Izzy Smith

Florence + The Machine released their newest album, “Everybody Scream,” on Oct. 31.This album is their sixth studio album since “Dance Fever” in 2022. 

Halloween was the best time to release this album because of the album’s eerie sound. It has the perfect blend of those haunting melodies mixed with Florence Welch’s iconic emotion. 

“Everybody Scream”

This song was the perfect opener. It embodies a part of each song that follows. “Everybody Scream” shows how much Welch enjoys performing and making music despite her health struggles during her last album. Mitski was a co-writer on this track and after realizing that, her touch shined right through. In this song, Welch uses screaming as a pain reliever and a way to reclaim power. I love that this song starts loud and emotional immediately when the vocals come in at the start. 

Favorite Lyric: “Here I don’t have to be kind / Extraordinary and normal all at the same time”

“One of the Greats”

This track goes deeper into her health struggles. Stated in a press release about the song she said, “I feel like I die a little bit every time I make a record. Yet I always dig myself up,” and we can hear that in this song. The lyrics are vulnerable and sarcastic when she sings about what it means to be “one of the greats” and it makes this song sharp. 

Favorite Lyric: “It must be nice to be a man and make boring music just because you can”

“Witch Dance”

“Witch Dance” carries a mystical energy with it. The background chanting and consistent percussion make it feel like a ceremony of some sort. I really enjoy how it goes back and forth between the ritualistic sound and then jumping to a more angelic melody. This track shows resilience and freedom with an eerie and empowering feeling.

Favorite Lyric: “Taking consolation in cats and dogs and things that cannot speak / Ran to the ancestral plane, but they all showed up drunk and insane”

“Sympathy Magic”

This track goes through how love and magic can heal, but also hurt at the same time. Welch’s vocals in this track sound emotional and raw with the ethereal background mix; this song is perfect. “Smypathy Magic” feels like a plea for a connection, but still embraces the chaotic emotions surrounding these feelings. 

Favorite Lyric: “Come on, I can take it / Give me everything you got”

“Perfume and Milk”

This track slows the album down and takes on a more reflective tone. It feels like a soft confession about being damaged and the desire to heal. This track is gentle, emotional and one of the most lyrically beautiful tracks on the album.

Favorite Lyric: “The rot and the ruin, the Earth and the worms / The seasons change, the world turns”

“Buckle”

The lyrics of “Buckle” feel straining and tight, capturing the uneasy feeling between holding it together and completely snapping. Welch’s vocals and this song are still softer, but carry a sense of urgency and sound trembling at times. It’s like she is wrestling with the expectations she has placed on herself. 

Favorite Lyric: “I buckle under the weight of what I thought I’d be”

“Kraken”

I think this is one of the most mythical sounding songs on the album, with the echoing vocals and pounding drums. Welch uses the kraken as a symbol of exploring the monstrous parts of herself, like emotions that feel too big or uncontrollable. This song feels like she is learning to live with these feelings instead of suppressing them. 

Favorite Lyric: “All of my peers, they had such potential / I kissed them, goodbye and let them drown”

“The Old Religion”

This song is very close to being my favorite on the album. It gives the feeling of confronting past beliefs and letting go of old identities. This song has that same haunting sound like the others and it really thrives here. This song feels like a reminder that no matter how hard you try, you can not escape who you are.

Favorite Lyric: “But you can’t outrun yourself, you see / And I’m powerless, I know, don’t remind me”

“Drink Deep”

“Drink Deep” opens with that super eerie and unsettling sound. The song encourages listeners to let themselves feel their emotions fully through everything. The atmosphere of this song feels heavy and slow. Welch’s vocals rise and fall creating a sense of release throughout the track. 

Favorite Lyric: “Drink deep / Let it flood you away until you drown / Let it carry you away”

“Music by Men’

This song is sharp and direct about comments on gender and art. It openly critiques how male artists have defined what is seen as “good music” while reclaiming that space for feminine creativity and emotion. 

Favorite Lyric: “You made the soundtrack / You got the glory / I sang the lines you never heard”

“You Can Have It All”

This song is insanely vulnerable because of Welch singing about her personal struggles as a woman. The imagery within the song is raw and ritualistic, symbolizing grief and rebirth. The emotions in this song are unmatched and you can feel the weight of the words in her vocals. 

Favorite Lyric: “ Try and control what I can / And feel the world slip through my hand”

“And Love”

A perfect closing track. “And Love” is quiet after all the screaming, dancing and crying throughout the rest of the album. This song ends the album with coming to peace with angelic sounds. This song shows what comes after the chaos and what remains of love. I could not imagine a more perfect closing song about an album about pain and power. 

Favorite Lyric: “After all the noise and fire / I found a whisper of you in the ashes / And love is what I bring back”