Florence and the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015)

Florence and the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015)

Tracklist front / back album covers download

1. "Ship to Wreck"   3:54

2. "What Kind of Man"   3:36

3. "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful"   5:34

4. "Queen of Peace"   5:07

5. "Various Storms & Saints"   4:09

6. "Delilah"   4:53

7. "Long & Lost"   3:15

8. "Caught"   4:24

9. "Third Eye"   4:20

10. "St. Jude"   3:45

11. "Mother"   5:49

Florence and the Machine Band Members / Musicians

Florence Welch – vocals (all tracks); backing vocals (tracks 1–10, 12, 13); body percussion (track 9); stamps, claps (track 14); piano, percussion (track 15)

Chris Hayden – drums (tracks 1–3, 6–9, 13); percussion (tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 13)

Rob Ackroyd – electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7–9); acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 13); ukulele (track 9)

Mark Saunders – bass (tracks 2–4, 6–9)

Isabella Summers – Rhodes organ (track 3); programming, drums, synths, bass, keys (tracks 14, 16); strings, stamps, claps (track 14); Rhodes, percussion (track 16)

Rusty Bradshaw – piano (track 4)

Tom Monger – harp (track 13)

Kid Harpoon – drums, percussion, bass, CP70 synth (track 1); electric guitar (tracks 1, 13); brass writing, brass arrangements (track 2); acoustic guitar, piano (track 13)

Leo Abrahams – acoustic guitar (track 1); electric guitar (tracks 2, 4–6, 9)

James Hallawell – Hammond organ (tracks 1, 4); Farfisa, piano, organ (track 7)

Markus Dravs – glockenspiel (track 1); percussion, synths (track 2); bass synth (track 5); programming (tracks 7, 10); body percussion, electric guitar (track 9); woodwind arrangements (track 10)

Janelle Martin – backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 9)

Nim Miller – backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 9)

Baby N'Sola – backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 9)

John Hill – synths, brass writing, brass arrangements (track 2)

Nigel Black – French horn (tracks 2–4, 9)

Pip Eastop – French horn (tracks 2–4, 9)

Sam Jacobs – French horn (tracks 2–4, 9)

Elise Campbell – French horn (tracks 2–4, 9)

John Barclay – trumpet (tracks 2–4, 9); piccolo trumpet (track 3)

Philip Cobb – trumpet (tracks 2–4, 9); flugel trumpet (track 3)

Andy Crowley – trumpet (tracks 2–4, 9)

Tom Rees-Roberts – trumpet (tracks 2–4, 9)

Andy Wood – Euphonium (tracks 2–4, 9); trombone (track 4)

Ed Tarrant – Euphonium (tracks 2–4, 9)

Richard Edwards – tenor trombone (tracks 2–4, 9)

Oren Marshall – tuba (tracks 2–4, 9)

Steve Jones – electric guitar (tracks 3, 7)

Robin Baynton – Rhodes organ (track 3); piano (tracks 3, 6, 9); organ (track 6)

Pete Prokopiw – harp, cimbalom (track 3); programming (tracks 6, 7, 10)

Will Owen – brass arrangements (track 3); string arrangements (tracks 3, 5)

Ali Helnwein – brass arrangements, string arrangements (track 3); strings (track 16)

Sally Herbert – orchestration (tracks 3–5, 10); conducting (tracks 3–5); flute arrangements, brass arrangements, string arrangements (track 4); brass orchestration, brass conducting (track 9); woodwind arrangements (track 10)

Ian Humphries – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Ian Belton – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Emlyn Singleton – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Patrick Kiernan – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Julia Singleton – violin (tracks 3, 5)

John Smart – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Ann Morfee – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Natalia Bonner – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Sonia Slany – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Gillon Cameron – violin (tracks 3–5)

Ciaran McCabe – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Alison Dods – violin (tracks 3, 5)

Fiona Bonds – viola (tracks 3, 5)

Ian Rathbone – viola (tracks 3, 5)

Max Baillie – viola (tracks 3, 5)

Rachel Robson – viola (tracks 3, 5)

Ian Burdge – cello (tracks 3–5)

Chris Worsey – cello (tracks 3, 5)

