The Fiery Furnaces plumbed the depths of progressive rock with the dense and difficult lyrical labyrinths of these mesmerizing multi-layered mini-operas. Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger had established themselves as pioneers of an eclectic garage rock aesthetic with their debut album, 'Gallowsbird Bark' , recorded as a demo and released by Rough Trade Records as is. With their second album 'Blueberry Boat', the brother and sister duo were able to expand on their sound in the studio with producer Nicolas Vernhes working in tandem with Matthew: "We had the opportunity to do more overdubs and thought it’d be just as risky making a record that sounded like the debut. Two-thirds of it was written before the first record came out. We hoped the two records would make more of an impression with the differentiation. They function as a demonstration of what we could do from simpler to not-so-annoying story songs. The funniest criticism of the debut was someone saying we should go to clown college because it sounded too much like a carnival."
Eleanor says: "It's got a more kooky sound to it as opposed to the first one. It's because we had to record it so quick although there's a million more sounds and it has a kind of sheen that the other one doesn't have...But even more than that, it doesn't sound like where you go from song to song and it could be from a different time or place. It does all sound like it comes from the same source... We like water...Matt and I have a lot of nice memories of our childhoods. We'd always go to the water, be it in Florida or Lake Michigan. Even as adults, Matt and I would go swimming together and act like kids in some ways. I don't know if Matt's as into it as I am but I love to swim and go into the water."
Matt muses: "We're not very nautical people ourselves but it fits in well with the travel imagery. You can still think of a trip as a voyage. I don't write about airport terminals, thinking about travel. So all that water stuff comes in...That's where we get along best - going to the seaside. I never thought of that but it's true because we slip into childhood roles. The next album is even more about the water I suppose. It's called 'Blueberry Boat'...Hopefully it's varied enough. It's not short little numbers, one right after the other... [the Who influence is] how I try to justify those long songs I suppose! Because that's what I love, that's what I listened to as a kid on the bus visiting our dad, where you sit for hours listening to your walkman. I'd listen to 'The Who Sell Out'. There hasn't been a time in my life when I haven't listened to it, from when I was 11 years old. I don't know how many times I've listened to that - it's not just rubbed off on me, it's affected me."
Their defiant obfuscation of the collage suites alienated many fans and critics even as it was heralded as a masterpiece by others. 'Blueberry Boat' is an adventurous theatrical journey through the bewildering music of their minds.
http://www.thefieryfurnaces.com/
"Blueberry Boat"
"That song is about Eleanor driving a Sunfish up to a party boat on Lake Michigan and stealing beer from a cooler. Then, it flashes forward to her being captain of a container ship bringing a cargo of American produce, especially blueberries, in from Hong Kong. They get attacked by pirates in the South China Sea so she scuttles the ship and won’t give up the blueberries and goes down with the ship."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6fktHmQQlc
"Quay Cur"
"Straight Street"
"Paw Paw Tree"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYKaGSE6smc
"My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obt98ywDyBc
"Chief Inspector Blancheflower"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qTkqFvftcE
"Birdie Brain"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3d-qKSD7es
"Turning Round"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihd2GnoC89c
13. "Wolf Notes"
http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Wolf+Notes/4OpAO8?src=5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxG0j6g9yVo
'Blueberry Boat'
full album:
1. "Quay Cur" 10:25
2. "Straight Street" 5:00
3. "Blueberry Boat" 9:09
4. "Chris Michaels" 7:53
5. "Paw Paw Tree" 4:39
6. "My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found" 3:29
7. "Mason City" 8:14
8. "Chief Inspector Blancheflower" 8:58
9. "Spaniolated" 3:21
10. "1917" 4:52
11. "Birdie Brain" 3:05
12. "Turning Round" 2:13
13. "Wolf Notes" 4:51
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