It’s been five years since Florence + The Machine’s the third studio album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. When released the album went to number one on the UK Album Charts and sold 68,000 copies in its first week of release. The album deals with some personal conflicts and anxieties of Welch herself, after a year-long hiatus from music in 2014, and welcomes new musical influences from folk to blues and gospel.
Four singles were released from the album, ‘What Kind of Man’, ‘Ship to Wreck’, ‘Queen of Peace’ and ‘Delilah’. There was also an exclusive Urban Outfitters alternative album cover, which communicates the album’s moody tenor. The album earned the band five Grammy nominations and was shortlisted for the 2015 Mercury Prize, as well as being praised for its new sound at the time of its release ending up on many critics albums of the year lists of 2015.
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is out now via Island. Watch the video for ‘Ship to Wreck’ here:
