Solos (Matthew Friedberger album)

Last updated
Solos
SolosBoxset.jpg
Box set by Matthew Friedberger
Released 2011 (2011)
Recorded 2010/2011
Genre Indie rock
Length307:07
Label Thrill Jockey
Producer Matthew Friedberger

Solos is a vinyl-only boxset of six albums by Chicago-based musician Matthew Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces. On each of the six records, Matthew only plays one instrument, hence the name Solos. The boxset was released by Thrill Jockey records as a subscription series in 2011, with two bonus albums for subscribers, although small quantities of each album were released individually.

Chicago City in Illinois, United States

Chicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States. As of the 2017 census-estimate, it has a population of 2,716,450, which makes it the most populous city in the Midwestern United States. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second most populous county in the United States, and the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, which is often referred to as "Chicagoland." The Chicago metropolitan area, at nearly 10 million people, is the third-largest in the United States, the fourth largest in North America, and the third largest metropolitan area in the world by land area.

Matthew Friedberger is half of the indie rock duo The Fiery Furnaces. In the band he contributes the majority of the instrumentation, writes most of the songs and lyrics and occasionally sings. His sister, Eleanor Friedberger, does most of the vocals and writes some lyrics.

The Fiery Furnaces American band

The Fiery Furnaces are an American indie rock band, formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. The siblings are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a near-western suburb of Chicago. They are known for their conceptual, highly ambitious releases, which have frequently divided critical opinion.

Contents

Track listing

Napoléonette – 39:38

  1. Hey Chief – 3:34
  2. Shirley – 3:00
  3. What A Weird Weird Weird Weird – 6:04
  4. St. Giles Parish – 5:59
  5. Napoléonette – 3:50
  6. Courteous And Orderly – 2:44
  7. I'll Ride Right Up On My Mule – 3:57
  8. I Had An Old-Fashioned – 3:15
  9. Oh The Hell Of It – 3:56
  10. North To... – 3:18

This album features only the piano.

Meet Me in Miramas – 42:49

  1. The Sainte-Barbe Triangle – 4:00
  2. Meet Me In Miramas – 4:23
  3. But Seriously, Why Did You Do It? – 8:58
  4. The Diabolical Principle – 4:27
  5. Different Dads – 8:09
  6. I Met The Queen Of The Night In The Daytime – 2:48
  7. If... – 6:20
  8. The City Of The Sun – 3:46

This album features only the guitar.

Old Regimes – 43:49

  1. The Hidden Location Of My Purple Pen – 10:12
  2. Quality Evictions Since 1986 – 4:27
  3. Rebeccaism – 4:47
  4. She's Relieved, Actually – 4:09
  5. Ticket-A-Dance – 4:51
  6. Attis – 7:16
  7. The Xlebnikov Branding And Wayfinding Agency – 7:48

This album features only a Lyon & Healy semi-grand harp.

Lyon & Healy U.S. harp manufacturer

Lyon & Healy is an American musical instrument manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois. Today best known for concert harps, the company's Chicago headquarters and manufacturing facility contains a showroom and concert hall. George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy began the company in 1864 as a sheet music shop. By the end of the 19th century, they manufactured a wide range of musical instruments—including not only harps, but guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and various brass and percussion instruments.

Cut It Out – 33:19

  1. I'm So Happy I Could Scream, She Whispered – 5:01
  2. Finding Love In A Highly Confidential, Custom Tailored And Focused Manner – 4:48
  3. The So-Called Commission To Promote Vice And Combat Virtue – 5:55
  4. Actress Or Prostitute, Or Actress/Prostitute, Blues – 4:50
  5. Call, Click Or Come – 4:47
  6. Cut It Out – 4:30
  7. The Comforts Of The Coffin – 3:34

This album features only a drum-set and drum machines.

Death-In-Life – 40:39

  1. A Sensational Caprice 3:56
  2. Katie Did And Katie Didn't 5:44
  3. Dark And Day 2:10
  4. Anniversary Quick Step 5:42
  5. Katie Did And Katie Didn't 2:45
  6. Away Down West 4:28
  7. In The Days 5:07
  8. My Best Treasure 4:29
  9. Annie Laurie Or Laurie Annie 2:06
  10. Call Me Pet Names 4:47

This album features only an organ.

