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One thing that most people look forward to is Halloween, and luckily for those of us who love Florence + the Machine, they have a new album and new song “Everybody Scream,” that fully captures the essence of the season!
Is It Too Early For Halloween?
One of the first things that hits you when you listen to “Everybody Scream” is the eerie vibe that the song gives off. The intro to the song is this haunting organ play accompanied by these powerful vocals that completely overwhelm the listener. It creates an atmosphere that screams Halloween.
The song is evocative of the band’s roots of performing on stage for their fans. The theme of going back to their punk-rock roots is furthered by Florence, conveying how performing offers her a space to be true to herself. She mentions how she “doesn’t have to be quiet” and that on stage, she “doesn’t have to be kind.” Another layer is added when you recognize the fact that she wants to leave or at least take a break from making music. In this song, she says that several times, but she can’t leave when everyone is “screaming her name.”
Everybody Scream Her Name
This music video has a very interesting format. For starters, it has this witchcraft feel to it. It opens with Florence walking through the English hillside, following this man on a horse holding a lit match. I take this to mean that Florence is following her fans and chasing after the feeling she has on stage when performing.
Another interesting bit of the music video comes near the end. At the end, Florence is on a platform in the countryside, when the other members of the band begin choking and killing her. This coincides with the lyrics, “The magic and the misery, madness and the mystery. Oh, what has it done to me?” This serves as a reflection on how the music industry is taking a physical and mental toll on her, but she is addicted to the euphoric feeling of being loved by millions.
A Hauntingly Good Song
Much of what happens in this song is done exceptionally well. For instance, the backing vocals every time she says the word “scream” add this extra layer of emphasis to the emotion of love she is trying to convey. Add to that the directness of the instrumentation of the song, and it all feels very pointed and like a calling out of some sort to the listener.
What Now?
“Everybody Scream” is the first and titular track of Florence + the Machine’s upcoming album, which will be released on Halloween. Outside of waiting for the release of the album, there is a lot more music by this band that you can listen to!
