Today, the Magnetic Fields — the quirky pop band fronted by the deep-voiced Stephin Merritt — release Distortion, the band's first album in four years. It's already garnering positive reviews, and so in its honor, I thought I'd suggest a way to navigate through the band's nearly two-decade career. While there are lots of good starting points, here's my guide to Getting Into the Magnetic Read more

I forgot how much I love 69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields until I put the album on the other day after a long absence. Meandering through the massive three-disc song collection, I was reminded of what a stellar songwriter Stephin Merritt is, so it's fitting that this week, a new Magnetic Fields song surfaced on Stereogum. Called "Three-Way," the tune will appear on the group's new album, Read more