Talking about "The Family Jewels" and "Lungs"

Today I want to compare two of the biggest pop sensations that people talked about in 2010: 
"Marina & The Diamonds" and "Florence + The Machine". We may presume a resemblance if we look at the names and both can be tagged as "pop music". Another connection can be found, because even though both of the names sound like a full band, both are just the singers "Marina Lambrini Diamandis" and "Florence Welch" and the known names are only their recording names. Both artists work with different people and do not have their own band. 

Now let us take a look at their music: 



"The Family Jewels" was released in February 22nd 2010. Receiving mostly positive reviews, this record had its peak position at 7 on the Greek International Albums Chart. 
In my opinion it is a good indie pop record with references to New Wave, where Marina shows how powerful her vocals are.

1 - Are You Satisfied? (7/10)
The album starts with a very happily fun song, that reminds me of The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love"& Co. The production sounds very contemporary and modern and opens up for an album that sounds like 2010-ish pop music. The lyrics are very positive and a hymn to life, asking about if we are satisfied with the life we are living. 

2 - Shampain (7/10)
Once again a very playful song with its new wave influences and a straight electronic accompaniment. The chorus is very catchy and once this song grows on you, it gets difficult not to listen to this song on repeat. 

3 - I Am Not A Robot (7/10)
What came up to my mind when I was listening to this song, was that it sounds a lot like Feist. The lyrics are very nice and the melody makes me think of early summer. This is a song to enjoy at a brunch with friends. [You really need to check out the amazing video -> here]

4 - Girls (8/10)
I LOVE the lyrics to the song and I already was amused when the song started with the words "Look like a girl / but I think like like a guy/ Not ladylike to behave like a slime". The song has a harder beat than the first ones and the vocals are more aggresive. The instrumental is still playful, but more in a sarcastic way. In some parts it reminded me of the "Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack. Worth a listen! 

5 - Mowgli's Road (8,5/10)
In some way the new wave influences are gone and even though I love new wave, I am very happy about it. I prefer to listen to this songs from Marina, because they show us something we ain't heared before. The beats and the vocals are still a little aggresive and  therefore very powerful. Especially in the bridge we can listen to a very spooky Marina. The lyrics are very good again and the music is a mix of pop and aggresive dance [but not electronic]. I also have to add that Marina looks BEAUTIFUL in the video [check it out -> here]. 

6 - Obsessions (7/10)
This song starts of in a ballad-esque way but after the first chorus the beat starts to turn the song into a mid-tempo track, yet again with some playful elements. Still the feeling of the song is very melodic and the power that the previous two songs had are turned into a more quiet and romantic mood. Her voice is very beautiful in this song and the lyrics are shown perfectly through the emotion that her vocals transmit. 

7. Hollywood (6/10)
I like this song, but to be serious I would have made the chorus in a different way. Lyrically and in combination with what the song means it fits very good. Also it's a nice musical change from the verse, because suddenly it sounds glamorous and not as dark as in the verse. 
In my opinion the strongest point about this song is the story, because it shows what Hollywood is about. ("Your mind is just like mine / All filled up with things benign / You’re looking for the golden lie / Hollywood infected your brain [...] I’m obsessed with the mess that’s America") Although I like the stroy and the lyrics, it's not something we ain't heard and seen before [check out the video -> here). Still it's a nice catchy track. 

8 - The Outsider (8/10)
Otherwise to "Hollywood" I love the chorus in this song. It is catchy and it makes me want to dance and to sing. The lyrics are nice and the song shows great songwriting. Nothing more to add. 

9 - Hermit The Frog (7/10)
Now we go back to the fun songs with the playground party feeling. But still it got its "strange" moments that reminds me once again of Tim Burton movies. The chorus is very catchy again and suddenly I don't know if I feel like a little child or as if I would be high. 

10 - Oh No! (7,5/10)
First thing that came to my mind when the song started was that the intro sounds a lot like something Timbaland or Britney Spears could have done. But in the moment Marina starts to sing, we all get to see, that this is more than just a party-pop song. The beat is danceable, the way she uses her voice reminds me of Kate Nash and the lyrics are one of the best of the whole album ("TV taught me how to feel / Now real life has no appeal"). All in all, this is a great pop song that could make a good job at the club. 

11 - Rootless (7,5/10)
The beginning to this track reminds me of something that Duffy could have done. The chorus sounds a lot like Bat For Lashes. But still it sounds a lot like "Marina & The Diamonds". A good melancholic track [I was hoping for a big ballad on this record...] with a beautiful bridge [including a very nice and smooth solo of a trumpet (I guess that it's a trumpet... but I'm not really sure ._.). 

12 - Numb (8/10)
If we look at the lyrics we get a very melancholic feeling. The music doesn't sound that sad in the beginning, but if you connect it to the words, you get a very sad [but still hopeful -> "Shine / Looking for the golden light / Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice"] track with some beautiful vocals of Marina. Maybe this one is the best track on the record. I still will have to listen to it more often. But looking at the songwriting, it is really an amazing song with some amazing arrangements. 

13 - Guilty (8,5/10)
I am so thankful that this record ends this way with a throwback to the more aggressive songs on this album. Partially her vocals remind me of Kate Bush [in the "I was just a kid"-part] and you also get the Kate-feeling by the couple of "WTF-moments" Marina put into this song. The beat is harder than in the other songs and even though the beat is kinda aggressive, her vocals are very fragile and melancholic. This is a beautiful song and imho it would be a perfect choice for a single. 



"Lungs" was released in July 6th 2009, so its release date is almost a year ago. Still I only heard of this record in 2010. By looking at its peak position, we can see that it really got successful in 2010, because only then, it reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart (being "only" number 2 in 2009). "Lungs" won the Mastercard British Album award at the 2010 BRIT Awards and received 3× platinum in the United Kingdom. 

1 - Dog Days Are Over (10/10)
We get to hear Florence beautiful voice in the beginning of the song and in the chorus we realize how powerful it can be, being "attacked" by heavy drums. After the chorus she goes back to some very silent and smooth vocals, followed up by the heavy drums and the powerful vocals again. This song is very catchy, a little confusing and most of all it is amazing (just like the video -> here). 

2 - Rabbit Heart (10/10)
The lyrics to this song are just as amazing as the old Tori Amos lyrics were. ("I must become a lion hearted girl / Ready for a fight / Before I make the final sacrifice".) But not only the lyrics are a brilliant masterpiece, the poppy musical arrangment and the song on its own are amazing and can be seen as a proof that Florence Welch is one of the greatest songwriters of this moment. " (check the video out -> here).

3 - I'm Not Calling You A Liar (7/10) 
We might be thankful that this song isn't such a monster as the previous two songs [because we probably would become insane by so much brilliancy]. "I'm Not Calling You A Liar" is a sweet pop song, with some lovely piano melodies and a slow beat. The other arrangments fit perfectly to it and Florences' vocals go on being powerful and dreamy. 

4 - Howl (9/10)
A beautiful powerful lovesong that reminds us of tragical heartbreaking moments such as "Nothing Compares To You" by Sinead O' Connor. The beat is hard and the piano-melody is very melancholic. The voice of Florence is very powerful and we don't know if we feel anger or sadness in it, because it is a mixture of both - and still it is something completely different. 

5 - Kiss With A Fist (6/10)
This is a very lovely fun-song that reminds me once again of Kate Nash. We got a lot of guitars in this song and it looks like as if Florence wanted to have a little party rocksong on the record. Nice job. [but still I prefer the brilliant masterpieces :P] [see the video -> here.] 

6 - Girl With One Eye (7/10)
The lyrics to this song are very original [still kinda creepy... imagin Florence cutting out someones eye :s] and her vocals are very Nash-ish again. Guitars, Bass and Drums fit perfectly to Florence voice and I believe that this song is perfect for summer-rock-festivals. 

7 - Drumming (9/10)
We are back to the masterpieces! This song is amazingly produced and the multi-layered voice of Florence fits perfectly to the arrangement. This song is a little more aggressive, due to the hard beats and the powerful voice of Florence. "Drumming" is a great alternative pop track, with beautiful lyrics and a great feeling. [Check out the video ->  here.]

8 - Between Two Lungs (7,5/10)
This song reminds me of Bat For Lashes. In the beginning the listener might think, that this is a slow-peaceful song, but we get surprised by how funny and playful it turns out to be. A very nice fun-song with a certain playground feeling to it. Another hymn to life... it sounds like this. 

9 - Cosmic Love (9/10)
I love the electronic elements we get to hear in the beginning. Florence voice just makes it perfect. Then the drumming begins again and we get back to the typical "& The Machine" sound that I love so much. The lyrics are kinda sad and dark and the heavy drums make them get together with the melody to become a perfect song that takes us unto trance. 

10 - My Boy Builds Coffins (8/10)
The title to this song may sound bizarre and sad, but this songs' rhythmn just makes me want to dance and so we forget the meaning of "One of these days he'll make one for you". "My Boy Builds Coffins" is a nice catchy pop-track, with its typical Florence multi-layer vocals and sounds. Beautiful. Once again. 

11 - Hurricane Drunk (9/10)
Once again a beautiful heartbreaking lovesong about bertayal and unfaithfulness that makes us want to "drink myself to death". Her powerful vocals are present through the whole song and the arrangement is perfect... once again. The chorus is extremely catchy and makes me want to dance again.

12 - Blinding (9/10)
This is a very sad song and the lyrics got a big death feeling to them. Florence voice seems to be very fragile during the verse and suddenly [when the drums appear] they get angry and powerful. Once again she shows us high feelings and amazing songwriting. 

13 - You've Got The Love (8,5/10)
I always loved this song. May it be in its original version or in this more pop-rock-esque version from "Florence & The Machine". It's an amazing lovesong with perfect lyrics and perfect feeling. A great way to close this album. [check the video -> here.] 

...

Now to end this post... there it is... the question:

What do I prefer? 

and I totally know that it is "Florence & The Machine", because for me she got the more original ideas, the better voice, the better production and the better songwriting. 
But still I think that both are worth a listen :]