The Fiery Furnaces
I'm Going Away
Thrill Jockey (2009)
why you'll love it: cool relaxing summer pop
why you'll hate it: no weirdness
You know you're a really out-there band, when putting out something normal seems like a radical departure. For the last few years, I've described The Fiery Furnaces as "what time traveling sound like", or "vaudeville-prog". It seems that for now, the Friedberger siblings have hit the breaks on their time machine and settled on the vaudeville era. I'm Going Away is a straight loungey piano pop release without a single bloop or bleep to be found.
Normally, this would be a bad thing for a band widely known for experimentation, but last year's live double-album (Remember) sort of put their wild side into perspective. The back of the live album came with a warning "Do not listen to all at once", which goes to show even they recognize how much of an abstract legacy they have carved by this point.
I'm Going Away represents that song in a set list where you catch your breath. It's a cool down album. These are a dozen songs that The Fiery Furnaces need to keep from reaching critical mass. I'd rather hear this album rather than another Rehearsing My Choir misfire. I fully expect them to travel through audio wormholes again on the next album, so this "stop and smell the flowers" feeling I am getting from I'm Going Away is quite enjoyable.
Of course, it helps things that the songs are very good on their own. I could listen to Matthew play piano all day. Every song has at least one memorable hook to it. Oddly enough, the intro title track is rubbish. Throw that away and start with "Drive To Dallas"; it does a much better job of setting the pace for the album.
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