Stephin Merritt Chats With The Village Voice

The Q&A touches upon:

Volume
Humor
California
Footwear

Read the full article here.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - The Nun's Litany (Live)

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Stephin Merritt Inspires French Shoe Line

Believe it! Drowned In Sound reports: *Whilst feet related ranges are usually the reserve of the hip hop elite, a French shoe firm called Bluedy has decided to make a range of shoes as a homage to the music of The Magnetic Fields' main man, Stephin Merritt. They cite triple CD opus 69 Love Songs as a major influence...* View all of the designs here. Download a Magnetic Fields track at bottom.

Visit Stephin Merritt on MySpace.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - When You're Old...

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Stephin Merritt Visits 'The Latest Show', Again

This week's appearance included Gothic Archies favorite, 'Walking My Gargoyle'.


MP3: The Magnetic Fields - When You're Old & Lonely [alt link]

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The Magnetic Fields Announce Autumn US Trek

All dates are listed below:

Oct 10 (Fri)
Minneapolis, MN
The State Theater

Oct 11 (Sat)
Madison, WI
Capitol Theater

Oct 13 (Mon)
Dallas, TX
The Majestic

Oct 14 (Tue)
Austin, TX
The Paramount Theater

Oct 15 (Wed)
Boulder, CO
The Boulder Theater

Oct 17 (Fri)
Atlanta, GA
Symphony Hall

Oct 18 (Sat)
Raleigh, NC
Meymandi Concert Hall

Oct 23 (Thu)
Jersey City, NJ
Leows Jersey Theatre

Oct 24 (Fri)
Columbus, OH
The Southern Theatre

Oct 25 (Sat)
Philadelphia, PA
The Merriam Theater

Oct 26 (Sun)
Washington, DC
Lisner Auditorium

A pre-sale begins today.

Read my review of TMF in NYC here.

MP3: S. Merritt - This... (Live)

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Stephin Merritt Musical Hits NYC In 2009

House Of Tomorrow reports: *The theatrical adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, with music & lyrics by Stephin Merritt and book by David Greenspan, will have its world premiere at New York's Lucille Lortel Theatre Theater from May 6 to June 20, 2009.*

For further info, head here. MP3 at bottom.

Visit The Magnetic Fields on MySpace.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - The Nun's Litany (Live)

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The Magnetic Fields Ready Vinyl Reissues

H.O.T. reports: *The Magnetic Fields are readying the re-release of their catalog on full length 12" vinyl albums. Merge Records will start the run in May with "The Charm Of The Highway Strip," the band's 1994 Merge debut. Nonesuch Records will follow this summer with a pressing of "Distortion," the band's '08 release. This fall, Merge will release the vinyl edition of "Get Lost."*

Keep up to date on TMF here.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - This Little Ukulele (Live)

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The Magnetic Fields Announce Euro Trek

The band's summer tour dates are as follows:

June 22: Barcelona, L'Auditori Del Forum
June 23: Madrid, Teatro Lope De Vega
June 25: Malaga, Teatro Cervantes
June 26: Lisbon, Aula Magna
June 28: Gothenburg, Lorensbergsteatern
June 29: Stockholm, Cirkus
July 9: London, Cadogan Hall
July 10: London, Cadogan Hall

Reserved seats are available today at Artist Ticket.

Read my review of TMF @ NYC's Town Hall here.

MP3: TMF - With Whom To Dance [alt link]

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Stephin Merritt Visits 'The Latest Show', Part 2

If you missed the 1st segment, head here. Q&A plus 'My Little Ukulele' below.


MP3: The Magnetic Fields - The Village In The Morning [alt link]

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The Magnetic Fields Unveil '08 Tour Blog

Itching to take a gander?

Read it all here!

Visit TMF at their official site.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - The Nun's Litany

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Stephin Merritt Visits 'The Latest Show On Earth'

Enjoy his take on 'The Nun's Litany' plus a brief interview below. Flawless!


MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Don't Look Away [alt link]

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The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #541

Stephin Merritt - This Little Ukelele (Live On PRI)

Learn about Public Radio International here.

Visit SM on MySpace.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - This... (Live On PRI)

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The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall: Must Be The Voodoo

After Thursday's awe-inspiring gig at Town Hall (their first of four), I was overeager to see The Magnetic Fields once more before the weekend came to a close. Last night, I was fortunate enough to catch the final evening of their residency; it was charming, humorous & stupendous, yet again. Knowing that the band is not keen on touring regularly, I had a small list of songs I was hoping to hear (and not have to wait four long years to experience). To my good fortune, all prayers were answered in the form of 69 Love Songs' 'Papa Was A Rodeo', I's 'I Thought You Were My Boyfriend' and Get Lost's 'Smoke & Mirrors'. Enjoy the full setlist, an MP3 and a solo shot of S. Merritt below. Visit TMF on MySpace.

