!

I love Remain nameless and Landscape too. She should have put Breaking dawn and lover to lover as b-sides and switch with them.

I'm still waiting for the album to arrive....What the post is doing?!

I'm so addicted to the new album, 'Lungs' is being neglected, just as the rest of the albums I've dicovered this year. I must listen to the album at least twice a day. :bomb: Can't wait to see her live. :bomb:

Okay, I mentioned in another thread that I live in a "podunk" town where the nearest reputable music store is 45 minutes away.

 

Well, I was able to get MX the day it was released at my local Walmart at 8:00 am, so why would Florence's new album be any different?? Seeing as its the day after her album was officially released, I figured I'd pick it up along with the grocery shopping. Here's what ensued:

 

Me to Random Electronics Walmart Employee: Hey, I couldn't find Florence and the Machine's newest album on your new release shelf. Do you have it?

 

REWE: Uh....who?

Me: Florence and the ma....

REWE: Oh! Florim(sp?)! We don't have Florim.

Me: Um, okay...thanks.

 

*pushes cart around until I find Another Random Electronics Walmart Employee*

 

Me: Hey, do you have Florence and the Machine's newest album? It came out yesterday.

AREWE: Did you check the new release shelf?

Me: Yes.

AREWE: Okay, come with me. *takes me to Florence and the Machine tab* Here you go.

Me: Uh, that's not the newest one.

AREWE: Yes, it is.

Me: No, it's not. "Lungs" is the old album.

 

Random Electronics Walmart Employee Who Was Eavesdropping: Did you want Florence and the Machine's newest album, "Ceremonials?"

Me: YES! *Thinking, "finally someone who knows what the hell they're talking about!"

REWEWWE: Yeah, she's not popular enough for us to stock the new album. We'll get it eventually, but probably not for another month or so.

 

Me: o_O

^Boooo! How disgraceful.

Okay, album acquired. I've listened to it several times and I think it's so terrific.

 

I can't really say if it's better than "Lungs" or not, though. They both have such different vibes and both are so good. I'm getting a very modern retro vibe from "Ceremonials." It feels as though they took some of that 80's new wave sound and modernized it. I just dig it so much! My only issue (and it's not really that big of an issue) is the lack of harp in this album. In "Lungs" the harp was such a presence and I don't hear it much in this album.

 

I've also had a listen to the B-sides and some of the acoustics. Why are the B-sides always the best of that album's period?! And I just LOVE the acoustic version of "Shake it Out." Can't stop listening to it!

 

Overall, I adore Coldplay and really feel that MX is a solid album for them, but......"Ceremonials" is not only a better effort, but it's more enjoyable for me. It's very compelling and lovely!

I can't wait. I'm about to go to the store and pick it up.

I am officially seeing Florence again in December in San Diego! (possibly twice if she plays the LA holiday show again) Got lucky and bagged a GA ticket. Can't wait to hear Ceremonials material live. :D

I've been listening to it a few times now but for some reason I can't seem to get into it as much as I did with Lungs or even with []MX[/i]. Don't get me wrong, I like the album but at the moment I think Lungs is better.

 

My only issue (and it's not really that big of an issue) is the lack of harp in this album. In "Lungs" the harp was such a presence and I don't hear it much in this album.

Oh I agree! I miss the harps a lot in this album.

¨Paul Epworth, Flo producer gave some recording info on Ceremonials via twitter. Very interesting! (btw, Ceremonials is n°1 on itunes, beating Coldplay xD)

 

paulepworth Paul Epworth

right peeps. gotta say Ceremonials was recorded very live with very little in the way of synths as electronic production at all.

 

the big drum sound was the product of strapping a kick drum to a marching drum and micing the room at abbey road.

 

Never Let Me Go was a live take believe it or not and the weird ambience it has were the unused piano mics compressed to f**k.

 

Only If For a night is pretty much only percussion, a piano, a sub bass and a string part. The rest is assorted friends on vocals and flo.

 

The whole intention was to try and strike a balance between european marching band and the ambience of Talk talk's later material.Its weird the influences some hear in a record. Sometimes they get it totally and sometimes it's like they were listening to a different lp.

Am I the only one who thinks this album feels somewhat...monotonous? Nearly every song tries to reach the arena-pop heights of Cosmic Love, but I'm not sure anything quite gets there, except possibly Shake it Out and Spectrum.

^ I think the one instance where that's probably true is Heartlines. It's a great song, but its sandwiched pretty closely between No Light, No Light and Spectrum, both of which accomplish the exact same thing except better. Either some track re-ordering (or, like I've repeatedly insisted, thrown out 1 or 2 tracks in favor of Bedroom Hymns) may have made for some better pacing.

 

Also, Cosmic Love needs to continue to be played at every show. I think that and DDAO are pretty safe. I'd hate to see Blinding and Drumming Song go, however.

Can't stand her voice :/

6.0 from Pitchfork.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16004-ceremonials/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

 

Well, I still prefer Ceremonials to Lungs :phu:

6.0 from Pitchfork.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16004-ceremonials/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac

 

Well, I still prefer Ceremonials to Lungs :phu:

Hmm I still can't decide which one I prefer. :laugh3:

 

Though I would probably lean towards Lungs more because of the use of harps and the songs don't sound alike like they do on Ceremonials.

To me, Lungs sounds better as an album but Ceremonials has better individual songs. Pick your poison.

I tried listening to Florence And The Machine once. The end result was a little too much laughter.

I like the songs individually, but they are all too similar to listen to as an album. After 3 or 4, I've had enough.

^ :nod:

 

I love ceremonials, but there is little variety.