Bloodless Coup

The Magnetic Fields - i

69 Love Songs will probably always remain one of those works that defines a certain period of my life. Friends and I played it constantly - and rightly so since it was utterly brilliant. The range of work in it was astounding, the different types of vocalists intriguing, and it was clever, funny and blissful (even if some of the songs were about bloody revenge). True, any album that contains 69 songs will have some clunkers (the second half of volume 3 seemed to have a particularly unfortunate number) but all in all it was brilliant.

Given that, I didn't purchase i when it came out last year? Why, given that I loved 69 Love Songs (and quite liked one of their earlier albums - Holiday)? Because 69 Love Songs was such a wonder that I thought I'd surely be disappointed by its follow-up. So I didn't buy it, but it's been out for about a year now and eventually curiousity got the better of me so I picked up i few weeks ago.

All in all, I think it was perfectly fine to wait, but if you like The Magnetic Fields it should definitely be on your "get it eventually" list. It features the same level of breadth in terms of the sounds on it. "I Die" is chamber pop and "In an Operetta" features a harpsichord, but "I'm Tongue-Tied" would sound appropriate on a Hawaiin beach, while "Infinitely Late at Night" would sound just right sung by a drunken chanteuse in a smokey largely empty bar in a desolate part of an urban center. But while these and other songs are interesting, and are definitely likely to interest fans, I don't know that there are all that many standout tracks on this album that would be likely to draw in new admirers. "I Don't Really Love You Anymore" would have fit perfectly on 69 Love Songs - a chipper and bouncy tune, with resigned, depressing lyrics. I don't understand why "I Thought You Were My Boyrfiend" didn't get a remix and become a huge hit in certain clubs across the country (it's got just the right mix of 80's synth thing and bitter, slutty lyrics going on). My favorite is probably "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin". The whole concept of the song is both funny and odd, and how can you not smile or snicker at a line like "all men would writhe beneath his scythe".

So, to conclude, I was right that it's not nearly as grand as 69 Love Songs. And really unless you are a big fan, you might find the last 6 or so songs a bit dull. But there are a couple of prizes on this, and if you generally like this sort of thing it's well worth checking out.