Eleanor Friedberger recorded a session for Brightest Young Things when she was in Washington. Performing two songs, including a new piece she played at a Toronto in-store. I posted the new song previously (find the lyrics via this link) and took a stab at the title, but it turns out to be titled "Stare at The Sun".
Eleanor Friedberger was in Toronto Tuesday night to perform songs from her great debut solo album, Last Summer. She made a stop late afternoon at Soundscapes on College St. in Toronto to play a couple of songs including this new song not found on the album. I'm not sure of the song's title, so I tried transcribing the lyrics and then took at stab at a possible title. BTW, after several listens to try to get the lyrics straight, I now love this song and wish it had been on the new record.
The song can be downloaded via the soundcloud player, it's the downward facing arrow on the right.
"Stare At The Sun"
"Stare At The Sun"
In the back of the taxi, you turned off the TV
and read me a book on your phone
here's the return of your skeleton key
oh, baby, the places we've gone
if that was goodbye then i must be high
you know i'll be seeing ya soon
if that was goodbye it'll snow in july
like it hailed in the middle of June
Give me your toothpaste
give me your ointment
give me your body in bed
keep this in amber
keep our appointment
remember the things that we said
if that was goodbye
then i must be high
you must be the sugar i need
if that was goodbye
then i am a fly
the future is guaranteed
because when i'm with you
everything's treasure
i forget what it's like to be gone
we're far from the town
in the suburbs of your pleasure
? in exile so long
try not to stare at the sun
try not to stare at the sun
try not to stare at the sun
cooperative coffee and synchronized showers
try not to look at the clock
goodbye to your castle
wave from the tower
then drop me a line from the dock
if that was goodbye
then you must be high
and maybe i'm losing the thread
if that was goodbye
the sea has run dry
so bitter with tears instead
whenever i'm with you everything's treasure
i forget what it's like to be gone
far from the town
in the suburbs of your pleasure
? in exile so long
try not to stare at the sun
try not to stare at the sun
try not to stare at the sun
Some voices soar and inspire torrents of praise, praise which itself soars to lofty heights, and others seem so unfettered, so natural that the 'playing' is mostly ignored until the 'instrument' itself grabs your ear. Eleanor Friedberger is unquestionably the latter, with her sing-song, talk-sing style, it's the crisp, dry enunciation and complex timbre of her vocal that wins over those lucky enough to listen.
Last summer Eleanor Friedberger took a step towards musical independence when she fleshed out a series of demos with the assistance of Eric Broucek (pictured left with Eleanor), who produced and mixed. The record is more or less a mood piece inspired by her memories of a more naive-self moving to New York about 10 years ago. As she herself said in a recent interview with the NY Times Popcast: "... the album is really about reminiscing and memories."
Standout tracks (so far): "My Mistakes", "Heaven", "Roosevelt Island", and "I Won't Fall Apart On You Tonight". There is some great summer pop on this album, stream the songs below via NPR.
Here Eleanor answers a few questions which makes her the first interview to appear here on *HIP/STER/EO!
Alan Williamson: I heard you say that this record was made in much the same way that Fiery Furnaces records are made. In that they are pieced together in the studio, what I've never heard is how you work up your vocals. I know of many singers who will record their vocals over and over trying to hit on what works best, how do you decide which vocal take is the one to go with?
Eleanor Friedberger: Since I made demos for all the songs, I had already worked out how the vocals would go. By the time I got into the studio I knew exactly what I wanted and just did a handful of takes and then went through them line by line, “comping” the best ones. It’s very tedious, but if you know how it should sound, it’s a lot easier. Usually it’s just taking out a word that’s not in tune and replacing with one that is. The delivery was more part of the songwriting process. “My Mistakes” was a song I sang all the way through; it was more about the feeling of the performance. But a song like “Heaven”, was sung on a loop until I had perfect takes.
AW: What, of your first experience writing and recording a solo record, would prompt you to do another one?
