Ice For The Moonshine And Chichsaneg

The Fiery Furnaces “Quay Cur” (Stuck In My Head version)

I love Matthew Friedberger’s endless delight in reinterpreting his songs. It seems like for him it’s mostly a formal game, but I think it’s also kind of a flex in showing off the strength and versatility of his melodies and musical motifs. The new Fiery Furnaces album Stuck In My Head is essentially a live-in-studio recording of the band’s 2021 reunion tour show in which everything was arranged for an array of keyboards, bass guitar, drums, and only Eleanor Friedberger on vocals. The Furnaces’ music generally focused more on keyboard than guitar, but the set includes a few very guitar-centric songs like “Chris Michaels” and “Don’t Dance Her Down” reworked for keyboards without losing their shape or energy. The more keyboard-based songs go through more tonal shifts, or in the case of “Quay Cur,” get boiled down to their essence. The “Quay Cur” on Blueberry Boat is a maximalist epic, this version is truncated and pared down, with the parts where Matthew would sing replaced with chaotic instrumental sections. The song still feels huge and dramatic, but far more direct and blunt. I particularly like the shift towards a groovier sound on the Inuit section, and the way they bring in a keyboard motif from “Lost At Sea” at the end, which on the record segues into another part of “Lost At Sea” anchoring the verses of “Tropical Iceland.” The mash-up works perfectly on a musical level, but it’s also a clever little joke – the character in “Quay Cur” is indeed lost at sea.

Buy it from Bandcamp.