Brother and sister duos are a rare, and sociologically fascinating, breed in the music world. These pairs are markedly not brother-brother or sister-sister duos, like The Breeders, Replacements, Radiohead, Jackson 5, etc. — those are easy to recall en masse.
Unlike hubby and wife bands, a la Mates of State and Sonic Youth, these are people who have presumably grown up together, fought on family road trips and incessantly tortured each other since birth.
In this bizarre category we’ve got The Osmonds and The Carpenters, modern duo The Knife, but not much else. And The White Stripes don’t count, although they did have some fooled.
The Fiery Furnaces are one of these freak instances where a brother and sister make music, without public taunting and mass media amplified trash talking, yes Noel and Liam, we’re looking your way.
Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger don’t hint at sibling rivalry in the least. The Friedbergers, who hail from Brooklyn via Oak Park, Illinois, prepped their eighth release, “I’m Going Away,” due July 21, and, come August, they’ll be out on the road in support of the record with White Rabbit.
The title track frenetically introduces “I’m Going Away,” while Eleanor, her voice somewhere between Chrissie Hynde and Bob Dylan, half talks with jazzy timing over constant drums and guitar riffs mirroring her staccato patterns.
An immediate slow-down follows. “Drive To Dallas” is a piano thumper hearkening Carole King, with big keys leading into more guitar-driven insanity. This unexpected insanity is what makes The Furnaces both gods and annoyances. Their timing is constantly being tested, tweaked and transformed from sleepy to psychotic.
The pace is soulful and steady over “The End is Near,” finding Eleanor and Matthew duet with their equally low-registered and distinct tones.
The sister gets back in the driver’s seat for “Charmaine Champagne,” with more scatting, New York imagery and joyous faux cursing: “She’s gonna get me folked up.”
Eleanor sounds like a Dylan imitator on “Cut The Cake,” while recanting a tale of unexpected publicity. “Even In The Rain” brings in the earthy handclaps as a head-bobbing, radio friendly jam.
“Staring At The Steeple” gets a little Fiona Apple drama, with Eleanor doing more singing than stretched out voicing. “They say it’s two women in there. They say one wears a robe, one wears a crystal. One keeps time, the other keeps a pistol.”
The Furnaces evoke the ’70s as the album draws to a close, funky “Keep Me In The Dark” and “Lost At Sea,” could’ve just as easily been performed on the old British rock show “The Old Grey Whistle Test.”
“Cups and Punches” serves as a sort of “Charmaine Champagne” reprise on speed. Closer “Take Me Around Again” is a gentle, old-timer, with a tour of the U.S.
“I’m Going Away” provides pretty consistent fare: The record is likeable, rocking along steadily, with room to grow on listeners as the spin counts mount. The Fiery Furnaces straddle timelessness with complete newness, with the time signatures to prove it.
Recommended If You Dig: The Kills, Bob Dylan, The Pretenders
Reach the reporter at rebecca.bartkowski@asu.edu
