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Magnetic Fields

Distortion

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by Ruben_James on 01/08/2008

The appropriately titled eighth album, Distortion, from Stephin Merritt and his Magnetic Fields draws heavy inspiration from the Jesus & Mary Chain and their fuzzed out, reverb drenched album Pscyhocandy. This is a significant departure from the synth fueled releases of his mid ‘90s output or his more recent lushly arranged ukulele ditties.

A meeting with Nonesuch Records provided the motivation for his latest album when the label asked Merritt to “make an album quickly.” Merritt told Billboard, “So I thought to myself, 'What could I record in a month? What would I do if I was forced to be a normal person and have a band that sounded the same from song to song, and not be bored?' I would be the Jesus & Mary Chain.” Normal person? While I haven’t decided if that sentence is completely pretentious or not, Merritt definitely succeeds with his sonic aspirations.

Almost as if there were a three-minute maximum allotted to each of the thirteen tracks, Distortion clocks in at a slender 38 minutes. Sonic qualities aside, this is a Magnetic Fields in every other way. Merritt’s baritone takes turns with Shirley Simms’ soprano, rarely dueting, from song to song while both take aim at that familiar Magnetic Fields subject matter: love. Several songs display Merritt’s sarcastic sensibilities. He takes the anti-Brian Wilson view of the tanned blondes of the West Coast with his own biting ode to “California Girls.” His lyrically witty “Too Drunk To Dream” chronicles the self-medicating ways of an ex-lover and “The Nun’s Litany” recounts the confessions of a nun with perverse aspirations.

Songs like “Xavier Says,” “Please Stop Dancing” and “Drive On Driver” show off Merritt’s excellent ear for melody, whether awash in a buzzing haze or plucked out on nylon, and “Mr. Mistletoe” will surely go on my next Christmas mixtape. So, cheers to Stephin Merritt for writing great songs and being a normal person like those normal Jesus & Mary Chain weirdos.

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Comments

Download "Too Drunk To Dream" at RCRD LBL. Nice review, Ruben.

Posted by Ryan on 01/08/2008

Nice reviewin'. Makes me wanna take a listen. Any ideas where a guy might get a taste or two of this seemingly sweet nectar for free?

Posted by Anonymous User on 01/08/2008

Album Details

Year: 2008
Label: Nonesuch
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Tracklist

1	Three-Way
2	California Girls
3	Old Fools
4	Xavier Says
5	Mr. Mistletoe
6	Please Stop Dancing
7	Drive On, Driver
8	Too Drunk To Dream
9	Till the Bitter End
10	I'll Dream Alone
11	The Nun's Litany
12	Zombie Boy
13	Courtesans

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