MTV Unplugged

Personnel: Rebecca Cherry, David Gotay, Jerry Jean, Eliano Braz, Earl Manien, Juliette Jones (strings).
Audio Mixers: Sue Pelino; John Harris ; Michael Brauer.
Creators: Robert Small; Jim Burns .
Director: Alex Coletti.
Editor: Christine Mitsogiorgakis.
Photographer: Frank Micelotta.
2011's Ceremonials, which found Florence + the Machine expanding on their already expansive sound, helped to further propel the ghostly Brit into the spotlight, and on MTV Unplugged, she's come full circle, allowing fans a peek into the bombast while providing the aging, acoustic show with a little defibrillation. Midtempo tracks like "Only if for a Night," "No Light, No Light," and "What the Water Gave Me," the latter of which finds Welch in full control of the room by the song's second half, are soulful, spooky, and bold, allowing room for both Welch and her machine to strut their stuff without sounding like a murder of caged crows. ~ James Christopher Monger