Stereogum Home
January 14, 2005

Pitchfork Hearts Eleanor And Matthew Friedberger

In his review of the new Fiery Furances' EP (which receives an 8.9) Pitchfork's Rob Mitchum says: "If you don't like Blueberry Boat, I don't like you."

Them's fighting words! But that's why we love Pitchfork.

I actually haven't heard the EP. Can someone tell me what I'm missing (or not)? Or point us to some MP3s? Maybe I'll go buy it today if it ever stops raining.

Posted at 8:54 AM




40 Comments

It's a lot less complicated and dense than Blueberry Boat, way more accessable. A lot of the songs were written to be singles, so it's mostly short and catchy stuff. I have a feeling that you'd really like "Sweet Spots."

Posted by: Matthew at 01/14/05 10:51 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Insound has an mp3 for "Single Again" off of the EP.

Posted by: Macky Olé at 01/14/05 10:54 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

"single again" and "evergreen" are just rehashed here from that import ep that was out last year, but i'm a huge fan of how "single again" fades into "here comes the summer."

keith over at TTIKDA posted the latter and "sing for me" a little over a month ago

Posted by: chris at 01/14/05 10:59 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

it is really good...and only $7. i think the tempo of the songs on it capture some of their live feel, fun, fast, a little frenetic.

Posted by: ms at 01/14/05 11:09 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

it is really good...and only $7. i think the tempo of the songs on it capture some of their live feel, fun, fast, a little frenetic.

Posted by: ms at 01/14/05 11:10 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

probably THE best and most innovative band around. slipknot included!

Posted by: Thigh Masta at 01/14/05 11:17 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

for someone who loved Gallowsbird's Bark for its good songwriting, but got a little lost in the scope of Blueberry Boat, EP is a godsend. Buy this thing immediately.

Posted by: Al at 01/14/05 11:18 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

i find them so annoying and boring.

Posted by: boring at 01/14/05 11:20 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

for someone who fucking hated blueberry boat, this EP is actually pretty good. We'll be posting some later on this month. It's definitely interesting stuff... especially when the dude sings. But their proper albums are total over-hyped garbage, in my opinion.

Posted by: robot mark at 01/14/05 11:23 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Sweet... glad to hear this is less dense (read, "fucking pretentious") than Blueberry Boat. That monstrosity won this year's Wilco Award for being unbelievably overrated. They seem to have genuine potential, though, so I can't wait to check out the EP. Also: If Pitchfork were a person, I would punch him/her in the neck and take his/her lunch money.

Posted by: the management at 01/14/05 11:29 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

If Pitchfork were a person they'd be that skinny little hipster guy in an "ironic" Girl Scouts t-shirt that is about 4 sizes too small, a scarf, an assymetrical haircut, and some converse, scoffing at you since you happened to be browsing the same section of the record store while they fondle rare and pricey Sea and Cake 7 inch singles.

I snagged Blueberry Boat the other week, and have yet to be blown away, but it probably takes a few spins.

Posted by: david brent at 01/14/05 11:53 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Blueberry Boat is most solid, I think, when the stories they're telling are broken up over different time periods and speech patterns, so e.g. 'Chief Inspector Blancheflower', and 'Mason City'. Otherwise it's just kinda monolithic. Anyway, EP is great- Matt Friedberger has a weirdly soothing voice and should definitely sing more.

Posted by: Kevin at 01/14/05 11:58 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

That monstrosity won this year's Wilco Award for being unbelievably overrated.

Wrong, that was the Arcade Fire.

Posted by: Matthew at 01/14/05 12:25 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Also, people who like Matt on the EP should check out "Inca Rag" from Gallowsbird's Bark.

Posted by: Matthew at 01/14/05 12:26 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

huh, i didn't like blueberry boat at all. but then again, not being liked by someone at pitchfork actually seems ok in my book.

Posted by: jt at 01/14/05 12:33 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

i hate the new pitchfork design.

Posted by: 1 at 01/14/05 12:39 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

*cough* *cough* payola *cough* *cough*

and yeah, hope you didn't spend much on that redesign, kids.

Posted by: 2 at 01/14/05 12:58 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

I don't like Pitchfork at all. Too bourgeois for me.

Posted by: Heraclitus at 01/14/05 1:22 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

The first time I heard "Blueberry Boat", I hated it. Since then, it's grown a bit on me; it does annoy me that I can't listen to the whole thing during my commute. I've heard alot of the songs on the new EP, and it's much more accessible than their previous album.

"Single Again" is hot.

Posted by: Doug at 01/14/05 1:28 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

It's definitely a payola scam, 2 is right. They just wanna make more money, sell-outs. They site looks so ugly it's not even funny. Gotta find a new zine now. Any suggestions?

Posted by: Ricardo at 01/14/05 1:30 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

My biggest problem with the pitchfork redesign is that they are now inserting ads directly in the center of the content on the front page. And not even for something new, that suicide girls ad falls directly in the same place as the suicide girls ad on the side.

Also, concert reviews? What?

