Florence and the Machine.

Summer brings many things, and one of my favorite gifts is the time I am granted to spend hours sitting around and listening to music. For awhile, my computer was being a total boner kill (well, metaphorical since I'm a girl..), and I couldn't run iTunes without my computer crashing out moments later. So for a few weeks, I relied heavily on online mixes. I've found that these were a great source of some music that I had never heard before, one of them being Florence and the Machine.

The first song was 'Kiss With A Fist.' A playful yet rock-edged song that, according to FATM's myspace page 'is NOT a song about domestic violence. it is about two people pushing each other to psychological extremes because they love each other.' Either way, the song is snarky, with a lyrical style similar to that of Miss. Lily Allen's. Considered a summer anthem by many, the chorus chants, "blood sticks and sweat drips/break the lock if it don't fit/a kick in the teeth is good for some/a kiss with a fist is better than none."

Upon further listening, I also came across her haunting, yet powerful cover of Cold War Kids's 'Hospital Beds.' And after continuing to listen, it is obvious the musical diversity that Florence Welch possesses. From the dancey and verging on disco track "Howl" to the orchestral background of 'Cosmic Love' that would make Yani proud. No matter the musical styling of the song, each one is fully showcases her vocal range and strong beauty of it.

If her vocals weren't enough, she also has a sense of style that seems to change regularly. She goes from being dressed down in plaid and t-shirt's, to being dolled up in vintage dresses and glitter. Surely, she is a style icon in the making, and it is well deserved.

She can be seen in the July 2009 issue of NYLON magazine (which also offers up a full free playlist of music), and she is releasing a new CD titled 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) on June 21st.