Wednesday, May 26, 2004
I have a theory that records often get the reviews that should have been given to the artist's previous record. Mainstream critics are often a little slow in their reflexes. That might explain why i, the new Magnetic Fields album, has gotten such great reviews in the glossies. They're still reacting to the amazing feat of 69 Love Songs, an ultra-cool triple-CD that included many excellent songs. That ambitious work put singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt on the map. Now he (rightfully) sells out concerts to the hipster crowd--he's become, along with Dan Savage and David Sedaris, a gay guy all hipsters love.
A gay guy myself, I've loved Merritt's work for many years, esp. his early Magnetic Fields and 6ths projects (never was very wild about Future Bible Heroes). But the new album is mediocre, thwarted mostly by lethargic, tired performances that mar the album. The melodies are as perfect as always, just what you want and expect, but songs like "Infinitely Late at Night" (the worst tempo offender) drag the whole album down. "Is This What They Used to Call Love?" strains his vocal range, and "It's Only Time" ends the album on an uncharacteristically mawkish note. Where's our beloved gay cynic? Well, he isn't entirely gone, thank ABBA (or whatever other God might be applicable here). "I Don't Believe You" is classic Stephin Merritt, a highly recommended song. And in his less-often successful sincere vein, he scores a major win with "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend," which has it all--slick beat, catchy melody, anthemic sentiments. The song is a mature look at (gay) love life, with a chilling moment set to the lyric, "Some guys have a beer and they'll do anything." That's not necessarily a good thing, Merritt sings, which I found refreshing.
Songs like "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin" are SO CLOSE to being great that it's maddening. Just a bit of tempo tweaking, again. Even in cases where it's not tempo (clearly Merritt is experimenting with irony in tempo--upbeat sad songs, slower funny numbers), there seems to be an energy problem, often disappointingly in Merritt's voice. "In an Operatta" benefits from the fresh use of a harpsichord, at least. Likewise, "If There's Such a Thing as Love" has the rhymes and the melody--it's just lacking that usual carbonation that we take for granted from Meritt. Does he want us to stop expecting greatness from him?
