MTV Unplugged (Florence and the Machine album) explained

MTV Unplugged
Type:live
Artist:Florence and the Machine
Cover:Florence and the Machine - MTV Unplugged.png
Venue:Angel Orensanz Center, New York City
Length:47:45
Label:Island
Prev Title:Ceremonials
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Next Year:2015

MTV Unplugged is the second live album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, released on 6 April 2012 by Island Records. It was filmed on 15 December 2011 in New York City's oldest synagogue building, the Angel Orensanz Center, as part of the MTV Unplugged series, with the band being backed by a ten-person choir. The album contains acoustic performances of eleven songs, nine from the band's two studio albums, Lungs (2009) and Ceremonials (2011) alongside a cover of "Jackson" with Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and "Try a Little Tenderness". Upon its release, MTV Unplugged received mixed to positive reviews by music critics.

Background and recording

In January 2012, it was announced that Florence and the Machine would be appearing on an upcoming MTV Unplugged show.[1] MTV Unplugged was recorded in December 2011 in New York's oldest synagogue building, Angel Orensanz Center, by Florence Welch, a four-person backing band and a ten-person gospel choir, The Voices of Rivers.[2] [3] The performance contained eleven songs from Florence and the Machine's two studio albums, Lungs (2009) and Ceremonials (2011), performed acoustically.[4] [5] The band covered Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" during the show, which Florence Welch described as her favourite song. Rolling Stones Rob Tannenbaum said that the band's cover of "Try a Little Tenderness" was "the best version" since Otis Redding's. Andy Gill of The Independent chose the cover of the song as a highlight on the show saying that Welch "nails her take" on the song.

Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme joined lead singer Florence Welch for another cover of "Jackson" originally recorded by Johnny Cash and June Carter. Emily Mackay of NME was positive about the cover of "Jackson" and wrote, "Where the original's sprightly skip is full of fiery humour, a lovers' tiff turned 'see if I care' bluff-off, Flo[rence] and Josh start in a more haunted manner, but it isn't long before that bitchy back and forth carries them away on a fingerpickin' country freight-train, their voices as well-matched as their hair."[6] Rolling Stones Matthew Perpetua chose the song as one of the highlights on the show, saying that "Homme and Welch sound amazing together". Gill of The Independent was more negative about the cover saying that it "doesn't really work". During an interview with the magazine, Welch talked about the collaboration, saying that "It was one of those things where it was like a dream scenario, and you never think that they'd say yes". She revealed that she has been a fan of Homme since she was a teenage fan of Queens of the Stone Age, but met him when his other band, Them Crooked Vultures, appeared on several festivals alongside Florence and the Machine. Welch revealed she chose "Jackson" because "it's been with me for a very long time" and because "The first song we ever recorded was a Johnny Cash cover of 'Folsom Prison' in our little studio ... It's the weirdest cover ever, this really weird soul version of 'Folsom City Blues.'"[7]

Development

Welch said she was "in awe" of the synagogue in which the band played on the stage decorated with candles. She further added, "I had to stop myself after every song. I would be like, 'Wow.' ... It was so amazing performing the songs stripped back and just really being able to concentrate on the songs and the emotions". During the show, Welch told the live audience: "This is a real moment for me and to be doing an 'Unplugged' session is amazing."[8] During an interview with MTV News, she revealed, "It's such a huge thing, and it was so intimate, and I really enjoy doing things stripped back and having the strings and the choir. It was really wonderful ... But what to say in between? I got so bashful. I was so grateful to be there, and I was trying to express that, and it just went into this weird, stilted speech. It ended up with me trying to talk but not saying any words ... Singing is fine. Talking, not so much." During the interview Welch also spoke about Kanye West's guest appearance, "He was dancing and really going for it in the front row – it was amazing ... At awards shows you can't really see anyone, because there's lights and they're kind of far away, but for this, it was just like Kanye was just there. I covered 'Try a Little Tenderness,' and he'd just sampled that for the Watch the Throne album, so I was like, 'Um, hi ... you kind of got there before me, but I'm going to do this now, and it's kind of for you.' He was smiling the whole way through, and I think he's a total genius, so to have him there was really incredible." During the performance of "Breaking Down", Welch declared "This is a real moment for me ... To be doing an 'Unplugged' session is amazing.'"

