The Title Fits the Sound
Ambiguous and witty, yet a little misguided
The Magnetic Fields
Distortion
Released on Nov 30, -0001
“Psychocandy is the last significant event in popular music production. That's the last thing I've heard which sounds blaringly original. I haven't heard anything else since then that says, 'this is a new way of making records'," Stephen Merritt referring to his latest album, Distortion.
Distortion is everything a fan of The Magnetic Fields truly enjoys about Merritt's clever wordplay and simple pop sensibility. He is a complicated man that makes consistent albums time after time. Merritt has always flirted with various sounds, (synth-pop to chamber-pop, fuzz-tones to funeral dirges), but when you hear the songs you immediately know who's in the room with you.
Shirley Simms, 69 Loves Songs chanteuse and Kirsty MacColl mimic, makes a somewhat welcomed return after being absent from 2004's i. Supposedly to make certain songs not sound so "angry," Distortion is sequenced as a sort of boy- girl response game. The lyrics still retain the ambiguous sexuality that enables the listener to assume either role depending on your mood.
The album starts off strong with surfy instrumental rocker "Three-Way," which is reminiscent of "Tequila" by The Champs. As the album progresses, I began to miss Merritt's presence on certain songs, especially "The Nun's Litany" and "Drive On, Driver." Those longing for the glorious sound of "Charm Of The Highway Strip" era can find solace here with "Too Drunk To Dream."
The distorted treatment on Distortion is a bold undertaking for Merritt, especially since he suffers from hyperacusis (a conditions that makes one sensitive to loud sounds). Distortion is also the closest reproduction of psychocandy you will ever hear. Song selection is the only drawback. The sound employed so well here would be better suited for songs on the previous album, i. Perhaps lacking in confidence, perhaps getting bored with rock n' roll, Merrit manages to amuse with a misguided but solid effort.
High Point
Low Point
Posted by Joe Roth on Jan 15, 2008 @ 12:00 am