The Magnetic Fields – Distortion
I am perhaps not the best person to be reviewing this, given I am basically a casual fan of a cult band – a slightly self-contradictory combination. Stephin Merrit has done mountains of work under numerous guises, and a lot of it has been truly brilliant. A lot of it, however, has not. After the peak of 69 Love Songs came the trough of the truly disappointing I, so full of the overbearingly twee and the excruciatingly arch that it barely warrants a listen. As he himself says: “The previous Magnetic Fields record had been self-consciously soft rock”. The self-consciousness is always on the verge of smothering The Magnetic Fields, but the soft rock bit was a step too far for me, I’m afraid.
Fortunately, this is a bit of a return to earlier territory for Merritt. Distortion fits the bill indeed as a title, with those Jesus & Mary Chain guitars of old being in evidence throughout – in fact he explicitly set out to reimagine their landmark album Psychocandy. For the most part this is extremely welcome, bringing songs full of tension and growl. The songs themselves I would only describe as partially successful however with a few, as ever, just failing to capture that underlying melody that brings hummability to distortion-laden noise-pop.
Merritt has always been like this. Every album has a few misses to go with its hits, so there are plenty of tracks on this that I really like. As ever, unfortunately, there are several that I really don’t which means, as I mentioned above, that I am only ever going to be a casual fan of The Magnetic Fields. An attitude, as well as a review, quite possibly, that may just slightly irk the purists.
The Magnetic Fields – Xavier Says
The Magnetic Fields – Drive On, Driver
Why has the singer from REO Speewagon joined a second-rate Flaming Lips tribute band?
The Flaming Lips are a second rate Flaming Lips tribute band.
Does that make these guys third rate?
And where does that leave REO Speedwagon on the ratings system?
PG: Pretty Grim
And I’d listen The Magnetic Fields loooong before I’d give the Flaming Lips the time of day. For the most part anyway.
This album is brilliant..my fav of 2007 so far…i love that song Too Drunk To dream, classic
I think I’m going with ‘like’ rather than ‘love’, but about half this album is excellent. I’m still getting into it properly though, so I may revise that later on if it grows on me.
Heard it from a friend who / heard it from a friend who / heard it from another that this kinda sucks.
Well I don’t know. I’m not all that enthused, but there are some tracks I am really enjoying. Not one to rush for the shops for though.
Rarely have the Magnetic Fields struck a chord with me.
They appear to be a choppy, novelty version of (that terminally overhyped piece of dirge shite) The Flaming Lips & that’s saying something.
DC
Does no-one here like The Flaming Lips? I thought they were supposed to be indie royalty and that I was being weird by not liking them. Are we a little Lips Haters support group forming here all of a sudden?
I like the Flaming Lips.
More importantly, does no-one here like REO Speedwagon?
Love the Flaming Lips, or at least the Soft Bulletin. REO Speedwagon? Well, when I was 12 I really liked “Keep On Lovin’ You,” but then I put aside childish things and became a Loverboy fan instead.
See, I like Yoshimi, but not much else. I don’t hate them, I just don’t get it, as you might say.
Interesting take on Distortion. I really like I’ll Dream Alone – Scott Walker anybody?
Oh indeed. I am really patchy on Scott Walker, and I hadn’t quite picked up on that.
I think the ‘The nun’s litany’ is up there with Mr Merrit’s best stuff. I think the album as a whole is down there with his worst.
I don’t think I’ve ever read one positive review of ‘I’. Everyone hammered it as far as I can remember.