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Let's talk about the new Fiery Furnaces album


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I stood in a record store a couple days ago mulling over the I'm Going Away LP against The End Is Near single. I heard the album online a couple times with mixed feelings. The single has the three best tracks off of it, plus something I never heard, for half the price of the LP. I left without either, because if Widow City taught me anything, it's that the Fiery Furnaces take time (used to like it okay, now love it). Anyone else listening to the new one? The middle section still seems like a lull to me especially since I get anxious to hear "Lost at Sea", but I'm getting more confident about getting the thing especially since whatever website I got the stream from has moved on to something else.

 

Also, anyone get/hear Remember?

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having been disappointed by a whole bunch of albums from bands i like this year, i was really surprised at how much i love this. both bitter tea and widow city seemed to be pushing their sound to a place i didn't like so much. the tunes were still there, but i just didn't think they recorded them as well as they should have. everyone tends to say blueberry boat & rehearsing my choir are just as all over the place as the other albums, but i thought the sounds of the albums and the arrangements were consistent across both of them - which is why they are good. that's where they'd been going wrong with the two previous albums. then, this new one comes out and it's the simplest they've ever sounded, or rather the most consistent - the tunes are all entirely different and original, but the instrumentation and feel carries across every single song, making it a great album. anyway, yes - it's a great album. one of the very best albums out this year.

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They're touring with White Rabbits. Never seen either.

 

Have to admit, I have only heard a few songs. I absolutely love Benton Harbor Blues, but haven't made the effort to get into anything else.

 

What should I expect to see live (White Rabbits too)?

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I haven't heard this yet, but will definitely be picking it up very soon.

I did pick up "Remember" and love it. It's a live record unlike any other. I listened to it exclusively for about 2 weeks when it came out. It totally mesmerized me, as I'm sure this one will too.

 

Cheers,

k

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  • 2 weeks later...

fyi - Thrill Jockey has all their artists' albums for free stream, so i listened through.

 

it didn't knock me off my feet or anything.

 

they seem to be an artist i can never fully love what they do, yet i still want to check them out any time they put out something new.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can't wait for tonight:

The Fiery Furnaces w/ White Rabbits are playing Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC.

It's been a long time since I've seen a proper FF set. Woot!

 

Caught the Charlotte show last night at the Visulite.

 

White Rabbits were great. I don't know that music based that heavily on percussion is my favorite (they had 3 drummers for one song!), but they were really good. I was kinda depressed because the venue is small and only about 125 people showed up for them (and that might be a generous estimate). It's awkward when the band is better than the crowd. They deserved better.

 

Matthew & Eleanor from TFF were roaming around near the bar area during their set. I started to say hi, but I didn't wanna be that guy. They played their entire set as a very vanilla 4 piece with no instrument variation, which I did not expect. My wife and I bailed early. They weren't bad, just generic. Not at all what I expected. It didn't help that we, as a crowd, brought absolutely zero energy. One guy at the bar asked me who the f they were and had I ever even heard of them.

 

The joys of living in an uptight, culturally bereft banking town.

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Caught the Charlotte show last night at the Visulite.

 

White Rabbits were great. I don't know that music based that heavily on percussion is my favorite (they had 3 drummers for one song!), but they were really good. I was kinda depressed because the venue is small and only about 125 people showed up for them (and that might be a generous estimate). It's awkward when the band is better than the crowd. They deserved better.

 

Matthew & Eleanor from TFF were roaming around near the bar area during their set. I started to say hi, but I didn't wanna be that guy. They played their entire set as a very vanilla 4 piece with no instrument variation, which I did not expect. My wife and I bailed early. They weren't bad, just generic. Not at all what I expected. It didn't help that we, as a crowd, brought absolutely zero energy. One guy at the bar asked me who the f they were and had I ever even heard of them.

 

The joys of living in an uptight, culturally bereft banking town.

 

I wish I could have been at the Charlotte show! In Carrboro, The FF went on first, and White Rabbits had the "main" set. There was no mention of alternating the "headliner" anywhere, and I'm glad that I got there early enough so's not to miss the FF. I would have been sorely disappointed if I'd missed their set.

 

You really should have stopped to say Hi to Matt and Eleanor. I've met them a couple times, and both are really personable, and easy to talk to. They are very appreciative of their fans, and given the fact that you had such a small crowd, would have probably enjoyed the opportunity to connect on a personal level with you.

 

Sounds like we had vastly different experiences. I would venture it was mainly the crowd more than anything.

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  • 3 months later...

after the Radiohead 'feud' thing I decided to get Bitter Tea back out - and, man, it really clicked for me this time.

 

i don't remember the circumstances when i first bought - i think their whole patchwork method of throwing songs together bugged me - but that's much more prevelant on Blueberry Boat if i recall correctly.

 

they are a band that could easily take one of their songs and make whole EP's if they did full length versions of each snippet - you know, have a 5 track EP with the same song done 5 different ways.

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you know what they say - even 'bad' press is good press.

 

i bet that bit got them more attention than the fact that they released a new album.

 

i thought Matthew's myspace posts were wonderful, whatever you make of the original poke at radiohead, he just kept making fun of the press and those who take it too seriously... and his posts kept getting press and people kept taking it seriously.

 

also, it dawned upon me today that i've only ever made one mix cd that included a FF song, and it happened to be the only mixed cd that I included a Radiohead song, and they're put right next to each other because I thought it was a good transition.

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Has anyone heard the digital only release: "Take Me Round Again"?

from an email:

Take Me Round Again was recorded separately by Matt and Eleanor this past July in Michigan and New York. All that remains the same on these 12 "covers" are the words. Available exclusively as a digital download at FINA! The Fiery Furnaces are coming to a city near YOU! Attend one of their shows and grab a FREE FINA $2 off coupon towards the purchase of Take Me Round Again- See below for dates!!

 

Linky link

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i've had it for a while. it's nowhere near as good as the proper album, or wasn't the couple of listens i gave it, so i've never really tried to get into it too much. the proper album is one of my favourites of the year, though.

 

edit: actually, what it's like is that Beck music club thing - the songs are all good, but you just end up thinking "i want to hear the proper version now."

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

eleanor friedberger has got a solo album out on july 12th - should be good. you you can hear a track - "my mistakes" - here

 

I came across that the other day and was pleasantly surprised.

 

What about her brother's 8 new albums coming out this year? Anyone subscribe? I think I would have if it came with a digital download or CD, so I had the option to listen somehow other than vinyl only.

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What about her brother's 8 new albums coming out this year? Anyone subscribe? I think I would have if it came with a digital download or CD, so I had the option to listen somehow other than vinyl only.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about Matthew's 8 albums on 8 different instruments thingy. I heard the first 2 and thought it was ok, but not worth buying - plus I live in the uk and the post would have been too much. I'd describe them as being a bit like that thing Beck did re-recording famous albums (like I mentioned a few posts above) - there is nothing wrong with it, but there is nothing too right with it either. Really it should be free.

 

Hopefully after Eleanor's album they'll put out a new Fiery Furnaces album later in the year.

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