Fiery Furnaces, The / Widow City
Album: Widow City   Collection:General
Artist:Fiery Furnaces, The   Added:Oct 2007
Label:Thrill Jockey Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2007-10-28 Pull Date: 2007-12-30
Week Ending: Dec 30 Dec 23 Dec 16 Dec 9 Dec 2 Nov 25 Nov 18 Nov 11
Airplays: 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 2

Recent Airplay
1. Feb 05, 2016: A Visit From Drum
My Egyptian Grammar
4. Nov 10, 2009: Everyday Commotion
My Egyptian Grammar
2. Feb 05, 2015: A Visit From Drum
Ex-Guru, Automatic Husband
5. Jul 24, 2009: Emphysema for Jesus
Duplexes Of The Dead
3. Feb 12, 2010: Everyday Commotion
My Egyptian Grammar
6. Jan 23, 2009: Emphysema For Emphasis
The Philadelphia Grand Jury

Album Review
Your Imaginary Friend
Reviewed 2007-10-23
Cinematic arty proggy indie pop, brother sister. Girl half sings, passionate, urgent (sexy: file under Chrissy Hynde, Magneta Lane). Elements of chamber pop, indie rock, art rock, prog. Undefinable, like all great art. This band broke the scene hard several years ago and raised their own bar to an almost unattainable height. Their most recent record disappointed the die hard, and justifiably. But the good news is that this one more than makes up for it all. Pay attention. If I had to file this in with another band, hmmm, maybe Bowie at his finest Aladdin Sane era, T Rex?. Strangely enough, 70’s King Crimson comes to mind in its sheer bombastic classical type arrangements, moments of prog. Honestly, I had to pick which songs on this NOT to recommend. All songs are masterpieces in their own right.

1) begins sorta mathy guitar rock but quickly turns cinematic but maintains off-time schitzophrenic theme
2) string arrangements figure, sound backwards masked, this one is more urgent, less schitzo
3) super cool overdriven bass, melodies
4) more upbeat, poppy
5) heavy feel at first, back and forth, entering a certain prog flavor, like Fripp’s wildest Crimson dreams
6) holy! A playful pop feel
7) fairly straightforward song with cool percussion and hard panned stereo effect/guitar
8) slight marching beat, great wah wahed guitar
9) evil funky feel in the bass melody and offtime drums, epic for sure
10) full on smokin’ prog, urgent, fast, heavy
11) epic feel, nothing too insane
12) soaring swing
13) dark and evil with a searing tone that bursts through in a decidedly prog fashion
14) slightly funky feel
15) mellower, with the recorder flute adding a simple tone
16) off time, collage-like at first, all over the map

Track Listing
1. The Philadelphia Grand Jury   9. Navy Nurse
2. Duplexes Of The Dead   10. Uncle Charlie
3. Automatic Husband   11. Right By Conquest
4. Ex-Guru   12. Restorative Beer
5. Clear Signal From Cairo   13. Wicker Whatnots
6. My Egyptian Grammar   14. Cabaret Of The Seven Devils
7. The Old Hag Is Sleeping   15. Pricked In The Heart
8. Japanese Slippers   16. Widow City