Release and broadcasting

The track listing of the album was announced on 6 March 2012 on Florence and the Machine's official website. The same day it was announced that the album would be available on CD, deluxe CD/DVD and as a digital download.[9] On 9 March, the album was available for pre-order on the band's official website.[10] The CD/DVD ordered from their official website contained an exclusive poster, only available to customers who pre-order the album through the website.[11] On 28 March 2012, a teaser of the album was released on the band's official YouTube channel.[12] The performance of "Cosmic Love" from the show was posted online on MTV UK on 2 April 2012.[13] [14] MTV Unplugged was released physically in the UK on 9 April and in the US on 10 April.[15] [16] It was released through the iTunes Store on 9 April and through all the other digital retailers on 10 April.[17] [18]

The show premiered on 8 April 2012 on MTV in Canada and the US. USA Todays Steve Jones praised Welch's "signature vocals" during the show.[19] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday concluded that "the best way to experience their music isn't on CD. It's in concert. And thanks to MTV's ... 'Unplugged' series, Florence + The Machine took over one of New York's most beautiful concert venues ... for a perfect pairing of location and music."[20] Over the next weeks, it was broadcast on MTV Networks across the world, including on MTV UK and Ireland on 21 April, MTV Australia and New Zealand on 2 May, MTV Music Italy on 8 May, MTV Portugal on 5 May, MTV Ukraine on 29 April, MTV Czech on 6 May, MTV MENA, Arabia on 6 April, MTV Sea on 12 May, MTV Vietnam on 29 May, MTV Taiwan on 20 May, MTV Korea on 25 May.[21]

Critical reception

MTV Unplugged received mixed to positive reviews by music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 9 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[22] AllMusic's James Christopher Monger graded it with two-and-a-half out of five stars, commenting "she's [Welch] come full circle, allowing fans a peek into the bombast while providing the aging, acoustic show with a little defibrillation." He further noted that midtempo songs like "Only If for a Night", "No Light, No Light" and "What the Water Gave Me", "are soulful, spooky, and bold, allowing room for both Welch and her machine to strut their stuff without sounding like a murder of caged crows."[23] Rob Tannenbaum of Rolling Stone gave a positive review for the album saying, "While the harp, violins and choir remain delicate, Welch erupts into wild, simmering high notes, most notably on 'No Light, No Light.' Her singing is stunning; this should be credited to Florence and the Vibrato."[24] Andy Gill of The Independent wrote in his review: "The strictures of the Unplugged format don't impact too much upon Florence & the Machine, thanks to their semi-acoustic roots, so when she opens this MTV performance with 'Only If for a Night', the piano, harp and drums are more like familiar old hands than brave new departure." He noted that "What does give the ghost story new character is the 10-piece gospel choir, which, combined with the strings, adds depth to its mystery." Gill finished his review by noting that it was "an impressive show, but not one likely to persuade doubters".[25]

Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian gave a mixed review for the album, writing that it placed Welch in "the middle of a bombastic conundrum". She further wrote that "the very idea of an Unplugged album places her in danger of paring it back too far, and leaving Welch's voice exposed to the elements, which are not always kind. That's exactly how this plays out ... It's hard to see who, other than her army of mini-Florence fans, will go for it, though there are the odd moments that render it not entirely pointless". Nicholson chose "What the Water Gave Me" and "Jackson" as highlights on the album but noted that "By removing the strident, strange production values of Drumming Song or Cosmic Love, for example, their original appeal is bleached out, and those not enamoured with that Welch wail will find no refuge in this state."[26] Jordan Zivitz of The Gazette gave the album three stars and praised Welch's vocals, although he noted that "[it] is not ideal for acoustic performances".[27]

Commercial performance

MTV Unplugged debuted at number twenty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, selling 4,647 copies in its first week.[28]

Track listing

Notes

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[29] 45
Greek Albums (IFPI)[30] 30

Year-end charts

Release history

RegionDateFormatsLabel
Netherlands[32] [33] 6 April 2012CD, CD+DVD, digital downloadUniversal Music
Ireland[34] [35] Island Records
United Kingdom[36] [37] 9 April 2012
France[38] Universal Music
Italy[39] [40] 10 April 2012
United States[41] [42] Universal Republic Records
Australia[43] [44] 13 April 2012Universal Music
Germany[45] [46]
Poland[47] 17 April 2012
Japan[48] 20 April 2012CD+DVD, digital download

