Magnetic Fields
Lonely Highway
Crowd Of Drifters
Sunset City
Dust Bowl
Sweet and sour, incurably romantic, and deeply misanthropic, Magnetic Fields mastermind Stephin Merritt is a one-of-a-kind voice in modern lo-fi pop. This 1994 outing is a bit of a departure, with Merritt taking his trade.
more »mark ABBA-styled Casio-pop for a spin in the country literally. Awash in lush, Nashville-ready production, songs like the doleful Lonely Highway (which encompasses snatches of the Lee Hazelwood classic Jackson ) and Born on a Train are nothing short of thrilling. But much of this particular stretch of the Fields is lacking in charm, since Merritt s wry stance chafes a bit too hard against the guileless melodies. Completists may feel compelled to take a ride, but novices should probably stick to the more urbane journeys offered by Holiday and Distant Plastic Trees. David Sprague