Stephin Merritt, in the last few years, really seems to have found the perfect newsboy cap to help channel lyrical/musical/conceptual genius, with the linked albums Distortion (TMT Review) and Realism (TMT Review) released in 2008 and 2010, respectively, followed by a just-announced, brand new Magnetic Fields album arriving early next year! This prolificacy is in stark contrast to the five-year gap between 69 Love Songs and i, a dark period when Mr. Merritt’s newsboy cap became misaligned, leaving him alone with simple romantic thoughts unsullied by grim reality or bone-dry wit… horribly earnest times. Thankfully his old cap was swapped for a more aerodynamic model, and the humorously pathetic thought processes of infatuated humans came rushing back into Stephin’s head in a beautiful torrent of misanthropy.
Thus, on March 6, we all must endure 15 new barbs aimed at our dumb lovey-dovey hearts, collectively entitled Love at the Bottom of the Sea. The last three or so Magnetic Fields albums have been released through Nonesuch, but this new album finds them returning to Merge, their never-really-forgotten ex-boyfriend of the 90s. Also making a return is the long-spurned use of synthesizers that were last heard on 69 Love Songs, though Merritt notes: “Most of the synthesizers on the record didn’t exist when we were last using synthesizers.” All the songs are under the three-minute mark, feature the usual rotating cast of musicians, and were recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. If you pre-order the album fast enough, you could be one of the lucky 300 owners of the album on eggshell vinyl, and the first 100 orders of either the LP or the CD will have their included poster ironically signed by Stephin Merritt.
Just like the budding spring brings new lovers together, only to be torn apart by the realization of their true selves in the following seasons, a new batch of Magnetic Fields songs brings a new tour across the United States, only to be ruined by rude audiences and endless chanting for songs they recorded a decade ago. See the tourdates below the tracklisting, and go ahead and buy two tickets to the nearest venue if you really think your delusional, self-serving relationship is going to last until March.
Love at the Bottom of the Sea tracklisting:
01. God Wants Us to Wait
02. Andrew in Drag
03. Your Girlfriend’s Face
04. Born For Love
05. I’d Go Anywhere with Hugh
06. Infatuation (With Your Gyration)
07. The Only Boy in Town
08. The Machine in Your Hand
09. Goin’ Back to the Country
10. I’ve Run Away to Join the Fairies
11. The Horrible Party
12. My Husband’s Pied-a-Terre
13. I Don’t Like Your Tone
14. Quick!
15. All She Cares About Is Mariachi
2012 tourdates:
03.06.12 - Hudson, NY - Helsinki Hudson
03.07.12 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
03.08.12 - New York, NY - Barnes and Noble
03.11.12 - Minehead, UK - ATP
03.14.12 - Austin, TX - South by Southwest
03.15.12 - Austin, TX - South by Southwest
03.16.12 - Austin, TX - South by Southwest
03.18.12 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue
03.19.12 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
03.20.12 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
03.21.12 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
03.23.12 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theater
03.24.12 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
03.26.12 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater
03.27.12 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater
03.28.12 - Iowa City, IA - Englert Theater
03.30.12 - Toronto, ON - Sound Academy
03.31.12 - Montreal, QC - Le National
04.03.12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater
04.04.12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater
04.06.12 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
04.07.12 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
04.09.12 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
04.11.12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
04.12.12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
04.13.12 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
• The Magnetic Fields: http://www.houseoftomorrow.com
• Merge: http://www.mergerecords.com
