The Fiery Furnaces - 'Widow City' (Thrill Jockey) Released 15/10/07

Art rockers have always been a fickle bunch. They’re the scourge of unit-shifting record company execs and bemusers of chart pop fans. Never destined for the notoriety of more popular music, some will revel in the obscurity of the music. The Fiery Furnaces probably don’t delight in the difficulty of their music, yet they do seem to enjoy questioning usually unquestioned ideas such as ‘what makes up a song’? On ‘Widow City’, their fifth album, however this brother and sister duo has chosen to challenge musical accessibility not only for the average music fan but for anyone else as well.

Defying expectations is one thing in music. Yet when every track on an album seems to contain multiple personalities, songs can cross that fine line between enjoyable and irritating. ‘Widow City’ never allows it’s listener to find any sort of comfort zone of predictability. As such moments of genius can by the end of the album become examples of tedium. The opener is a standard of what The Fiery Furnaces do. ‘Philadelphia Grandway’ rapidly progresses from a predictable minimal funk bass line intro into a Bugsy Malone-esque chorus, then shockingly reverts at random intervals. Acting this out across the expanse of 7 minutes makes this track challenging and different. But in this case though there is enough continuity to keep it entertaining.

It’s a similar story for the fuzzed up-then minimal-then orchestral ordeal that is ‘Clear Signal From Cairo’. It’s a track that similarly works due to the progression that fits. Beatles-esque ‘Resorative Beer’ meanders through rock goodness, while ‘Navy Nurses’ is positively standard in comparison with its sub-octaved 70’s rock glory that almost makes The White Stripes look plain boring. Yet these are high points to an overall bad experience. The pointless meandering lyrics on the likes of ‘Japanese Slippers’ and ‘Uncle Charlie’ are bizarre to the point of absurdity. Meanwhile the childish flurries in ‘Wicker Whatnots’ is mocking considering you’d actually have to pay for it.

With moments of scuzzy potential, it’s a real shame that ‘Widow City’ has turned into an album of pointlessly sporadic arty nonsense, the spoofery of which rivals the likes Spinal Tap’s jazz odyssey. Musical exploration is important, but credibility is everything. And this is something that ‘Widow City’ desperately lacks.