I was going to say something intelligent about how even if you’re not necessarily into the Fiery Furnaces, Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger have such an obvious level of talent that it’s a good idea to check in with them every time they release something.
Then I realized they’d put out three studio albums and a live album since I last checked in. Does that make me wrong? No, it makes me right. Just ask me.
Anyways, the last I had heard (before my unfortunate abduction), they’d released the critically adored Blueberry Boat, an album that I found to be more confounding than not (and not confounding in the manner in which I prefer to be confounded).
So when I gave their new album I’m Going Away a spin (as per my own instructions — see?), I was expecting something sort of rambling and noodly. What I got was a straight-to-the-brain rhythm-n-rock shot that sounds nothing at all to me like a postmodern breakfast-cereal jingle and much more like a (very) contemporary Dusty In Memphis.
Definitely one of my favorites of 2009.
(The Friedbergers must enjoy it too, because Matthew and Eleanor are each currently recording their own separate cover version of the album, to be released in September.)
The Fiery Furnaces – Driving To Dallas from I’m Going Away
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The Fiery Furnaces: “Charmaine Champagne” from I’m Going Away
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m Going Away is a good record, but I’ve enjoyed just about everything they’ve done thus far, save for Rehearsing My Choir, but that’s an outlier.
When I was writing this post and realizing how much I’d missed, I caught some older tracks via YouTube and realized that I’ve got a lot of back-catalog work to do … which is nice work if you can get it.
I love this album!