Posted by: x. at 01/14/05 1:39 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

I'm sorry, but I don't really care at all what a pitchfork guy thinks of that Mos-Def concert. I hope they hate me, lol! Ads everywhere!! Ah!!!

Posted by: jimbo at 01/14/05 1:47 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Ricardo, You could always go to www.heraclitussayz.com

Their blog has some pretty interesting/radical things to say about the new pitchfork on their blog today. They're pretty much the opposite of B-itchfork

Posted by: tomslater at 01/14/05 2:00 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down


For a music site, I like Stylus Magazine. Their Stypod section has exposed me to some stuff I wouldn't know otherwise. It's a bit heady like Pitchfork, but they don't threaten to hate you.

Posted by: zaptor at 01/14/05 2:36 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Not a fan of "Blueberry Boat," I must admit this is actually not bad. B.B. was flat-out terrible and completly overrated.

Posted by: jeffrey at 01/14/05 2:36 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

I like how there's a banner ad for The Fiery Furnaces new EP right above Mitchum's spoogefest review, which I might not have paid attention to had the review actually been about the album and not about how the people who have yet to fork over some cash for the Furnaces are mouth-breathers.

Posted by: Frank at 01/14/05 2:44 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

I just thought I'd point out that there are only ads in the content on Pitchfork's home page--the sections keep the ads to the sides. Personally, aside from the ad-ridden home page, I think the new design makes the site clearer and easier to understand.

As for the content of the reviews, as long as they don't make any misguided attempts to sound "smart", I'm fine with any baiting they do (and I didn't like Blueberry Boat).

Posted by: matthew sworth at 01/14/05 2:56 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Dude, do you guys know what "payola" actually means, or do you just like the way it sounds?

The new PF design does suck, but in a different way from the old design. At this point they'd be better as print.

Posted by: Eppy at 01/14/05 3:44 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

this link is MUST READ....total sell-outs !!!

Pitchfork is rich as Fuck!!!!


http://www.hipinion.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1141533&sid=b52e9e60fc993d1c98082ce315b8f69b#1141533

Posted by: mr.T at 01/14/05 4:44 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

that pitchfork review is very "fluxpop"

Posted by: pinder at 01/14/05 7:47 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

This is getting ridiculous. First Coolfer fell for Stylus' joke list, then Stereogum falls for it. Stylus' 40 Best and 40 Worst lists are exactly the same! They just thought it would be cute to make negative comments about albums they actually like.

Posted by: Zef Wagner at 01/14/05 8:05 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

holy moly!!
i really really wanna get a hold of this EP soon
i am such a loyal fan of the fiery furnaces!! they are so awesome. i really like this blog you got going here.. keep up the good work man!
-------------
http://credcentral.blogspot.com

Posted by: idleheart at 01/15/05 5:31 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

People who hate Fiery Furnaces are enemies of music. The whole idea that Blueberry Boat is pretensious is a cliche now. If people want to slam Fiery Furnaces, they should also add what they think was good? Kanye West? The Unicorns?

Posted by: alexander laurence at 01/17/05 9:13 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Ricardo, you should check out dustedmag.com.

Posted by: evelyn bateman at 01/19/05 3:30 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

The first, second and third time I heard Blueberry Boat, I hated it. After that, I stopped listening.

Posted by: Peter at 01/21/05 7:32 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Dear Rob Mitchum,

Here's me, three weeks ago: "If you don't like this film, I don't like you, and you should please go away and die quietly."

Now here's you, ten days later: "Okay, I'm done being a nice guy about this: If you don't like Blueberry Boat, I don't like you."

I don't like it, I don't like you, and you should please go away and die quietly.

Fuck you,
Telly

(I don't mean to accuse. I only get ten hits a day; it's rather unlikely I've been ripped off. It's a rather unfortunate coincidence, though.)

Posted by: telly at 01/24/05 12:17 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

http://www.emp3world.com/to_download.php?id=51006

Yay hey! Not that good....

Posted by: Margarida at 01/25/05 2:15 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

celeb pics - Britney Spears, Beyonce, Jessica Simpson and Jenifer Lopez wallpapers. For those who needs.

Posted by: celebrity at 02/11/05 10:14 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

guestebeseasapi

Posted by: cherly at 07/27/06 2:12 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

xkbtg lzgvi dznfoxtur vmwas blzq vkbxl hndsmqtup

Posted by: jqkriyb xzrvpakh at 02/17/08 1:52 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Leave a comment


 

The 'Gum Drop

Get our newsletter. MP3s and giveaways weekly.

Search




Sort by:date relevance

Information

  • Contact:
  • About
  • Press
  • Advertising
  • Stereogum RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon
  • MP3-Only RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon

Staff

Founder/Editor-In-Chief
Scott Lapatine
Executive Editor
Amrit Singh
Senior Writer
Brandon Stosuy
Columnist
Jon McMillan
Technology & Operations
Jim Jazwiecki
Angela Williams

The Cool Kids

All Stereogum Posts