(Set 1:) California Girls. I Don't Believe You. All My Little Words. Come Back To San Francisco. Old Fools. Xavier Says. Walking My Gargoyle. Too Drunk To Dream. Till The Bitter End. The Night You Can't Remember. I Thought You Were My Boyfriend. Water Torture. (Set 2:) Lovers From The Moon. I Wish I Had An Evil Twin. Give Me Back My Dreams. Grand Canyon. Papa Was A Rodeo. Drive On Driver. The Nun's Litany. The Tiny Goat. Smoke & Mirrors. Zombie Boy. (Encore:) 3-Way. Take X With Me. The Book Of Love.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Smoke & Mirrors [alt link]

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Magnetic Fields Tribute LP: Release Date, Tracks, Cover Art

Here's the official rundown for 21 Love Songs:

'Yeah Oh Yeah' - Monica Y Carlos
'Busby Berkeley...' - The American Icons Of Rebellion
'Time Enough For...' - Evripidis & His Tragedies
'When The Open Road Is Closing In' - Iji
'I Think I Need A Heart' - Steinbeck
'The Desperate Things You Made Do' - Microfilm
'All My Little Words' - Abrevadero
'100,000 Fireflies' - Secret Owl Society
'I Don't Believe You' - Tinyfolk
'Living In An Abandoned...' - Manipulator Alligator
'Why I Cry' - Fairmount Fair
'Crazy For You But (Not That Crazy)' - James Eric
'Born On A Train' - The Brooke
'I Don't Want To Get Over You' - Redbear
'Reno Dakota' - Porches
'You & Me & The Moon' - A Lime Tree
'Plant White Roses' - Existential Hero
'I Don't Believe You' - Fire Island AK
'Josephine' - Spare Machine
'Come Back From San Francisco' - S. Joe Hazelwood
'Absolutely Cuckoo' - Your Yellow Dress

Download the entire collection on 3/4 at CLLCT.

Artwork by The Brooke at SNT.

MP3: TMF - You & Me & The Moon [alt link]

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The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall: Yeah, Oh Yeah!

It was roughly four years ago that I first got the opportunity to witness The Magnetic Fields in the flesh. On that evening (also at Town Hall), the band focused on their 2004 opus, I, with no more than a handful of older tracks dispersed into the mix. The evening was glorious. Last night, the legendary act broke the 120-minute set into two parts (plus a brief but thrilling 3-song encore). The focal point was, ironically, not on their most recent album, Distortion. Instead, emphasis was placed upon performing their myriad classics (1994 to present), rarities, tracks from side projects & soundtrack favorites.

While the gig was truly sensational from start to finish (with Stephin as bitter and sarcastic as ever), it's worth noting a selection of highlights. Of which I have to draw attention to Stephin Merritt's gorgeous solo take on 69 Love Songs staple, 'The Book Of Love', which received the loudest cheers. Distortion's 'Too Drunk To Dream' and 'The Nun's Litany' (hilariously sung by Stephin, not Shirley or Claudia) were also crowd-pleasers. The sweetest treat was a piano-heavy take on Holiday's 'Take Ecstasy With Me'. Finally, the show-closing 'Grand Canyon' proved to be the perfect culminating number. The Magnetic Fields continue their Town Hall residency tonight, Saturday and Sunday. All engagements are sold out. Visit The Magnetic Fields at their official site.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - The Nun's Litany [alt link]

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The Magnetic Fields Play First Show In Four Years

Their winter tour began on Monday night in Northampton, MA. Here's 'Three-Way'.


MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Three-Way [alt link]

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Retro Clip: Stephin Merritt Visits Good Day Atlanta, Circa '06

Watch 4 minutes of brilliance below. Download a Magnetic Fields MP3 at bottom.


MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Till The Bitter End [alt link]

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Microfilm Releases Magnetic Fields Cover

Last month we alerted you to an MF tribute record. Well, the LP is nearly complete!

21 Love Songs will be out in early March.

Chicago's finest dance act, Microfilm, contributes a thrilling cover from Get Lost to the compilation (download at bottom).

Here's the track listing, thus far:

Abrevadero - All My Little Words
Charlie Sullivan - All My Little Words
Brooke - Born On A Train
S Joe Hazelwood - Come Back...
Fire Island AK - I Don't Believe You
Tinyfolk - I Don't Believe You
Spare Machine - Josephine
Steinbeck - I Think I Need A New Heart
Manipulator Alligator - Living In...
Monica Y Carlos - Yeah Oh Yeah!
A Lime Tree - You & Me & the Moon
Secret Owl Society - 100 Fireflies
Iji - When The Open Road Is Closing In
Existential Hero - Plant White Roses
The Go-Pills - Queen Of The Savages
Microfilm - The Desperate Things...

Learn more about Microfilm here.

MP3: Microfilm - The Desperate Things You Made Me Do [alt link]

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Stephin Merritt Interviewed By Exclaim!

The Magnetic Fields frontman sat down this week with Canada's self-proclaimed 'music authority' to discuss influences, the band's new record (Distortion) & what his mom thinks of the LP. Here's a snippet: *"Whenever I start on a record I wonder what kind of album it will become and I start to make guidelines, otherwise what’s it going to be? Partly Chinese opera, partly shrieking feedback and partly 69 Love Songs? My mother hates the record. She doesn’t get it at all, and I’m delighted.”* Enjoy the full piece here.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Xavier Says [alt link]

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US Charts: Magnetic Fields, Radiohead, 'Juno'

This week's numbers have just arrived.

Rounding out the Top 5:

1. Alicia Keys - As I Am
2. Juno
3. Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains
4. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. Raheem DeVaughn - Love Behind The Melody

The Magnetic Fields debut at #77 with Distortion.

It's their best showing to date.

More chart info at Billboard.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Famous (via Not Fine)

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Magnetic Fields Tribute LP In The Works

Here's more info, courtesy of James Eric's MySpace blog entry: *So are you a recording musician who likes The Magnetic Fields?!?! I want you to contribute to the DIY Magnetic Fields tribute record I'm putting together. It can be any Magnetic Fields song but if you listen to 69 Love Songs, I'm sure you can find something on there you'd like. I will be pressing these professionally on Grey Noise Records in time for Valentine's Day, and then, handing them out for free at all 3 Magnetic Fields concerts in Chicago. I will need all submissions by the first week of February at the very latest. Now let's pretend we're bunny rabbits!*

Contact James here. Our slutty request: 'Underwear'.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - The Village In The Morning (via Not Fine)

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