Brooklyn based indie rock band The Fiery Furnaces have officially released their first new song in over ten years, “Down at the So and So on Somewhere.” The song comes after the band teased their return on social media earlier in the week, which was a significant return for the band on its own.
The song is upbeat and vibrant, and the musical chemistry that exists between the Friedberger siblings is as strong as ever. The funky and unique production style pairs nicely with the light vocal delivery, and the bright instrumentation is very refreshing to listen to. Midway through, the song adds more depth with the introduction of an acoustic piano, which is followed by wonderful electronic harmonies. Overall, the song is a much welcome statement from The Fiery Furnaces, and a strong return for the band back into the music world.
“‘Down at the So and So on Somewhere’ is a regretful song about having regrets,” the Friedbergers told The Rolling Stone. “Now it seems even more sad than we thought it was back then: ‘Will you meet me,’ etc. Matthew was happy to use a Soviet drum machine. Eleanor was happy to play real drums. ‘The Fortune Teller’s Revenge’ is another sad song. We cut out the lines from the first and third verse: ‘with me; just kidding’ and ‘leave everything to me.’ Matthew likes hearing Eleanor sing ‘I’m sorry to say I’ve never made a mistake.’ Eleanor likes that you can’t quite tell who’s singing what, when.”
The Fiery Furnaces were set to make their live return together this year as well at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, but the festival was ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The band’s last released album is their 2009 project Take Me Round Again, and they last performed onstage together in 2011.
Check out the artwork for The Fiery Furnaces’ single “Down at the So and So on Somewhere” below: