The Romantic costume in this video, for example Florence’s pale flimsy overall dress covering most of her body is a big influence to the genre and her music. The costume is very old fashioned but also glamorous, giving the music an edge never seen before.
The video ‘Rabbit Heart’ consists of many cultural layers , one of these being Pre Raphaelites. The costume also suggests the elaborate 19th Century style or Pre Raphaelites and the Hippy Flower Power movement of the 1960’s. The romantic period influence here could link to the artist’s hippy image/folk music. The coffin scene at the end is very similar to the painting of Ophelia by John Millais.
Ophelia was a very passive character of William Shakespeare’s and Millais painted her singing before she drowned. This emphasises the sacrifice or death of innocent women. The poses of the women both represent the traditional portrayals of saints or martyrs, but has also been interpreted as erotic. This links closely to the representation of women, gender and sexuality in the video. The prominent of the red poppy symbolises sleep and death. This could be linked to Florence’s death scene at the end of the narrative where she floats down the river in a coffin. This could have been utilised as she has aspects of a feminist singer.
The images of constant sun beaming through the artists auburn hair establishes a joyful mood, and the setting of the open space in the woods reinforces a nature and hippy style aspect of the mise en scene give the music a very traditional feel, like the old dancing, and also the large indulgent feast in the video shows a very traditional way of eating. The females in the video are wearing long flowy costume, showing no flesh, some with embroided cloths over their faces and the man wearing top hats and waistcoats. On the feasting table featured in the mise en scene, pigs heads are placed on plates, this makes me question how odd everything is and how something is not right in the world, giving it Alice and wonderland qualities. These conventions of the music video fit perfectly with the song and its meaning and gives an illusional dream factor. Florence has very similar aspects to the Pre Raphaelite paintings of beautiful women especially Dante Gabrielle Rossetti. Her rich auburn hair, pale pallor, striking red lips and passion for the harp resemble this painting bellow. This image and representation of her creates a lyrical dreamlike mood. The large indulgent feast indicates the surreal Alice In wonderland quality with the ambiguity and un real feel it all. This is injecting the mise en scene with classic signifiers associated with the artist reinforcing her unique quality. The feast could also be referred to as The Last Supper. This could be argued as it is the last feast before Florence’s death in the narrative, and is highly associated with Death and Religion like the feast - The Last Supper.
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The link between the lyrics and the visuals have a major link. The lyrics ‘Rabbit Heart’ is about blood sacrifice outside a church of Scotland hymnal. The lyrics imply sacrifice ‘who is the lamb and who is the knife?, ‘the final sacrifice’ and how she is offering something, and bellows it out in the chorus. This is very interesting as although the visuals seem very up lifting (feast) the lyrics portray death and sacrifice giving it a horrific nature narrative. The lighting seems very important in this video, it gives a stronger sense of illusion and a dream like quality, quite surreal. The golden autumn light also brings a harvest festival aspect to the narrative. The camera often show shots of the vibrant sky and the rays of sun brightening up the atmosphere, giving a spiritual atmosphere. If the video was very dark and noir, it wouldn’t bring joy, and would not fit with her gospel like voice.
I also thought about how ‘Rabbit Heart’ could relate to the song, the animal like quality gives a different persona to the girl, ‘I must become a lion-hearted girl’ and reinforces ideas of animal sacrifice which isn’t classified as ‘normal’ . Her lyrics generally don’t follow her happy hymnal music, but create something much more different. One of her first releases “A Kiss With A Fist” is one of her most upbeat songs, yet the lyrics imply domestic violence to women “ A kick with in the teeth is good for some, a kiss with a fist is better than none” which creates a feminist or ambiguous point of view behind the music and violence tow
Florence’s main instrument is a harp, gospel, and hymn like sounds are in forced giving her a mix of an alternative sound. There is no one else quite like her in the music industry, but her band ‘The Machine’ as she calls them, play terminator like sounds giving an edge to the soulful music. Kate Bush is very similar to her and was a big influence on Florence’s musical career. Bush was another idiosyncratic female writer, dancer and singer and was also inspired by 19 century Romanticism with her famous single ‘Wuthering Heights’. The song is quite gothic influenced by the invents in Wuthering Heights the novel which relate to Florence’s elaborate lyrically violent songs. Kate Bush’s ‘Lionheart’ can also be seen aesthetically similar to Florence’s songs.
The music video follows a basic linear structure. We see her getting ready for her ‘sacrifice’ and it takes us in the end to the climax of her death. The video narrative strongly sets up the concept of sacrifice, those of us no tales of this, and have seen movies like ‘The Wicker Man’ which take a while to prepare their ‘offering’ throughout the film. The narrative takes us through stages of dancing and feasting which is a good story to follow along to the music and creates climax point in to narrative. The narrative also expands my thought on why she has died, who these people are, and why it seems so ‘happy’, This is where ambivalence and ambiguity are created.
‘Rabbit Heart’ strongly reminds me of the film ‘The Wicker Man’. This is quite interesting as The Wicker Man (original 1973) is set and filmed in Scotland and the inhabitants who live their follow a form of Celtic paganism. This seems like an intertextual reference to the genre and meaning of Florence’s ‘Rabbit Heart’ which suggests that the video and song has been inspired by this Religion. The setting is also an exact replica, the middle of the woods, a feast, sacrifice parties all seen in this film. The video focuses closely on female sacrifice and cross dissolves of coffins with her face in the background.
This can also relate to her video, ‘Dog Days’ which encounters childhood games in the forest, masks and outrageous clothing. When I watch this video it portrays a fairytale like quality and reminds me of Alice In Wonderland, a complete different world, where different rules apply like at the Mad Hatters tea party, which psycho like persona’s. These intertextual features are made by the costume, the feast, the location, the narrative, and the mise en scene.
A world of nightmares and myths becoming reality is set up from this video. I believe a very spiritual world as well, and the closeness of the people to nature is being represented. The ending creates a type of sadomasochism. Florence is strongly marketed in this video and is seen as very pure with white colours representing innocence and a kind of virgin. The final image also inter textually references a bridal sacrifice and is highly sexualise. As I watch this video, it brings back childhood memories of playing in the woods, and telling scary myth stories and the atmosphere here seems very illusion and fairy tale like because of this. The artist Florence is being represented as naturally beautiful. There are constant shots of her face and bright hair flowing in the wind, and she is made up to look beautiful, and represent a goddess, which is set up from her clothing and jewelled head scarf. Here she is made to be adored by young audiences, people wanting to look like her, sing like herm be her, all the man adoring her in the video, ‘wooing’ her. I also think she wanted people to see her vision of imagination, that anything can come true form her dream like music and showing the industry how she likes to express her feelings.
The close up camera shots of Florence imply an erotic aspect, and are voyeuristic of her red lips and luscious hair, but it is done in a very sophisticated old fashioned way, showing seductive red lips mouthing the words to the music. There is a slight stereotype to the genders clothing, men wearing top hats and waistcoats, and women covered in opulent jewels. Also there is a slight sexual reference, at the table the men are touching her, twisting her hair, dancing around her, maybe showing the constant appraisal of the persistent men on her. This could also show her sexual power and star quality.
Values of being very traditional, and ‘lady like’ are communicated In this video. With femininity and masculinity defined by costume, the highly feminised and the male performer in either rustic costume/formal dinner suits suggests the idea of a wedding feast/ceremony this added dimension indicates marriage as a form of female sacrifice. This injects the narrative with a feminist ideology. I researched her other music and say lyrics implying the loos of loving scaring her for life, and fairytale like dreams. She doesn’t seem like a follower, she seems an old fashioned girl, producing music of stories. Florence claims her music “ feels like a culmination of 22 years of my life”. “A scrapbook of events, things I’ve seen, people I have met, dreams and nightmares” which fits perfectly with her music and meanings behind the lyrics. She said she is inspired by Kate Bush, and she gives of ideas of being a traditionalist. The music also like her seems old fashioned Florence’s music is always backed up by the strumming of a harp, in a review by Edd McCracken “her Adams And The Ants style marches, with Kate Bush, and gospel with paganism“. Her music lyrics can be quite alarming form ominously begging ‘ Who is the man and who is the knife’ reinforcing something terribly thrilling and quite masochistic as heard in ‘Rabbit Heart’. In one of her new releases ‘Cosmic Love’ it very delicately starts of, as heard if most of her music, and then takes a gothic turn ‘I screamed aloud as it tore through them and now has left me blind” and strong hints of violence.
