bigshoulders Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I'm addicted to this album. It's all I've been playing ever since the 3 LP set (complete with free 320 kb/s mp3 download) arrived this week. The album is an anthology of live material, of recent tour vintage. No real specifics of origin of the recordings that I could find. Much of it is what I've come to describe as a "Franken-album". Tracks are chopped up, spliced back together, levels equalized and blended back into a cohesive body of song. Sounds strange, but it works. They rock insanely hard, and many tracks feature double-percussionists, which add a very heavy heartbeat to the album. I absolutely love it. Any other FF fans on the board? Surely there must be other folks addicted as well.And a parting plea to the citizens of Chicago... send 'em back down South for another tour, please! Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 i like them. although their last 2 studio albums seemed like a drop off in quality to me. i really loved rehearsing my choir, and then have not been so struck by those last 2. i've heard about this live set - isn't it mixed to sound like you are at the concert, but from various locations (ie. at the front, at the bar, in the middle, in the toilets etc...) and it changes location throughout the songs? it sounds like a great idea, and i've meant to get a copy of it, so maybe i will now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whitty Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I thought the live show I saw (they opened for Super Furry Animals this past January) was painfully erratic, unfocused and sorely lacking in songs. The driving drums and bass were the highlight of the band to be sure, but I took away nothing from the sibling bandleaders (Friedberger is the name, right?) Lots of meandering keys and incomprehensible vocals that were more like freestyle shouting than anything else. The song structures- yeah about that... where were those exactly? It sounded like the Mars Volta were strangling Patti Smith and no one took their Ritalin. Less artsy, more fartsy please. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigshoulders Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 I saw them on the Super Furry Animals tour, and didn't enjoy it nearly as much as when I've seen them play a full set. At the 9:30 Club show, Eleanor didn't pick up an instrument and Matt didn't sing--a departure from other shows I'd seen. Were you at the DC show by chance, Whitty? I didn't stick around for SFA. Lyrically, they are all over the place. E's rapid fire lyrics are oftentimes non-sensical, and take the listener on a stream-of-consciousness storytelling ride that may be hard to follow for the casual listener. Acquired taste? Definitely. But one that I happen to enjoy. As for the idea that Remember was mixed from different places in a concert venue... that comment makes good sense. It does change mid-song, but, it works. Maybe the chopped-up sources would be distracting coming from another band, say Wilco... but with the FF, it just... works. I think you'd enjoy the new record J.A.S.B. Cheers,K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whitty Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Were you at the DC show by chance, Whitty? I didn't stick around for SFA. Yep. I was there. Holy Fuck was excellent to open. The Furries didn't blow me away (they seemed a bit like they were going through the motions- the energy was inconsistent and they relied a bit too much on the pre-recorded samples I though), but they remain one of my favorite current bands. I feel no need to listen to Fiery Furnaces ever again. Just really not my thing. I feel like it was music that got so experimental and engrossed in its own unorthodoxy that it left little tangible musicality for listeners to grasp. I like me a nice vocal melody. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I am down with the FF!!! On board since Blueberry Boat. I'll admit they are definitely not for everyone, but some of their tunes are epic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 i saw them at toads place a while ago, they were fun. blueberry boat is amazing, but i havent listened to their last two albums. ill have to give this one a listen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigshoulders Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 I am down with the FF!!! On board since Blueberry Boat. I'll admit they are definitely not for everyone, but some of their tunes are epic. Same here. BB was a recommendation from a friend that I bought simply on her word alone. While it didn't grab me right away... I kept listening to it, and it grew on me. Stooka, have you seen the Blueberry Boat book? Cheers,k Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HungryHippo Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I loved their EP but haven't been able to get into any of their full lenghts yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
augurus Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I also got on board during the Blueberry Boat era. I don't think the material has gone down hill, but it definitely isn't as,... majestic as Blueberry Boat. Coincidentally, their live material sounded best during Blueberry Boat and Rehearsing My Choir. I'm quite surprised I haven't picked up Remember. The local record shop and Best Buy have not picked up the items. According to the Best Buy representative I spoke with, Remember is deleted and that they do not intend to sell any more items in store (they're only available for purchase online). If you don't like what you hear, give them another shot with their EP, which contains the most straight-forward and accessible pieces you will hear. How does Remember sound as a live album? Am I better off listening to a bootleg instead? Regardless of those answers, I will probably purchase Remember in the near future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Stooka, have you seen the Blueberry Boat book? Very nice, I'll probably get that. Thanks, bigshoulders! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigshoulders Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 How does Remember sound as a live album? Am I better off listening to a bootleg instead? Regardless of those answers, I will probably purchase Remember in the near future.It's kind of hard to describe. Some of the songs are cut up and re-assembled from different sources. It could be distracting to a purist, but this approach works well with the FF material. You can purchase on the thrilljockey website. Stooka,I thought you might like that book. The illustrations to accompany the lyrics are pretty cool. K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Past Taipei, through the Taiwan straitsWe sailed on in, me and my mates.It was my first time running my own shipBut my buddies didn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
isadorah Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I like EP (and the song Tropical Iceland is a + for me). The newest that bigshoulders is completely addicted to made my head spin (he witnessed it). It is weird the fiery furnaces are hit or miss for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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