The Fiery Furnaces + MGMT - Great Scott (Allston, MA; Dec. 10, 2007)

It was pretty tempting to stay home the night the Fiery Furnaces played a sold-out show at the Great Scott.  It was icy out, and I had a final the next day.  However, studying is boring, and the Furnace’s opening act—a Brooklyn quintet named MGMT—has been getting good press lately. Most notably, Rolling Stone gave them a very favorable mention in their December issue when the magazine included them in a short list of up-and-coming artists to watch.  I was intrigued, so I got the album and had been rocking out to it pretty regularly.

The first band to hit the stage was another Brooklyn act name Michael Goodman and the Mike.  They were well-oiled, but their classic rock vibe seemed anachronistic compared to the other acts.  Also, although a more superficial band might have been concerned with how it looked on stage, Michael Goodman and the Mike were refreshingly oblivious to their physical appearance.  But this indifference to “style” was fitting, because their chord progressions were as practical as their elastic waistbands.  What they lacked in musical or lyrical sophistication, they made up for in energy and competent command of their instruments.

They were a bizarre match for the other acts.  Whereas Michael Goodman and the Mike came across as a band of seasoned studio musicians, MGMT had the appearance and sound of a group of smug whippersnappers.  It was unclear whether the two front-men and songwriters—Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasse—were either bored or brooding on stage.  But if they came across like they were doing the crowd some huge favor by being there, it’s because they were.  Their opener was a sublime rendition of “Weekend Wars,” the second song on their upcoming album Oracular Spectacular.  Most of their set was similarly gratifying.

MGMT could be criticized for lacking originality: the similarities they share with their influences is palpable at times.  Their album was produced by Dave Fridmann, a producer whose albums have become textbook fodder for sounding “cutting-edge” in the Twenty-First Century.  And although MGMT follows an orthodox reading of this textbook, when they do manage diverge from their influences, they do so successfully.  For one thing, they’re able to play all of their instruments live—a feat the Lips haven’t been able to accomplish for nearly a decade.  At times, the drummer seemed downright possessed by the music, and I felt sorry for his poor drums that were getting their heads smashed with rhythm.

Sophisticated electronic orchestration is a hallmark of their music, and the Great Scott was well-equipped to handle the strange noises coming from the guitar amps and the quirky hum of the synthesizer.  The sound mixing at the Great Scott is excellent, and seems to be constantly improving.
MGMT paint escapist fantasies with their lyrics.  The album’s first song “Time to Pretend” is a satirical romp through the rockstar lifestyle, one where the singer divorces models, shoots heroin in Paris, and meets a most stereotypical death—one that you can’t really dust for.  Having seen them play, I hope this is just a joke.  They write outstanding songs, put on a captivating show, and have tons of promise in reserve.

In spite of the coverage from Rolling Stone, MGMT did not appear to be the reason the Great Scott sold out that night.  The Fiery Furnaces drew the most affection from the crowd.  The brother and sister duo were backed up on bass by Massachusetts native and indie rock pioneer Jason Lowenstein from Sebadoh, and Robert D’Amico on drums.  Being the rhythm section for Matthew Friedberger’s chaotic organ playing and Eleanor’s Friedberger’s free form lyricism is a tall order, but the two delivered.

The Furnaces played a long set, with just enough witty banter in between songs to be able to tell them apart.  The organ playing is always interesting, at times to a fault.  The songwriting seems haphazard at times, and unpredictable and sudden musical changes are so commonplace in their songs that the sudden changes cease to be unpredictable.  However, the songs succeeded in captivating my attention without being catchy or even hummable for that matter.

Eleanor doesn’t seem entirely comfortable on stage, but this might be a part of her appeal.  She comes across as a shy woman with no formal musical training who has managed to succeed as a frontwoman for a rock band in spite of these liabilities.  Anyone wishing to uncover a hidden talent that can be spun into rockstardom can identify with her.  But Eleanor isn’t just anyone.  Her eccentricity an energy make her an engaging stage presence, and she’s found unusual musical chemistry with the equally-captivating organ sounds of her brother.

Eleanor obliging this dedicated, bespectacled fan (who’d been rocking out all evening) so that he wouldn’t miss the T:

Fiery Furnace Set List
The Philadelphia Grand Jury
Navy Nurse
My Egyptian Grammar
Evergreen
Duplexes of the Dead
Automatic Husband
Ex-Guru
Black Hearted Boy - Bitter Tea
Right By Conquest
Rehearsing My Choir
Don’t Dance Her Down - Single Again
Japanese Slippers
Window City
Restorative Beer
Clear Signal From Cairo
Encore
Blueberry Boat
Tropical Ice-Land
Waiting To Know You

[Full MGMT review coming soon! -jjb]

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