Arrested On Charges of Unemployment – 34:34

  1. One – 4:11
  2. Two – 5:14
  3. Three – 2:53
  4. Four – 3:12
  5. Five – 1:40
  6. Five (Continued) – 2:13
  7. Six – 4:16
  8. Seven – 4:50
  9. Eight – 2:54
  10. Nine – 3:16

This album features only a double up-right bass.

Bonus record #1: Artemisia – 31:14

  1. Coyote – 3:13
  2. Mr. Dunbar Among The Pawnee – 4:28
  3. Working In The Mine – 3:32
  4. Figures – 4:40
  5. Decoction Of Artemisia – 3:50
  6. Your Best Girl Is Back In London – 3:22
  7. Serpent, Say – 4:46
  8. Bring It To Me – 3:32

Unlike the other albums, this albums features a multitude of instruments.

Bonus record #2: Good-Bye Forever – 41:05

  1. July The First – 5:34
  2. Especially So – 6:22
  3. Done And Double – 5:46
  4. Back At Napo's – 0:53
  5. Christmas In July – 1:37
  6. Greyhound – 2:18
  7. The Althea Gibson/Robert Kennedy Middle School Orchestra, Mov. 1: The Darkness Of The Dawn – 5:56
  8. The AG/RK MSO, Mov. 2: The Middle Of The Morning – 1:38
  9. The AG/RK MSO, Mov. 3: When We Were Friends – 4:42
  10. The AG/RK MSO, Mov. 4: Goodbye Forever – 6:14

This album features only the piano and electric piano. It is entirely instrumental.

The Diabolical Principle

In 2012, Thrill Jockey released a digital compilation of material from the Solos series. The album consists of four long tracks that have material from the eight albums spliced together.

Thrill Jockey American independent record label based in Chicago

Thrill Jockey is an American independent record label established in 1992 in New York City by former Atlantic Records A&R representative Bettina Richards.

The Diabolical Principle – 88:27

  1. The Daughter He Has for Years Dreamed of Punishing – 20:32
  2. Damn It – 20:11
  3. Long Live the Other One – 22:01
  4. Implement Lost – 25:44

Related Research Articles

<i>Some Devil</i> album by Dave Matthews

Some Devil is the debut solo album by musician Dave Matthews. It was released on September 23, 2003 on RCA Records. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, signifying over a million copies sold. The album features several guest musicians, including long-time Dave Matthews Band collaborator guitarist Tim Reynolds and Phish frontman and guitarist Trey Anastasio. The album's first single, "Gravedigger," won a Grammy Award in 2004. Some Devil was recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, Washington, and produced by Stephen Harris, who had previously worked with the Dave Matthews Band on their 2002 album Busted Stuff.

<i>King of America</i> album by Elvis Costello

King of America is the tenth studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, released in 1986 in the United Kingdom as F-Beat ZL 70946, and in the United States as Columbia JC 40173. It was billed as by "The Costello Show featuring the Attractions and Confederates" in the UK and Europe, and "The Costello Show featuring Elvis Costello" in North America. It peaked at #11 on the UK album chart, and at #39 on the Billboard 200. Some songs have a Country feel, others reflect his interest in Americana, whilst 'American Without Tears' deals with the experience of Irish immigrants in the US, and 'Little Palaces' references Costello's working-class roots.

Eleanor Friedberger American musician

Eleanor Friedberger is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is best known as one half of the indie rock duo The Fiery Furnaces, alongside her older brother Matthew Friedberger. In the band she contributes the majority of the vocals both on record and during their live performances.

<i>(guitar, vocal)</i> album by Richard Thompson

(guitar, vocal) is a 1976 album by Richard Thompson. It was released by Island Records as a career retrospective after he and his wife Linda had gone into semi-retirement from the business of making and performing music following the release of Pour Down Like Silver (1975).

The Sea and Cake American indie rock band

The Sea and Cake is an American indie rock band with a jazz influence, based in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

<i>Winter Women and Holy Ghost Language School</i> album by Matthew Friedberger

Winter Women and Holy Ghost Language School are two albums by Matthew Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces recorded, unlike The Fiery Furnaces records, without his sister Eleanor Friedberger. Though two separate albums, they were released together as a double album by 859 Recordings in August 2006. It was rereleased in October 2009 on Thrill Jockey Records.

