Meet My Knuckleduster
PERHAPS BECAUSE SHE SINGS the bulk of the band's songs, or because I've always had a crush on her, I think of Eleanor Friedberger as the main Fiery Furnace. I know this isn't true, that Matthew's easily half the racket, but he's always seemed the less knowable and more darkly exciting sibling, which understandably makes him the other Friedberger. Thinking about it, though, he's the one responsible for my very favorite moment in the band's entire oeuvre (which is saying quite a lot), the lines I find myself singing aloud most often. From Blueberry Boat's "Chief Inspector Blancheflower," a conversation between two brothers rife with tension and executed perfectly by Friedberger:
Clearly, there's a dramatic element in the Furnaces' music unlike many other bands'. For some it's written in the lyrics and some have the voice for it, but few can combine these like the Friedbergers. And that's why I'm excited to hear Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School, Matthew's upcoming solo effort. The two songs I've heard thus far suggest he can pull it off just fine without his sis, thank you.
First of all, the title should eliminate ninety-nine percent of doubt among the skeptics. As for the song itself, it's nearly everything I want to hear: Matthew's always-quiet voice singing in specifics, a too-loud guitar not embarrassed to play over everything else.
There's an insistent thump which somehow makes me think of the Furnaces covering Spoon. There's the wired cool at the song's core that gives it away as an all-too-possible secret collaboration, not unlike when Eleanor showed up on the back of Spoon's 30 Gallon Tank 7". Think about it.
Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School comes out Tuesday on 859 Recordings.
Well I rode up to Springfield on my motorcycle
And I’s gonna stay with my younger brother Michael
Mom’s oxycontins and the Amstel Light
But I noticed I was doing most of the talking that night
So I got both remotes and turned off the DVD
And said Michael is there something that you need to say to me?
Well I don’t know how to tell you
You can tell me anything that you want ’cept I started seeing Jenny
I started seeing Jenny
My Jenny?
And he looked down at the floor
You know damn well she ain’t your Jenny no more
And I’s gonna stay with my younger brother Michael
Mom’s oxycontins and the Amstel Light
But I noticed I was doing most of the talking that night
So I got both remotes and turned off the DVD
And said Michael is there something that you need to say to me?
Well I don’t know how to tell you
You can tell me anything that you want ’cept I started seeing Jenny
I started seeing Jenny
My Jenny?
And he looked down at the floor
You know damn well she ain’t your Jenny no more
Clearly, there's a dramatic element in the Furnaces' music unlike many other bands'. For some it's written in the lyrics and some have the voice for it, but few can combine these like the Friedbergers. And that's why I'm excited to hear Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School, Matthew's upcoming solo effort. The two songs I've heard thus far suggest he can pull it off just fine without his sis, thank you.
First of all, the title should eliminate ninety-nine percent of doubt among the skeptics. As for the song itself, it's nearly everything I want to hear: Matthew's always-quiet voice singing in specifics, a too-loud guitar not embarrassed to play over everything else.
There's an insistent thump which somehow makes me think of the Furnaces covering Spoon. There's the wired cool at the song's core that gives it away as an all-too-possible secret collaboration, not unlike when Eleanor showed up on the back of Spoon's 30 Gallon Tank 7". Think about it.
Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School comes out Tuesday on 859 Recordings.
by brian at 8/03/2006 12:46:00 AM
6 Comments:
For a long time, that portion of "Blancheflower" was one of my favorite Fiery Furnaces moments too- it's only been recently surpassed by Matt's very sweet vocals on "Whistle Rhapsody" (although "Sing For Me" is definitely a highlight too, of the Matt songs).
FF track is wonky. Can you re-up please? Thanks.
:-)
done & done. kevin, can't wait to hear "whistle rhapsody."
the "weeping" guitars at the end of that part of blancheflower are incredible...
Brian, 'Whistle Rhapsody' is on "Bitter Tea", towards the very end- here it is, if you want to listen to it.
Thanks for re-upping the FF track. I just started getting into FF and also Matthew's solos stuff. Still trying to decide whether I like them or not. Some tracks I love...others may take repeat listenings.
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