Florence and the Machine

Academy, BirminghamFlorence and the Machine's musical ascent has been remarkably precipitous. Virtually unknown a year ago, they have since secured the Critics' Choice Brit award, narrowly missed out on the Mercury music prize and seen their debut album, Lungs, only kept off the No 1 slot by the late Michael Jackson.Their success is all the more noteworthy as it is built not on a stream of lowest-common-denominator, Lady GaGa-style thumping dance anthems, but on a strain of leftfield, contrary a...

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