I (2004) No one does the droll, urbane, embittered-romantic shtick better than Magnetic Fields auteur Stephin Merritt. On this overdue follow-up to 1999's "69 Love Songs," he… The Magnetic Fields
Music Review

I (2004)

The Magnetic Fields
Reviewed by David Browne | May 07, 2004
Stephin Merritt | ME, MYSELF, AND 'I' Merritt
Image credit: Stephin Merritt: Stewart Isbell / Retna Ltd.
ME, MYSELF, AND 'I' Merritt
EW's GRADE
B

Details Release Date: May 04, 2004; Lead Performance: The Magnetic Fields

No one does the droll, urbane, embittered-romantic shtick better than Magnetic Fields auteur Stephin Merritt. On this overdue follow-up to 1999's ''69 Love Songs,'' he again manages to transform the caustic into something transcendent, even jaunty (exquisite swipes like ''I Don't Believe You'') with I. But sometimes his lyrics are better than his melodies (''I Wish I Had an Evil Twin''), and too often even his happy songs sound dreary.

Originally posted May 07, 2004 Published in issue #764 May 07, 2004 Order article reprints