Posted by Katherine St Asaph on 07/02/2012 at 5:24 PM News

The Popdust Files: florence and the machine, music videos, wtf

Florence and the Machine’s videos, ever since Ceremonials began, have been themed around one or all of the following: young-adult fantasy, Pre-Raphaelite art, occult macabre mystical shit, Florence Welch’s hair (see also: Pre-Raphaelite art), things that billow in the night. (Sometimes the themes have been questionable as well, but let’s stick to that list for now.)

In other words, when a Florence video is announced, you might not know exactly what the theme is, but you’ve got a general idea, right? You’d have even more of a general idea with a video for a track called “Breaking Down”; even if it’s not related to that certain mega-million, mega-morose franchise the title sounds like, it’s at least an angsty and dramatic title that should get an angsty and dramatic treatment. Nope! It’s a beachy video set close enough to Hollywood to splash that word in the shot and dreamy enough to be filmed entirely with the “Let’s Make This Look Nostalgic By Making It Look Like Someone Stretched Purple Cotton Candy Over The Lens” filter (not a real filter). They have fun. They have palm trees. They have pool scenes with beach balls. They also have:

Sundresses, not raiment of kobold breath!

Shady umbrellas!

Blurry dreaminess! (Which Florence V.1 had plenty of too, but blogger's license, you know....)

...The American flag flanked by the shadows of palm fronds. You guys, I... I just don't know about this.

Confusing stuff all around. We eagerly await the Bethany Cosentino / Florence Welch collaboration this seems like a prelude to. The only question is who would front whose band. Perhaps they could swap?