Fiery Furnaces

by Andres Jauregui • July 17, 2009

Fiery Furnaces
I'm Going Away
(Thrill Jockey, 2009)

Look around New York City these days, and you might get a case of second-hand déjà vu. With a depressed economy, a broke government, a housing slump, and a budget rock in ascent on the city's "fringes," it's starting to feel a lot like 1970-whatever ova' hea'. Thankfully, public distress can yield some great music, as artists of all walks struggle to come to terms with the city's—and the nation's—dire situation. And while the Fiery Furnaces have definitely turned the clock back in their response to these trying times, it's not what you'd expect. Isn't that just like them?

Tough times provide the backdrop for I'm Going Away, the eighth record by brother-sister duo the Fiery Furnaces, and their third for Chicago's eclectic Thrill Jockey. While the music that the Friedberger siblings create is often marked by its diversity, restlessness, and willingness to break apart and reconstruct songs in a live setting, I'm Going Away is a remarkably straightforward record. The album's central theme is about as plain as its title, and the band does not meander on its approach. I'm Going Away is an album of free-standing songs that are out of step with the more cerebral offerings in the Fiery Furnaces catalog. But that's definitely okay.

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