<i>You Can Hold Me Down</i> album by William John Tell

You Can Hold Me Down is the debut album by William Tell, first released March 13, 2007 through Universal Records and New Door Records.

<i>Widow City</i> album by The Fiery Furnaces

Widow City is the sixth full-length album by The Fiery Furnaces. It was released on October 9, 2007 on Chicago-based label Thrill Jockey. The album art features Eleanor Friedberger on the front and Matthew Friedberger on the back.

<i>Live at Radio City</i> live album by Dave Matthews

Live at Radio City is a live album and video by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds recorded at Radio City Music Hall on April 22, 2007. This was the first release by Matthews and Reynolds since Live at Luther College, released in 1999.

<i>Songs from Tsongas</i> live album by Yes

Songs from Tsongas is a live video and album by the English rock band Yes, released on DVD in 2005 and CD and Blu-ray in 2014 by Image Entertainment. It was recorded at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts on 15 May 2004 during the band's 2004 tour in celebration of their 35th anniversary.

<i>Originally</i> album by Art Blakey

Originally is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1956 and but not released on the Columbia label until 1982. The album features unreleased tracks from the sessions that produced The Jazz Messengers and Hard Bop which have since been released as bonus tracks on those albums and Drum Suite.

<i>Chore of Enchantment</i> album

Chore of Enchantment is a studio album by alternative rock band Giant Sand. It was released in March 2000 on Thrill Jockey.

<i>Revelations</i> (McCoy Tyner album) album by McCoy Tyner

Revelations is a 1988 album by McCoy Tyner released on the Blue Note label. It was Tyner's first solo piano album since Echoes of a Friend (1972) and first Blue Note recording since Asante (1970). It was recorded in October 1988 and features thirteen solo performances by Tyner recorded at Merkin Hall. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states that "This is a rather special project from one of the finest jazz pianists of the past 35 years".

<i>Take Me Round Again</i> album by The Fiery Furnaces

Take Me Round Again is The Fiery Furnaces' ninth album. It was first released, in MP3 format, through Thrill Jockey Records, in November 2009. The album is being described as "The Friedbergers cover the Friedbergers," in reference to core members and siblings, Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger.

<i>Stories to Tell</i> album by Richard Marx

Stories To Tell is an acoustic album released by Richard Marx featuring several songs from his previous albums in newly recorded acoustic versions. It is his second album of acoustic reworkings of his previous hits, with the Richard Marx/Matt Scannell album Duo being the first. The 11 track collection was first released in March 2010 and available for purchase exclusively at his solo acoustic concerts. The album was later repackaged and released November 11, 2010 in Europe with an additional 7 bonus tracks featuring songs Marx had written or co-written for other artists such as Keith Urban, NSYNC, and Daughtry, all performed here by Marx. May 3, 2011, the album was again repackaged into a three disc set for an exclusive Wal-Mart stores release. The first disc featured the original 11 songs from the first release of Stories To Tell - along with an acoustic version of Marx's new song "When You Loved Me". The second disc features re-imagined recordings of 11 of Marx's hits plus the studio version of "When You Loved Me." The third disc is a DVD of Marx's concert at Shepherd's Bush in London, England.

<i>Live at the BBC</i> (Sandy Denny album) Sandy Denny album

Live at the BBC is a four disc compilation of British folk singer songwriter Sandy Denny's BBC sessions from 1966 to 1973 and contains almost all her solo work for the corporation. Disc 4 of the set is a DVD of Denny performing three songs on the music programme One in ten in 1971: the only surviving solo footage of her. This compilation superseded the earlier one-disc set issued on the Strange Fruit label in 1997 that due to rights issues was withdrawn on the day of release thereby creating a highly collectable disc up until the release of this comprehensive set.

<i>Plays and Plays and...</i> album by Dave Brubeck

Plays and Plays and... is a jazz album by pianist Dave Brubeck. It's Brubeck's second solo piano album. It was originally released on Fantasy Records in 1957. The cover artwork was created by Arnold Roth.

<i>Breakfast Dance and Barbecue</i> album by Count Basie

Breakfast Dance and Barbecue is a live album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie and his Orchestra with vocalist Joe Williams featuring tracks recorded at a Disc Jockey convention in Florida in 1959 and originally released on the Roulette label.

References