The Magnetic Fields – Realism

Ever since the charming audacity of The Magnetic Fields’ 2000 release, 69 Love Songs, frontman Stephin Merritt has struggled to recapture his muse to quite the same effect. Live, they still absolutely smoke – as anyone who has had the pleasure will testify – but studio releases Distortion and i seemed to repeat the gimmickry of their more illustrious predecessor, while lacking its craft for witty, achingly poignant pop. However, while those two efforts may have wasted away in the shadow cast by 69 (and yes, it is obligatory to reference that opus in every review), they were far from bad records. Realism, however much it pains me to say, is. Assuming a far lighter tone than other recent MF efforts, Realism runs the risk of sounding inconsequential, and very nearly does. 

That being said, there are certainly tracks here that would happily dine at the same table as others in Merritt’s canon. ‘You Must Be Out of Your Mind’ is classic Fields – a droning, metallic Merritt vocal and guitar line tag-teaming with gorgeous support from his bandmates, all paying perfect complement to a sharpness of phrase you could cut steak with. Playlist compilers may also find something to treasure in the wry melancholy of ‘Walk A Lonely Road’ and ‘I Don’t Know What to Say’. 

On the other hand, Merrit has always had a tendency towards what might be called novelty interludes. On a very strong record, these tracks bore a certain lightness of touch and charm that seemed winning.; here, though, the whimsy seems forced and the absence of more substantial bedfellows causes them to grate like sandpaper. ‘We Are Having A Hootenanny’ and ‘Dolls Tea Party’ are the Bonnie and Clyde of this villainous set, and even the ever-present wit can’t save ‘Everything is One Big Christmas Tree’ from lapsing into irritant territory. 

Realism has gone for a breezy, folksy charm and come up with two out of three – all told, not much of a result given that it’s the former two. There’s little doubt that these songs will sound better live (as, somewhat implausibly, all Magnetic Fields songs do), but live they have company. Live, they’re the celebrity being gracefully steered around the ice by a professional skater. On this record, they are exposed for what they are: Danniella Westbrook falling on her arse after the odd successful pirouette.