Notes and References

  1. Florence + The Machine Announces Spring 2012 Tour Dates, Presented by MSN. MarketWatch. PR Newswire. 23 January 2012. 9 April 2012.
  2. Web site: 'MTV Unplugged – A Live Album' – Out Now . florenceandthemachine.net . 9 April 2012 . 9 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120414033533/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/0-6/mtv-unplugged-a-live-album-out-now/0-6 . 14 April 2012 .
  3. Web site: Florence & The Machine Unplugged. Clash. Robin. Murray. 6 March 2012. 11 April 2012.
  4. Web site: Florence and the Machine Prep MTV Unplugged Album, Release New Video for "Never Let Me Go". Pitchfork. Carrie. Battan. 7 March 2012. 9 April 2012.
  5. Web site: Florence and the Machine play MTV's Unplugged. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405165237/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/9181937/Florence-and-the-Machine-play-MTVs-Unplugged.html. dead. 5 April 2012. The Daily Telegraph. 2 April 2012. 9 April 2012.
  6. Web site: Florence + The Machine and Josh Homme – 'Jackson' (Nancy Sinatra/ Lee Hazlewood cover). NME. Emily. Mackay. 2 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  7. Florence Welch: Covering Johnny Cash With Josh Homme a 'Dream Scenario'. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Matthew. Perpetua. 5 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  8. Web site: Florence + The Machine get "Unplugged" for MTV. Reuters. Sabrina. Ford. 30 March 2012. 9 April 2012.
  9. Web site: MTV Unplugged – A Live Album . https://archive.today/20120803085407/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/18-24/mtv-unplugged-a-live-album/0-6 . dead . 3 August 2012 . florenceandthemachine.net . 6 March 2012 . 9 April 2012 .
  10. Web site: Pre-Order 'MTV Unplugged – A Live Album' . https://archive.today/20120908070119/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/18-24/pre-order-mtv-unplugged-a-live-album/0-6 . dead . 8 September 2012 . florenceandthemachine.net . 9 March 2012 . 9 April 2012 .
  11. Web site: MTV Unplugged (Deluxe CD/DVD) . Flotique . 9 April 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120413152852/http://flotique.florenceandthemachine.net/Store/DII-2438-1-mtv+unplugged+(deluxe+cddvd).html . 13 April 2012 . dead .
  12. Web site: MTV Unplugged Teaser . https://archive.today/20120904082218/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/6-12/mtv-unplugged-teaser/0-6 . dead . 4 September 2012 . florenceandthemachine.net . 28 March 2012 . 9 April 2012 .
  13. Web site: Watch 'Cosmic Love' Performed For MTV Unplugged . florenceandthemachine.net . 2 April 2012 . 9 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407182525/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/0-6/watch-cosmic-love-performed-for-mtv-unplugged/0-6 . 7 April 2012 .
  14. Web site: MTV Unplugged: Florence + The Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405054858/http://www.mtv.co.uk/shows/mtv-unplugged/episode/mtv-unplugged-florence-the-machine. dead. 5 April 2012. MTV UK. MTV Networks. 9 April 2012.
  15. Web site: Florence + the Machine's Florence Welch: 'MTV Unplugged blew me away'. Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Justin. Harp. 4 April 2012. 10 April 2012.
  16. Web site: Florence + the Machine 'Unplugged' to receive MTV online premiere. Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Lewis. Corner. 2 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  17. Web site: Florence and the Machine 'Unplugged' To Premiere Sunday on MTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405040107/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682255/florence-and-the-machine-unplugged.jhtml. dead. 5 April 2012. MTV News. MTV Networks. 2 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  18. Web site: Video: Florence and the Machine Unplugged. Consequence of Sound. Complex Media. Alex. Young. 9 April 2012. 14 April 2012.
  19. Web site: Take 5: Florence and the Machine, Johnny Cash, more. USA Today. Gannett Company. Steve. Jones. 5 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  20. Web site: Florence + The Machine, unplugged on MTV. Newsday. Glenn. Gamboa. 3 April 2012. 11 April 2012.
  21. Web site: MTV Unplugged Broadcast Dates . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407181014/http://www.florenceandthemachine.net/news/0-6/mtv-unplugged-broadcast-dates/0-6 . dead . 7 April 2012 . florenceandthemachine.net . 3 April 2012 . 9 April 2012 .
  22. Web site: MTV Unplugged [Live] – Florence + the Machine ]. . 14 April 2012.
