Posted by Katherine St Asaph on 09/14/2011 at 2:02 PM News

The Popdust Files: florence and the machine, shake it out

Is Florence and the Machine’s upcoming album Ceremonials just going to be twelve “Drumming Song“s in a row? (Please please please can it thank you we’re waiting right here.) We liked lead single “What the Water Gave Me,” got excited over the gorgeous album art and promising track titles–when was the last time one of those news items was actually exciting?–and like “Shake It Out,” which surfaced online today.

Florence + The Machine – Shake it Out by Artur Cunha

We loved “What the Water Gave Me” for how it reconciled Florence’s swirly supernatural schtick with enough modern reference points–”Tainted Love”!–to sound fresh. “Shake It Out” is similar; it could slot easily into a playlist with the percussion-heavy likes of “Bleeding Love,” but she’s singing about cutting out hearts and shaking devils out of your bed, and doing it amid a colossal slab of sound.

Oh, and one final note. Every time a female singer-songwriter, Florence Welch or otherwise, releases an album or song, there’s at least one and usually many more obvious comparisons to other legendary artists. Sometimes, though, they’re necessary. And sometimes they’re endorsements. This is all a half-assed excuse for us being the ones to go there. The chorus to “Shake It Off” reminds us a lot of the Cocteau Twins. It’s the background vocals, mainly. And once again, this is a huge endorsement.