The Fiery Furnaces

Editor's Review:

Matt and Eleanor Friedberger, New York’s squabbling brother-and-sister duo The Fiery Furnaces, have followed up 2003’s Gallowsbird’s Bark with their highly anticipated, charmingly disjointed sophomore effort. Arranged in a medley style similar to The Who’s “A Quick One, While He’s Away,” the Furnaces careen schizophrenically from one idea to the next, pinballing in an array of vivid and memorable song segments, most of which are under a minute long.
Eleanor’s vocals are theatrical, while her brother’s are a bit more understated, with their lyrics recalling the smarty-pants wordplay of Stephen Malkmus. The production on Blueberry Boat is a thing of beauty, creating a compelling Wurlitzer-fueled phantasmagoria. The album opens with a shuddering, Castlevania-like dirge, the aural equivalent of a fist opening and closing. It’s a good portent of things to come, since the album as a whole gives off the impression of catch-and-release songwriting: reel in a riveting melody, then discard it in search of another.
The Fiery Furnaces’ approach to music brings to mind The Unicorns at their most addictive: a simple but challenging combination of keyboards, drums, guitars and vocals, forgoing any extraneous elements that may impede the creation of a memorable song, wedding an abiding sense of whimsy to campy sensibilities. The Fiery Furnaces have eviscerated indie rock, insanely catchy pop and clapped-out blues in search of the most appealing morsels, creating a style all their own.
– Raphael di Donato
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Record Label Rough Trade Released July 2004

Tracks Quay Cur Straight Street Blueberry Boat Chris Michaels Paw Paw Tree I Lost My Dog Mason City Inspector Blancheflower Spaniolated 1917 Birdbrain Catamaran Man Wolfnotes

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