Today I thought I'd share a video from Florence + The Machine. My husband actually made me sit down and watch the video because he noticed all the mythological and Pre-Raphaelite references! We first encountered Florence + The Machine while watching the Colbert Report, and our first reaction (other than noticing that she had a great voice), was that she looked like she'd fallen out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. Apparently this is no coincidence, and you'll notice that most of her videos contain references to the Pre-Raphaelites, though the video for "Rabbit Heart" is one of the most overt. From the minute you see the water behind her you can tell this is going to end in a send-up of the Lady of Shalott!
For an even heavier dose of the Lady of Shalott, check out The Band Perry's "If I Die Young". My daughter actually discovered this one on Vevo the other day!
Someone from the band is clearly a big fan of the Pre-Raphaelites! Of course Lady of Shalott is the most obvious reference (the video actually closes with a shot of Tennyson's poem), but I thought the scene at :38 (with the mother at the window) was a little evocative of John Everett Millais' Mariana. It's a very well done video, and the song is beautiful as well.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Florence + The Machine, The Band Perry and the Lady of Shalott in Music Videos
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5 comments:
Ah, well, that was fun! I always enjoy hearing something new, and the videos were beautiful. Thanks for the links!
Very true! Even having some of the men in 19th century garb can fit with the Pre-Raphaelite era (even if the clothing doesn't align with PRB subject matter).
I really like the music of Florence + the Machine. I also am secretly envious of Florence; her red hair is so pretty!
@Val S. - Thanks!
@M - Thanks for stopping by! Florence does have fabulous hair, doesn't she? It definitely suits her music!
Nice. I missed the textures of tapestry, especially the covering for the lady in the boat.
This is my favorite recent music find-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvXeUqlfxhY
Although the style is very '50s, the singer, Paloma Faith, looks like she could have been a Pre-Raphaelite model. If the PRB were alive now, this is the kind of art they might be creating - lush, retro, theatrical and passionate.
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