Music Review: ‘i’ is all about selfish pop
Artist: Magnetic FieldsAlbum: “i”
Finally, an album dedicated to your selfishness.
The prolific songwriter behind the Future Bible Heroes, the 6ths, and the Gothic Archives, Stephin Merritt has returned to the Magnetic Fields moniker to release the appropriately titled album, “i.”
Following up a three-disc masterpiece like 1999’s “69 Love Songs” can be a little daunting, but “i” offers a window into Merritt’s off-kilter thought process. The view is both panoramic and personal, with songs that approach the mundane from new angles. Merritt is a master of clever rhyme and Broadway style, and while he may not be a card-carrying member of the Church of Tin Pan Alley, he does occasionally take Communion there.
In keeping with the album’s self-indulgent title, each of the 14 tracks begin with the letter “I.” But instead of creating a coherent concept, the songs mesh together to form a kind of post-modern biography, taking in themes of relationships, isolation, and self-examination. “I was born, I hate this part,” Merritt laments as he relates his story on “I Was Born.” This self-deprecating, wry humor runs throughout the album and gives life to the deadpan baritone delivery.
This album signals a change of approach, though not a change in direction, for the Magnetic Fields. Formerly driven by hordes of synthesizers and drum machines, the band has eschewed them on “i” for strings, an electric sitar and the occasional ukulele. The sound comes together as a Baroque Chamber Pop, reminiscent of early Rufus Wainwright or Belle and Sebastian, circa “Fold Your Hands, Child.”
Despite the sometimes stuffy arrangements, Merritt hasn’t lost his talent for writing witty pop songs. And while this album may not be the artistic match of the aforementioned “69 Love Songs,” it is, by virtue of its smaller scope, the more accessible of the two projects.
So, if you’re the kind of person who had a crush on Bach or Vivaldi in the fourth grade, Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields may be your ticket to listening bliss. “i” is an album filled with proper arrangements and enough pop to make the medicine go down.
Zach Pendleton is a junior majoring in English. Comments may be sent to
-zpendleton@cc.usu.edu