Nick Cooper – cello (tracks 3, 5)

Sophie Harris – cello (tracks 3, 5)

Richard Pryce – bass (tracks 3, 5)

Lucy Shaw – bass (tracks 3, 5)

Eliza Marshall – flute, alto flute (tracks 3, 4)

Matt Ingram – drums, percussion (track 4)

Benson – additional keys, programming, flute arrangements, brass arrangements, string arrangements (track 4); backing vocals (track 7)

Daniel Newell – piccolo trumpet, flugel, trumpet (track 4)

Everton Nelson – violin (track 4)

Rick Koster – violin (track 4)

Oli Langford – violin (track 4)

Bruce White – viola (track 4)

Nick Barr – viola (track 4)

Iain Berryman – piano, harmonium, acoustic guitar (track 8); body percussion, cornet (track 9)

James Ford – programming (tracks 10, 12); woodwind arrangements (track 10); drums, bass, guitar, keys, percussion, piano, synths (track 12)

Rebecca Wood – oboe, cor anglais (track 10)

Pete Harrison – bassoon (track 10)

Paul Epworth – drums, bass, guitar, synths, organ, percussion (track 11)

Orlando Leopard – piano, bass, harmonium, organ, additional arrangement (track 13)

Charlie Hugall – programming, percussion (track 13)

Wayne Francis – saxophone (track 14)

Nick Walters – trumpet (track 14)

Adman Dayes – trombone (track 14)

Brett Shaw – additional percussion (track 15)

Alex Beitzke – guitar (track 16)

 

Markus Dravs – production (tracks 1–10)

Kid Harpoon – production (track 1); co-production (track 13)

Robin Baynton – engineering (tracks 1–7, 9, 10); strings recording, brass recording, flute recording (track 4); woodwind recording (track 10)

Jonathan Sagis – engineering assistance (tracks 1–10)

Iain Berryman – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 3–10); additional engineering (track 2)

Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (tracks 1, 2, 9, 12)

Geoff Swan – mixing assistance (tracks 1, 2, 9, 12)

Ted Jensen – mastering (all tracks)

John Hill – co-production (track 2)

Joe Kearns – additional engineering (track 2); engineering (track 8)

Mat Bartram – brass recording (tracks 2–4, 9); strings recording (tracks 3–5); flute recording (tracks 3, 4); engineering (track 5)

Ronan Phelan – brass recording assistance (tracks 2–4, 9); strings recording assistance (tracks 3–5); flute recording assistance (tracks 3, 4)

Craig Silvey – mixing (tracks 3–8, 10, 11)

Eduardo de la Paz – mixing assistance (tracks 3–8, 10, 11)

Dan Cox – additional engineering (track 4)

Paul Epworth – production (track 11)

James Ford – production (track 12)

Jimmy Robertson – engineering (track 12)

Charlie Hugall – production, engineering (track 13); mixing (tracks 13, 14)

Will Donbavand – mixing assistance (track 13)

Isabella "Machine" Summers – production (tracks 14, 16)

Ben Roulston – engineering (tracks 14, 16)

Alex Beitzke – engineering (tracks 14, 16)

John Catlin – mixing assistance (track 14)

Brett Shaw – production, engineering, mixing (track 15)

 

Tabitha Denholm – creative direction, insert photography

Brian Roettinger – art direction

Tom Beard – cover photography, insert photography

Vincent Haycock – insert photography

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is the 3rd studio album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, released on 29 May 2015 by Island Records. After returning from her year-long hiatus from music, lead vocalist Florence Welch returned to configure How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, recording material that dealt with personal conflicts and struggles. In comparison to their last two studio albums, the album is much more refined and stripped-down instrumentally, and incorporates a mixture of musical influences such as folk, blues and gospel.

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was met with positive reviews from music critics, who commended the album for its cohesion, production and Welch's vocal delivery. Additionally, it appeared on several year-end critics' lists. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 68,788 copies sold in its first week, becoming the band's third consecutive number-one album. Four singles were released from the album, "What Kind of Man", "Ship to Wreck", "Queen of Peace" and "Delilah". The album earned the band five Grammy Award nominations, in addition to being shortlisted for the 2015 Mercury Prize.