[5/5] Bitter Tea was originally recorded as a companion piece to 2005's Rehearsing My Choir, the audio family reunion narrated by this NYC-via-Chicago sibling duo's grandmother. This time around, the Fiery Furnaces' narrative spotlight falls on singer Eleanor Friedberger, whose soulful recollections, whether real or imagined, are downright serene. When juxtaposed against her brother Matthew's vocals, which are mostly delivered backward, it makes for a stunning contrast--even when it sounds like he's channeling the off-screen parents from Charlie Brown. With Matthew's voice indecipherable, the story is clearly Eleanor's, and she nails it, reciting unfamiliar phone numbers, namedropping Indonesian business execs and, on "Oh Sweet Woods," even rocking atop a dance beat borrowed from Michael Jackson. Despite the oddball showpieces, the Furnaces have refocused the lens on their homemade-pop kaleidoscope, and the result is a universally resonant album that's not just more joyful than its companion; it's also more essential.
(FAT POSSUM) Tristan Staddon
 Official Website: http://www.fatpossum.com
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