By Tim Duffy
The Fiery Furnaces ability to connect with even a small audience with their first two releases was nothing short of astounding to me. Upon first listening to the band I was taken aback by their refusal to let their songs go in a direction that would ever be comfortable for their audience. This was true of their bear-bones debut Gallowsbird’s Bark and even truer of their epic and complex sophomore album Blueberry Boat. Then their album length record EP seemed to briefly change the conversation.
“Here Comes The Summer” summer still has the confident speak sung vocals of Eleanor Friedberger and the wacky wonky synth and guitar-freak-out musical stamp of her brother Matthew but the song is anchored by a knowable sentiment and a pop structure that is easily knowable to even the least adventurous music fan.
To say that this, one of their least characteristically “normal” songs is one of their best should not undersell the charming strangeness of the tune or of the band overall. Those choices to bewilder their audience remain present here but are simply subverted with a surprising pop smarts we may never see from these two again.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Today’s “Best Song Ever”: The Smashing Pumpkins “1979″
- Today’s “Best Song Ever”: The Velvet Underground “There She Goes Again”
- Today’s “Best Song Ever”: The Records “Starry Eyes”
- Today’s “Best Song Ever”: Green Day “Geek Stink Breath”
- Today’s “Best Song Ever”: Portishead “The Magic Door”
