Audio CD review:
Magnetic Fields - i

Magnetic Fields - i

Band: Magnetic Fields Title: i Rating: Release Date: 04 May, 2004 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: I Die 2: I Don't Believe You 3: I Don't Really Love You Anymore 4: I Looked All Over Town 5: I Thought You Were My Boyfriend 6: I Was Born 7: I Wish I Had An Evil Twin 8: If There's Such A Thing As Love 9: I'm Tongue-Tied 10: In An Operetta 11: Infinitely Late At Night 12: Irma 13: Is This What They Used To Call Love 14: It's Only Time

Customer Reviews Magnetic Field's masterpiece, sadness has never been so uplifting. " While the last track, "it's only time" is one of the best songs ever written, and should be used at every wedding till the end of time, the rest of the album is outstanding and seems very uplifting even if there seems to be sadness in the lyrics. No, there isn't 69 songs on this album, but as an overall album, "i" completely dominates it's predecessor, "69 Love Songs. Sometimes the sheer humanity and sincerity in lyrics makes a sad song joyful and inspiring. Stephen Merritt is great at evoking images in his songs and this is, in my opinion, his masterpiece album. I really have to give it to Stephen, I never thought I would be singing along with a song called "i thought you were my boyfriend," but the song is extremely catchy and also a very funny joke on straight men who love magnetic fields; you know stephen has to think it's humorous that straight guys like me are out there singing songs like that out loud in their car. Arguably, the best song on the album is "i wish i had an evil twin," because lyrically it perfectly describes one's desire to love somebody without having to be evil in order to make the other person attracted to you. This is really a great album, one of my favorites. Can't wait for them to put out something new. 'I' like it: Nice followup to 69 While it's not possessed of the scope and range musically and lyrically of that work, it's still far above the pack of ordinary pop songs. Stephen Merrit, the mastermind behind Magnetic Fields, concocted this group of songs beginning with "I" to followup the critically beloved 69 LOVE SONGS. That's right, I said "pop": Despite the orchestral adornments and Merrit's non-commercial dry baritone, at the heart most of these tunes are 'silly love songs' as McCartney penned. Not that that's a bad thing. Merrit writes a snappy pop tune when he's of the mind and that mindset dominates here with his usual dollop of showtunes alongside. It's usually when he attempts something "substantial" that he missteps ("I Was Born"). HIGHLIGHTS: "I Don't Believe You" is what happens when you realize your beloved's charming veneer is really just flirtatiousness. ("You may set your charm on stun/And say I'm delightful and fun/But you say that to everyone") A sitar is used to the best effect since "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" Bouncy single "I Thought You Were my Boyfriend" is explicitly gay and as such probably won't find an audience in the mainstream but it's a catchy slice of retro new wave. "I'm Tongue-tied" utilizes a catchy stop-start lope to convey its classic theme of losing your faculties in the proximity of your infatuation. ("I mumble a jumble/You kiss me/I'm history/I'm tongue-tied and useless again") "It's Only time" is possessed of a desperate romanticism ("What could stop this beating heart/once it's made a vow?") that means it's waiting to be discovered as a dark horse wedding standard. The lightly tinkling piano near the coda is a nice allusion to the relentess tick of the second hand of the clock. While it's probably intended as a gay marriage anthem, it's vague enough lyrically that straights can easily embrace the sentiment. LOWS: "I Was Born" is possessed of a level of maudlin rivalled only by Morrissey ("One more floor/Down the elevator/To oblivion/what fun") that's unrelieved by its tinkling musicbox arrangement. "Irma", a tale of a protagonist whose sight-impaired father crashes through the wall of her room to deliver chocolates is quirky but inconsequential. BOTTOM LINE: Another winner. . Amazing Album with Too True Songwriting and Composition He makes solo records, and with other bands, (Future Bible Heroes, Gothic Archies, The 6ths) everything this guy does is gold. Stephen Merritt, I'm sure if you haven't heard of him by now is stupendous. This is coming from someone who hasn't listened to 69 Love Songs yet, for the simple reason of not being able to stop listening in one sitting. This is too good for words. It's so low key and perfect. I feel like Merritt continues again and again to leave me breathless at how he can really do anything. I saw them on this tour at an opera house and it killed me that I went alone. But it's so true, not everyone gets it, it's sad really cause when I picked up this record, I must've bought that ticket within a week. If you're really into this, you should really check out Future Bible Heores if you haven't already and I should probably get to listening to 69 Love Songs. . You can see a complete list of all Magnetic Fields discography, or go back to the Magnetic Fields tabs