http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/content/content_detail.php?id=3439&type=content#foot, this link here is a review I read on Florence’s debt new album ‘Lungs’, it goes into depth on her music and gives an idea of what people think of her music. I also am adding another review from the observer who as its an intellectual newspaper and it gave me more or an idea of her music:
“She's got a real gift for expressing joy, usually the overwhelming, bittersweet joy of first love, though she says she's often inspired by odder stuff than that. Art installations: "Dog Days Are Over". Strange fairytales: "My Boy Builds Coffins". She's quite overpowering. I'm not sure I'd want to spend a whole festival with her, though I bet she's great at camping. Kate Bush and Tori Amos are the most obvious comparisons, though Florence has something sillier and more festivally than both. There's a strong folk element to her writing and sound, a real romance. Her mother is Irish, which supports my long-held theory that most of the UK's best singers and songwriters have Irish parents: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Noel and Liam Gallagher. “.
From research on her my space, I found her audience ranged form 55 year old drummers to 17 year old fanatic fans. Inspiring comments like “ You were fantastic last night”, form all genders and mostly from the UK, and influential comments “Not money, but music like this is what makes the world go round” which I agree is exactly what her music brings to her audiences lives, and also mine.
There are many ways that audiences can access Florence’s music. There is free streaming available on her official Myspace with links to you tube, bebo, itunes and face book, showing collaborations and convergence of companies in the music industry to promote music. She can be seen live at performances which tickets are available at her official website, Myspace and main London music websites. Florence and the machine performed at Glastonbury festival and band merchandise is found on her website. Merchandise for fans can range from a £200 jewellery box containing elements representing the feel of her album lungs. She is features on many radio stations an recently has been heard on BBC radio one, two and Kerrang.
Florence & The Machine are is signed up to island records. Island records was founded by a British record producer in Jamaica in 1959. It has now converged with Universal Music Group. The company is extremely mainstream giving Florence high hopes and dreams to follow in the footsteps of Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Grace Jones and Amy Winehouse. Island records released bob Marley’s ‘Exodus’ and it had been said that they are arguably the ‘most prestigious record label in the history of British music’. they are celebrating there 50th anniversary and made music with Jamaican ska routes and progressive rock in the late 60’s. I believe the expansion of island records will but pressure on her career to impress the industry and Islands- Golden year. She is performing at the company’s ‘Island Life’ which is highlights of the companies career, and is being shown on channel four, giving her a chance to impress new audiences and more experience. I think this will definitely effect her rapid growing music career, and it had now been announced that she will be the supporting act for Blurs return, even before her album was released on the 5th of June 2009.
Technology has strengthen the marketing and distribution of Florence’s music and has broadened the fan base. Her face is being seen anywhere and everywhere from TV, to car promotions because of the growth of the proliferation of technologies. Her debt new album is being marketed on TV, but mainly websites, such as Amazon, and HMV being the lead. I was browsing through music stores online to find reviews of her album, an found that she is number one in new releases. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo have advertisements of her auburn hair striking out, and found her new album is even associated with the new Fiat 500c car. This association is a competition to win tickets to see her live which can be found on her website and Fiat’s. New technologies have made audiences able to stream of Myspace which is especially useful for audiences in other countries to buy her music. New technologies has made it easier to show intermedial texts on her official website and Myspace, which is how I accessed her music videos. Six different formats are available for the album ‘Lungs’. The first is distributed in a standard album, the second id a deluxe dig pack with unreleased tracks. There is also copies available in old fashioned vinyl, and ‘Lungs’ is also available for purchase and download in two editions, standard and deluxe.
An interesting re draft with some excellent analysis and effective inter textual references to biblical illusions, 19 century literature, the Pre Raphaelites, and work of similar artists. Though there is some clumsiness in your expression this is mainly excellent and reflects your continual enthusiasm and eagerness to develop your knowledge and understanding. Florence and the Machine are a curiosity, I'm never quite sure whether she's an example of post feminism. Why would she want to represent 19 century women whose lives were mainly defined by the men they lived with or loved,(the mistresses & muses of the Pre Raphaelite painters, and Cathy in Wuthering Heights who sees marriage as the only way to survive and she doesn't) whilst also harking back to the mid 1960's hippy style - a period believe me where women were called chicks and equal opportunities were in their infancy? Well done. I heard Florence being interviewed on Radio 4's Front Row and was put off by her upper class accent and elitist attitudes, but I have to say her music is great.
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