Artist: The Magnetic Fields
Album: Realism
Released: January 2010
Label: Nonesuch Records
Genre: indie pop / alternative folk
Purchase date: 04 Feb 2010
Source: iTunes
Realism is the tenth studio album from singer/songwriter Stephen Merritt and his band The Magnetic Fields. It is also the third album in their "No Synths" trilogy, following 2004's i and 2007's Distortion. Merritt's musical style runs all over the map, often going in different directions on the same album. Realism has a pristine sound overall, a stark contrast from the grungy fuzz of their previous album. The songs are all heartfelt, touching, funny, and poignant, often all at the same time. The opening track, "You Must Be Out of Your Mind" is the strongest in my opinion, and it really illustrates Merrit's sense of humor, such as the line, "You can't just go 'round sayin' stuff/ Because it's pretty / And I no longer drink enough / to think you're witty." A marvelous album, it would have been hard to pick a better "first album of 2010."
Rating: A
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