Eleanor: Everything about it, really; I learned so much. I can’t wait to record another album, not necessarily to fix what wasn’t right on the first try but to jump off from there. I thought of Last Summer as an experiment or a test, just to see if I could do it. As corny as it sounds, I know my best is yet to come.
AW: Your first solo tour is coming up and that means you've got to come up with a setlist. I wondered which songs from 'Last Summer' would be included, if not all? Could there be any covers or even Fiery Furnaces songs in the set?
Eleanor: I’ll be playing all the songs on the album, with maybe the exception of "Owl’s Head Park" for now. But the set will depend on whether I’m playing with a band or on my own. For instance, I would play “One-Month Marathon” solo, but not “Roosevelt Island.” I’ll definitely play a few Fiery Furnaces songs and a few brand new songs I’m really excited about.
The album will be out July 12th thanks to Merge Records.
Tour Dates:
Jul 11 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
Jul 12 Washington, DC Black Cat Backstage
Jul 14 Cambridge, MA Lizard Lounge
Jul 16 New York, NY South Street Seaport - The Village Voice / 4Knots Festival
Jul 19 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Jul 20 Chicago IL The Hideout
Jul 23 Portland, OR Neumo's Crystal Ball - Capitol Hill Block Party
Jul 24 Seattle, WA Doug Fir Lounge
Jul 26 San Francisco, CA Hotel Utah Saloon
Jul 27 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite
Au 22 New York NY Webster Hall w/ Deerhunter
Au 23 New York NY Webster Hall w/ Deerhunter
The more vocal half of sibling duo The Fiery Furnaces, Eleanor Friedberger, has her debut solo record set for release July 12th on Merge Records. Simply titled Last Summer the ten track album begins with mistakes ("My Mistakes") and ends with an earthquake ("Early Earthquake"), but it's whats in between these calamities, personal and natural, that intrigues me. Take the second track, "Inn of The Seventh Ray"... how did an L.A. restaurant end up on a record with NYC titles like "Roosevelt Island", "Scenes from Bensonhurst", and "Owl's Head Park"? But what really grabs me is the three song cluster, "Glitter Gold Year", "One-Month Marathon", and "I Won't Fall Apart On You Tonight". Maybe I'm just starved for some interesting music (and song title alliteration) it's just that I know deep down that Ms. Friedberger can give me what I need... and I can't guess what these songs are about until I've heard them. Yep, this is turning into a review of song titles.
I'll end with something I noticed in the PR on Last Summer, it states that Eleanor 'improves on silence', although so far it's only improving on anticipation, which can be a very good thing.
Don't miss the new video for "My Mistakes" below.
*As of July 7th, read an exclusive interview with Eleanor right here.
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer (Merge Records July 12th)
1 . My Mistakes [mp3] courtesy of Merge Records
2 . Inn of the Seventh Ray
3 . Heaven
4 . Scenes from Bensonhurst
5 . Roosevelt Island
6 . Glitter Gold Year
7 . One-Month Marathon
8 . I Won't Fall Apart on You Tonight
9 . Owl's Head Park
10 . Early Earthquake
The more vocal half of sibling duo The Fiery Furnaces, Eleanor Friedberger, has her debut solo record set for release July 12th on Merge Records. Simply titled Last Summer the ten track album begins with mistakes ("My Mistakes") and ends with an earthquake ("Early Earthquake"), but it's whats in between these calamities, personal and natural, that intrigues me. Take the second track, "Inn of The Seventh Ray"... how did an L.A. restaurant end up on a record with NYC titles like "Roosevelt Island", "Scenes from Bensonhurst", and "Owl's Head Park"? But what really grabs me is the three song cluster, "Glitter Gold Year", "One-Month Marathon", and "I Won't Fall Apart On You Tonight". Maybe I'm just starved for some interesting music (and song title alliteration) it's just that I know deep down that Ms. Friedberger can give me what I need... and I can't guess what these songs are about until I've heard them. Yep, this is turning into a review of song titles.
