Distortion

The Magnetic Fields
Distortion
(January 15, 2008 - Nonesuch)

I have to be honest, I don't think I like The Magnetic Fields all that much. Well, that might not be a fair statement to make considering I had only heard one album prior to this one; that album being i. It didn't do much for me. I mean, it had modest sentimental value because it was given to me as a gift from a girl I was seeing at the time, but frankly, I thought it was pretty boring.

I was discussing this with a friend of mine a few nights ago at my place while we were listening to this album and she said I MUST listen to 69 Love Songs. Apparently it's widely regarded as their best album...thus far. I like to think their newest album, Distortion, will threaten that sentiment.

The Magnetic Fields are headed by singer-songwriter (I know we're all tired of that term) Stephin Merritt. I've got to hand it to him, he is a very good songwriter. His wit and humor, usually about romantic despair, are distributed all over the album. A couple songs that come to mind are California Girls and Too Drunk To Dream. The former, about the superficial beauty of Hollywood, reminds me of some silly parody; sort of like this one. Meanwhile, the latter reeks of self-loathing nicely disguised by clever lyrics and lots of feedback.

You can stream a few songs from Distortion on their Myspace page. Stephin and Co. are currently amidst their first tour since 2004. They will be in San Francisco for a two-night stint at Herbst Theatre on February 28th and 29th. Unfortunately, both shows have already sold out. There's always eBay or Craigslist!

Most, if not all, of their albums are concept albums--this one is no exception. The album is very good and even though it is very early in 2008, I think that Distortion is going to hold up well throughout the year.

Tracklisting:

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

Download Distortion
Recommended Tracks: "California Girls," "Old Fools," "Drive On, Driver," "Zombie Boy."

BTW
I'm using a new file-sharing site so if there are any problems let me know. It's slightly more indirect, but allows for larger file sizes.