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I'm Going Away is a departure that fits in with the rest of the Fiery Furnaces' work, and it's only fitting that a band this creative can pull something like that off.
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I’m Going Away is striking for its group sound; the Furnaces play with more air around them, more flexibility and interaction.
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Fans can breathe easy: The weirdness that so delights them isn't Going anywhere just yet.
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The album is best appreciated as a pleasurable pop treat from a group whose vision is ever broadening.
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The use of repetition as a substitute for size is intriguing, but in the end it has the same deadening effect as the band's earlier use of overcomplicated compositions, creating music defined by a few overpowering elements rather than its intelligence or melodic dexterity.
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It's their most instantly accessible effort after "Bark," with a dozen catchy tunes packed inside 47 easy, breezy minutes.
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Whereas The Fiery Furnaces used to suffer from a lack of restraint, they suffer here from having too much.
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I’m Going Away won’t surprise anyone familiar with the Friedbergers’ predilection for chopped-up blues riffs, martial rhythms, bebop breaks, three-or-four-word choruses, and impenetrably insular folklore. But now neophytes have an easier way in to one of modern rock’s most adventurous acts.
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I’m Going Away finds the band embellishing on their debut, the criminally underrated "Gallowsbird’s Bark," which also found the band at their most melodic.
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The Fiery Furnaces will always be arty and precious, but they definitely know their way around a good tune. Have a drink and sing along.
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Under The RadarThroughout Away you're often amazed at how normal these track are. [Summer 2009, p.61]
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I’m Going Away is another absorbing mile on the Furnaces’ flight from indie-rock convention.
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The Fiery Furnaces are more than capable of producing catchy three-minute pop songs. They simply waited until now to do so, resulting in one of their best albums yet.
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I’m Going Away sees The Fiery Furnaces abandon their surrealist tendencies to work outside their comfort zone, experimenting with structure and euphony to reassert their status as our most vital musical siblings.
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The new album's lyrical plotlines feel more organized than on past efforts, and musical twists are easier to follow, with Matthew's piano grounding the recording.
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I’m Going Away is a good record, it just doesn’t really sound like the Fiery Furnaces. Though for some, I’m sure, that’ll be very welcome news indeed.
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Like previous albums, I'm Going Away is long on imaginative-but-uncatchy brain ticklers.
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The band have hardly been better than on that EP’s opening three song suite and that’s what is so frustrating about I’m Going Away; it’s not a bad album, but the band are capable of so much more; the title of the album is at least apt in that the Friedberger’s don’t sound like they are here for this record, it sounds like they already left and phoned this one in.
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MojoThe music and mood's emotional connection makes the Furnaces a band to love at last. [Sep 2009, p.95]
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FilterI'm Going Away is a decent road, but don't worry; you'll be able to put it dow. [Summer 2009, p.94]
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UncutThey rather more resemble the wilfully over-wrought pastiches of Flight Of The Conchords, but without the jokes. [Sep 2009, p.82]
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It’s been a while since Fiery Furnaces released an album with songs that stick in your head. I’m Going Away, the Brooklyn band’s eighth release, is full of them.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 12 out of 13
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Mixed: 0 out of 13
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Negative: 1 out of 13
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DennyGAug 14, 2009
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KieferJul 27, 2009
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FredR.Jul 21, 2009