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Apr 28, 2009 By Mark Redfern The Fiery Furnaces

Brother-sister duo Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger return with their 8th album, I’m Going Away, to be released by Thrill Jockey on July 21st. The album was produced by Matthew and recorded and mixed by Sebadoh’s Jason Loewenstein, who also plays bass guitar on the record and has performed with the band since 2005. Drummer Robert D’Amico has also been playing with the band since ‘05. This time around Matthew wrote the majority of the music and Eleanor wrote most of the lyrics.

Matthew and Eleanor issued a typically cryptic statement about the album:

“All rock music is a sort of dramatic music. And since the times are tough, it makes sense to have that ‘drama’ be something more like a version of Taxi than something like a version of Titanic. We like Taxi better than Titanic anyway. So we hope that some of the songs on this record can be used as theme songs to folk’s own personal versions of Taxi. Because-ideally-the dramatic setting of the music isn’t provided by the story or image of the given act or band. It’s provided by the lives of the people who use-listen to-the music. That’s all kinds of pop music’s promise and problem, or danger. So be careful and don’t get canceled.”

By Taxi, we assume they are referring to the TV sitcom that ran from 1978 to 1983. The Fiery Furnaces aren’t going away anytime soon and are in no danger of being cancelled-the band reportedly have at least one more full-length that may potentially be released later this year.

The full tracklisting for I’m Going Away is as follows:

1. I’m Going Away
2. Drive to Dallas
3. The End is Near
4. Charmaine Champagne
5. Cut the Cake
6. Even in the Rain
7. Staring at the Steeple
8. Ray Bouvier
9. Keep Me in the Dark
10. Lost At Sea
11. Cups and Punches
12. Take Me Round Again

Visit www.thrilljockey.com/ff for a band timeline and behind the scenes videos.