“Kiss With a Fist“
from the single Kiss With a Fist
2008
iTunes
As the overwhelming chart success of the British female singer-songwriter has now officially reached the point of saturation (and for some, nausea), what with Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, Adele, Duffy, it’s time for a revolution.
Meet the revolutionary: Florence and the Machine. Or should I say, the fiery, freckled “enchanted skeleton” who signs her cheques Florence Welch. Eschewing the customary sass and/or prettiness of her contemporaries, Florence instead is all about spittin’ some blues with her Machine (a.k.a. Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion and Test Icicles fame) hacking away at the guitar.
Flo’s contribution is the vengeance-seeking “Kiss With a Fist,“ a scornful anthem that has attracted the attention of some who are considering it the new wave of feminism. With rackety percussion and filthy blues riffing, the 20-year-old drops a set of soon-to-be-quoted-by-everyone lyrics denouncing her abusive lover: “You smashed a plate over my head/ Then I set fire to our bed/ My black eye casts no shadow/ A kick in the teeth is good for some/ A kiss with a fist is better than none.”
Expect Amy, Adele, and Kate to come storming back with similar fight songs as soon as this hits number one… on the indie charts, that is.