Before the beautiful behemoth '69 Love Songs' a Magnetic Fields did actually exist. Beginning with a brand of slender synth-pop in the early 90s with vocalist Susan Anway, the group released 'Distant Plastic Trees' and 'The Wayward Bus'. Stephin Merritt had always provided the synthesized instrumentation and lyrics before firmly taking the vocal reins from 'The House of Tomorrow EP' in 1992. Although other vocalists emerge on '69 Love Songs', 'The Charm of the Highway Strip' and 'Holiday' are sung solely by Merritt, and probably make the best case for The Magnetic Fields being the vehicle for Merritt's output, rather than being a standardized band.
The Charm of The Highway Strip (1994)
The Charm of The Highway Strip is the kind of album you should be proud to have heard, and you should be prepared to hold it close to your heart. Essentially ten servings of the finest indie pop, each song is tinged with delicate synthesizer, given weight to by Merritt's legendary baritone, and topped with a country music feel; the outcome is 33 minutes of beautifully consistent music. I Have the Moon and Sunset City contest as two of Merritt's finest whilst Two Characters in Search of a Country Song and Fear of Trains ensure the album isn't weighed down in melancholy and features elements of humour, albeit of a darker nature. The album also manages to escape what so many other mid-90s albums are guilty of, being dated or too representative of its time in some way. That's because the album is highway escapism, and the songs could have been written 30 years ago or 3 weeks. It just so turns out that the Magnetic Fields would be the vessel for some terrific songs.
8.9/10
Tracklist*:
Lonely Highway
Long Vermont Roads
Born on a Train
I Have the Moon
Two Characters in Search of a Country Song
Crowd of Drifters
Fear of Trains
When The Open Road is Closing In
Sunset City
Dust Bowl
Holiday (1994)
Holiday, although released later in the same year as The Charm of the Highway Strip, starts out as a largely different affair, from the noise pop influences as early as the hugely catchy Desert Island before palpitating between Highway Strip-like pop and noise pop for the remainder of its jaunty course. Over 13-tracks the album isn't quite as captivating as Highway Strip, but it's assets, of which there are many, are equally good as the former album's highlights; Strange Powers, All You Ever Do Is Walk Away and the stunning Take Ecstasy With Me are fine examples.
8.4/10
Tracklist*:
BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Desert Island
Deep Sea Diving Suit
Strange Powers
Torn Green Velvet Eyes
The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent
Swinging London
In My Secret Place
Sad Little Moon
The Trouble I've Been Looking For
Sugar World
All You Ever Do Is Walk Away
In My Car
Take Ecstasy With Me
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