  23. Web site: Monger . James Christopher . MTV Unplugged – Florence + the Machine . . 11 April 2012.
  24. Tannenbaum . Rob . MTV Unplugged . Rolling Stone . Wenner Media . 10 April 2012 . 11 April 2012.
  25. Web site: Gill . Andy . Album: Florence & the Machine, MTV Unplugged (Island) . . 6 April 2012 . 13 April 2012.
  26. Web site: Nicholson . Rebecca . Florence + the Machine: MTV Unplugged – review . . 5 April 2012 . 12 April 2012.
  27. Web site: New Music Reviews: Watson, Raitt, Florence + the Machine, Counting Crows, Good, Pinsent, Keelor, M. Ward. The Gazette. Postmedia Network. Jordan. Zivitz. 10 April 2012. 3 May 2012.
  28. Web site: Official chart analysis: weekly album sales plummet to record 21st Century low, Adele back at No.1 . . Intent Media . 16 April 2012 . 17 November 2013.
  29. Web site: Albums : Top 100 . . 18 April 2012 . 1 May 2012 . usurped . https://archive.today/20120503014202/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html . 3 May 2012.
  30. Web site: Top-75 Albums Sales Chart – Εβδομάδα 20/2012 . Greek . . 1 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120606041439/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm . 6 June 2012.
  31. Web site: Top 100 – annual chart: 2012 . . 18 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927134131/http://zpav.pl/rankingi/listy/top100/roczna.php?lang=2 . 27 September 2013 .
  32. Web site: MTV Unplugged | Florence + The Machine . Dutch . . 1 May 2012.
  33. Web site: MTV Unplugged (CD+DVD) | Florence + The Machine . Dutch . Free Record Shop . 1 May 2012.
  34. Web site: Florence & The Machine – Mtv Unplugged . . https://archive.today/20130217220957/http://www.towerrecords.ie/product/Florence_+_The_Machine_Mtv_Unplugged/544958 . 17 February 2013 . 1 May 2012 . dead .
  35. Web site: Florence & The Machine – Mtv Unplugged[+ Dvd] ]. Tower Records Ireland . https://archive.today/20120914090554/http://www.towerrecords.ie/product/Florence_+_The_Machine_Mtv_Unplugged%5B+_Dvd%5D/544959 . 14 September 2012 . 1 May 2012 . dead .
  36. Web site: Florence & The Machine: Mtv Unplugged: A Live Album . . https://archive.today/20120713113126/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=608007 . 13 July 2012 . 1 May 2012 . dead .
  37. Web site: Florence & The Machine: Mtv Unplugged: A Live Album: Deluxe Edition: Includes Dvd . HMV . https://archive.today/20120714065924/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;1;-1;-1;-1&sku=608010 . 14 July 2012 . 1 May 2012 . dead .
  38. Web site: MTV Unplugged live – Inclus DVD bonus – Florence and The Machine . French . . 1 May 2012.
  39. Web site: Florence + the Machine – MTV Unplugged . Italian . Internet Bookshop Italia . 1 May 2012.
  40. Web site: Florence + the Machine – MTV Unplugged (Deluxe Edition) . Italian . Internet Bookshop Italia . 1 May 2012.
  41. Web site: Mtv Unplugged . Amazon . 1 May 2012.
  42. Web site: MTV Unplugged [CD/DVD Combo] [Deluxe Edition] ]. Amazon . 1 May 2012.
  43. Web site: Florence + The Machine Store – MTV Presents Unplugged: Florence + The Machine . https://archive.today/20120731132758/http://www.getmusic.com.au/florencemachine/store/detail?id=148991 . dead . 31 July 2012 . Getmusic. Universal Music Australia . 1 May 2012 .
  44. Web site: Mtv Unplugged – A Live Album (Deluxe Edition) – Florence & the Machine . . 1 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105134346/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/music/pop-rock/mtv-unplugged-a-live-album-deluxe-edition/664172 . 5 November 2012 .
  45. Web site: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE | MTV Presents Unplugged: Florence + The Machine . German . Universal Music Germany . 1 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060100/http://www.universal-music.de/florence-and-the-machine/diskografie/detail/product:181131/mtv-presents-unplugged-florence-the-machine . 4 March 2016 . dead .
  46. Web site: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE | MTV Presents Unplugged: Florence + The Machine (CD + DVD) . German . . 1 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060011/http://www.universal-music.de/florence-and-the-machine/diskografie/detail/product:181134/mtv-presents-unplugged-florence-the-machine . 4 March 2016 . dead .
  47. Web site: Florence and the Machine – MTV Unplugged . Polish . Universal Music Poland . 1 May 2012 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083422/http://www.universalmusic.pl/artysci.id_3290.a_dyskografia.idp_7341 . dead .
  48. Web site: Mtv Unplugged : Florence & The Machine . HMV Japan . 17 November 2013.