The Magnetic Fields

The Magnetic Fields (named after the book Les Champs Magnétiques by André Breton ) is a band founded in 1990 by singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt. Although their musical style is as varied as Merritt's songwriting, the band is mostly associated with the genres synthpop, indie pop, and folk pop noisepop.

Earlier in her career her music was particularly characterized by the use of synthesizers by Merritt and vocals by Susan Anway, soon after Merritt sang itself later became the band traditional and has since consisted of Merritt, Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo and occasionally supported by vocals by Shirley Simms. The band is heavily influenced by Merritt's lyrics that often deal with love; sometimes ironic, bitter, and humorous. Her best-known work is the 1999 published, three-part album 69 Love Songs, followed by the albums i ( 2004), Distortion (2008) and Realism (2010).

History

The band began as a studio project of Stephin Merritt under the name " Buffalo Rome ", where he played all the instruments. Together with Claudia Gonson, with which he was already playing at school in his band The Zinnias ', they put together a live band in Boston, where the two lived. Your first live appearance they had in 1991 in Cambridge (Massachusetts ) before a small audience that actually the band Magnetophone expected ( spin-off of Galaxie 500 ).

Published in 1999, three-part album 69 Love Songs to the public Merritt showed skills in terms of songwriting and the musical talent of the band through the use of numerous instruments such as ukulele, banjo, accordion, cello, mandolin, flute, xylophone and Marxophon, in addition to the usual use of synthesizers, guitars and effects. They were supported by singers such as Shirley Simms, Dudley Klute, LD Beghtol, and Claudia Gonson, the main, as were both as background singers here as. In addition, there were: Daniel Handler (AKA Lemony Snicket ) on accordion, Ida Pearle (violin) had a brief cameo in " Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side", and Christopher Ewen (of Future Bible Heroes ).

The albums i ( 2004) and Distortion (2008 ) are similar to the music structure of 69 Love Songs; The song titles on i begin with the letter (or the pronoun ) ' i', during Distortion were a combination of experimental noise music with the typical and unconventional musical style of the group.

The album Realism was published in January 2010 and is the last work of ' The Magnetic Fields ' which was released without the use of synthesizers. The published in March 2012 album Love at the Bottom of the Sea was accordingly again characterized by synthesizer.

Members

Past and ongoing contributing artists: singers Susan Anway, Dudley Klute, Shirley Simms, Momus, and LD Beghtol, and musician Daniel Handler and Chris Ewen.

Discography

Albums

Singles

More Releases

• "Plant White Roses" ( Stephin Merritt re-recording ), 5 Rows of Teeth (1994 )
• "Plant White Roses" ( Susan Anway original recording), The Long Secret ( 1995)
• " Heroes," Crash Course for the Ravers: A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie (1996 )
• " I Die: You Die " Random: Gary Numan Tribute ( 1997)
• " Le Tourbillon " Pop Romantique: French Pop Classics ( 1999)
• "Take Ecstasy with Me " (original Susan Anway recording), Oh Merge ( 1999)
• " If I Were a Rich Man ," Knitting on the Roof (1999)