Vaguely Yes I Seem To Recall

The Fiery Furnaces @ Rockwood Music Hall 5/5/2011

Doctor in the Dungeon / Smelling Cigarettes / The Garfield El / Here Comes the Summer / Pricked in the Heart / The Vietnamese Telephone Directory / Even in the Rain / Blueberry Boat / Philadelphia Grand Jury / 1917 / Single Again / Cousin Chris / Widow City / Nevers / South Is Only A Home – Evergreen / Wolf Notes / Keep Me in the Dark / Uncle Charlie / Restorative Beer

The Fiery Furnaces “Nevers”

On their current tour, the Fiery Furnaces are performing as a duo — Eleanor on vocals, accompanied by Matthew on a grand piano. (He also sang a bit.) I’ve always really loved the band in this configuration and so it was a thrill to see them play a full set with this arrangement. A lot of songs that would’ve made sense with this presentation — like, say, “Bow Wow” or “Take Me Round Again” — were out of rotation in favor of Widow City and EP deep cuts. The emphasis was placed on Matthew’s tongue-twister songs, maybe because it’s easier for an audience to hear all the words without a rock band blaring. Either way it worked — a lot of funny lines that may have gone right by in a regular show got laughs. As always, the Friedbergers’ memory and diction is amazing to behold, and their talent for understated melody and stunning lyrical detail is astonishing and yet horribly underrated. I get that this band may be impenetrable for a lot of people, but more folks should try to meet them halfway. This current tour is definitely a good time to give them (a/another) chance.

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