Word: stephin
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Though not as romantic as a candlelit dinner for two, the Magnetic Fields’ concert at the Somerville Theater last Thursday was clearly a Valentine’s Day celebration of sorts, consisting of two impressive sets played to an audience filled with couples. Stephin Merritt, the band’s singer and songwriter, used the occasion to add another layer of irony to his lyrics. Though he was mostly quiet between songs in the first set, Merritt seemed to become more comfortable with stage banter in the second half of the show. “Valentine?...
...Pour La Route)” begins simply, but Condon can’t resist indulging in his horns. Most of the record’s songs are waltzes; most feature the same full horn section, accordion, and Condon’s slow, bittersweet voice (think a higher-register Stephin Merritt). The effect isn’t unpleasant—but the album works best as background music. Some of the songs feature slightly different elements, like the Celtic drums of “Guyamas Sonora,” or the jazzy piano line throughout...
...Stephin Merritt Showtunes (Nonesuch) 3 of 5 Stars As Stephin Merritt releases go, the concept behind this one is pretty simple: between 2003 and 2005, Merritt—founder of the Magnetic Fields—wrote the scores for three operas. Then he compiled selections from them onto a single record, named it “Showtunes,” and released it as an album. No grand, sprawling ruminations on age-old concepts (as in “69 Love Songs”); no coy word games (as in 2004?...
...life story of songwriter Stephin Merritt can be told in three anecdotes: 1) A few years ago, Merritt was getting out of a cab when he was struck on the head by a hailstone the size of a golf ball. He picked up the piece of ice and put it in his freezer, where it remains. 2) As a birthday present, Merritt once decided to give himself isolation. He avoided speaking to another human being for nearly 24 hours, then ventured out to a bookstore and ran smack into his ex-boyfriend. 3) Merritt was browsing in another bookstore when...
...tell Stephin Merritt that synthesizers are things of the past! The lone man behind The Magnetic Fields utilizes the 1980's relic to weave ethereally futuristic tales of lost love and heartache on the reissues of two of his hard-to-find albums. The Magnetic Fields' music is not an easy, accessible listen, and these reissues do nothing to dispel that fact. Holiday runs together in a monotonous blend of manufactured noises and mumbled words. Tomorrow fares a little bit better, but only because it contains five songs...