The Magnetic Fields

The Magnetic Fields is a band consisting mostly of the New York singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt. Albums released by Merritt under the name The Magnetic Fields usually consist of synth-pop music in a 1980s style underlying sometimes ironic, sometimes bitter and sometimes celebratory lyrics, mostly about love. All but the first two albums, The Wayward Bus and Distant Plastic Trees (which are now most easily available together as a compilation) are principally sung by Merritt himself.

The albums released by The Magnetic Fields to date are:

• Distant Plastic Trees (1991)
• The Wayward Bus (1992)
• The House Of Tomorrow (five song EP, 1993)
• Holiday (1994)
• The Charm Of The Highway Strip (1994)
• Get Lost (1995)
• 69 Love Songs (1999)

The most significant, popular and critically-acclaimed album to date is 69 Love Songs. This is a three CD set, released in the US as three separate albums (also available as a boxed set) and in the UK as a triple album. It features several guest vocalists on several different tracks.

Significant Magnetic Fields collaborators include (but are not limited to) Sam Davol, John Woo (not the film director), Daniel Handler, Susan Anway and Claudia Gonson.

See also: The 6ths, The Gothic Archies, Future Bible Heroes.