This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
They are from New York. They are a duo. And they are brother and sister (or at least say they are).
On the surface, The Fiery Furnaces sound like some marketing guru’s notion of the trendiest band imaginable. Thankfully, their compellingly indiosyncratic and distinctive music sounds like anything but. Led by singer and guitarist Eleanor Friedberger and her multi-instrumentalist sibling Matthew, the Furnaces play on the sunnier side of the post-punk garage-pop street for their debut album Gallowsbird’s Bark. On 16 intriguingly titled tunes like Two Fat Feet, Leaky Tunnel and Bright Blue Tie, the duo (augmented by a drummer) blend blues, rock, folk, garage, Britpop, glam, psychedelia, synth-pop and just about anything else that strikes their fancy into a flamboyantly theatrical and absurdly colourful musical mish-mash that reminds you more often of Sparks than The White Stripes. Call them trendy if you want, but at least you can’t call them cliche.
