Matthew Friedberger- Old Regimes[2011]

The male half of the frequently challenging Friedberger siblings, Matthew has typically been the weird behind the Fiery Furnaces hyper-literate schizo-pop.

Last year, Mr. Friedberger released a six-album series called Solos, of which Old Regimes is the third. I really love this album, it's got sort of a krauty tendency to repeat and play around with simple, yet interesting segments and snippets.
As far as instrumentation goes, it's apparently all harp. Friedberger rarely plays it as we're used to it, instead coating it in electronic effects or slapping the strings for percussion. He gets a remarkably full sound out of just one instrument, and the generally atonal instrumentation goes well with his whispered and chorused vocals, which are as intricate and interesting as ever.

Also, I find it interesting that if you combined the sort of thing Matthew is doing with Eleanor Friedberger's latest album "Last Summer," you would basically get a Fiery Furnaces album.