The Fiery Furnaces
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | January 1, 2000 in Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Founder | Matthew Friedberger, Eleanor Friedberger |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Matthew Friedberger, Eleanor Friedberger |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Website | www |
The Fiery Furnaces is an American indie rock ensemble established in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band’s foundation consists of siblings Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger, who hail from Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb near Chicago. They are known for their ambitious and conceptual projects that frequently provoke divided opinions among critics.
Following a nine-year break beginning in May 2011, during which both members focused on solo endeavors, the group announced their reunion in February 2020 with plans to perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. However, the festival was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Afterward, The Fiery Furnaces joined Jack White's Third Man Records label.
History
In 2002, The Fiery Furnaces signed with Rough Trade and released their debut album, Gallowsbird's Bark, in 2003. This record drew parallels to The White Stripes due to its garage blues style and the sibling duo format.
Matthew Friedberger took charge of songwriting and studio instrumentation, while Eleanor served as the primary vocalist. For live shows starting with their 2004 tour, drummer Andy Knowles and bassist Toshi Yano joined the lineup. Their performances were characterized by hour-long continuous sets that merged various songs into intricate medleys.
Their sophomore album, Blueberry Boat (2004), was a layered concept album. The opening track "Quay Cur" demonstrated a wide range of styles including organ, slide guitar, and electronic rhythms, underscoring their compositional versatility. Given the album’s expansive scope and limited radio friendliness, they released the folk-tinged single "Single Again" as a more approachable option.
In January 2005, they released EP, a 41-minute compilation containing singles, b-sides, and two new tracks. This release contrasted with the ambitious and less accessible nature of Blueberry Boat.
October 2005 saw the arrival of Rehearsing My Choir, an experimental concept album narrated by their grandmother Olga Sarantos, whose personal stories provided the thematic foundation. The album received mixed critical responses due to its challenging content. For the accompanying tour, Jason Loewenstein and Bob D'Amico replaced Yano and Knowles.
Their fifth studio effort, Bitter Tea (April 2006), incorporated synthpop elements inspired by Devo. Eleanor described it as "definitely the poppiest thing we've done." In August 2006, Matthew independently issued a double solo album titled Winter Women and Holy Ghost Language School without touring or Eleanor’s participation.
A late 2006 tour featured Matthew on keyboards, Eleanor on vocals, Loewenstein playing wah-wah guitar, D'Amico on drums, and Michael Goodman on percussion. Their set included tropical and salsa influences, performing most of Bitter Tea as a seamless 30-minute medley.
In June 2007, the band signed with Chicago-based label Thrill Jockey, releasing Widow City in October. Moving away from previous conceptual work, this album embraced a 1970s album rock aesthetic. They toured into early 2008 and issued the live compilation Remember in August that year.
Their seventh studio release, I'm Going Away, debuted in the US on July 21, 2009, followed by a UK release on August 24. Later that year, on November 10, they issued Take Me Round Again, a companion album featuring reinterpreted versions of many tracks from I'm Going Away, with Matthew and Eleanor each recording new instrumentals and vocals over identical lyrics to provide alternative perspectives.
Hiatus
Following a short tour in 2011, The Fiery Furnaces entered a prolonged period of inactivity, concluding their live performances with a final show on May 27, 2011, at the Primavera Sound Festival held in Barcelona. Subsequently, siblings Matthew and Eleanor concentrated on their individual musical endeavors: Matthew issued the vinyl collection Solos in 2011, while Eleanor debuted her solo career with the album Last Summer, released on July 12, 2011.
Return
At the start of 2020, The Fiery Furnaces revealed plans to perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, marking their first live appearance in almost ten years. Although the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band eventually took the stage at Pitchfork in 2021. It was later disclosed that they had signed with Jack White's Third Man Records label.
On June 18, 2020, the group made a comeback with their single "Down at the So and So on Somewhere," which garnered positive reviews from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Uncut, among others.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Gallowsbird's Bark (2003)
- Blueberry Boat (2004)
- EP (2005)
- Rehearsing My Choir (2005)
- Bitter Tea (2006)
- Widow City (2007)
- I'm Going Away (2009)
- Take Me Round Again (2009)
- Stuck In My Head (2024)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Indie rock musical groups from New York (state)
- Musical groups from Brooklyn
- Fat Possum Records artists
- Thrill Jockey artists
- American rock music duos
- Rough Trade Records artists
- Sibling musical duos
- Musical groups established in 2000
- Musical groups disestablished in 2011
- 2000 establishments in New York City