Magnetic Fields

AWmusics Top Songs of 2008 pt 1: #76 100

Rest of the series:
Part 2: #51-75
Part 3: #26-50
Part 4: #1-25
I’m really late with my top songs list. There are far too many and it’s likely I missed a whole bit. In order not to just give a list of 100 songs, I’ll split it into four-parts with a 10-word limit describing each track.
#76 (Why Don’t You Go) Take A Hike by Thunder Power (myspace/video)
Even if she tells me, I’m not leaving.
#77 Wishing Well by Love Is All(myspace/video)
Josephine Olausson is a goddess. I’ll make her feel better

.
#78 Take Me Home by Team Genius(myspace/video)
Most optimistic attempt to be Michael Jackson vocally?
#79 Clouds by The Rumble Strips (myspace)
“I’m lying on my back, looking at the clouds”
#80 Singer-Songwriter Anthem by Silver Speakers (myspace)
I think of this whenever I hear a singer-song writer.
#81 The Hollows by Why? (myspace)
10 words doesn’t do it here.
#82 Cherry Tulips by Headlights (myspace/video)
Pop at its finest.
#83 The Nun’s Litany by Magnetic Fields (myspace)
Fuel to the “dirty nun” fantasy.
#84 Black Satin by The Raveonettes(myspace)
Another simple yet effective Raveonettes song.
#85 California Girls by Magnetic Fields
Someone actually hates California Girls?
#86 Where Do You Run To by Vivian Girls (myspace)
A simple yet catchy song.
#87 You, Me and the Burgeoise by The Submarines (myspace/video)
I-phone commercial for the win?
#88 Bye Bye Bye by Plants and Animals (myspace/video)
Good song….album? ehhh
#89 Stormy High by Black Mountain (myspace)
A great start to a great album.
#90 Nothing Ever Happened by Deerhunter (myspace)

“Best song to play on a road trip”
#91 Constructive Summer by Hold Steady (myspace)
Me and my friends are like “constructive summer”?
#92 Ghosts by Ladytron (myspace/video)
Schizophrenia?
#93 House Music by Cadence Weapon (myspace)
Best song on Afterparty Babies.
#94 Creeper by Islands (myspace/video)
Video is odd.
#95 The Old Days by Dr. Dog (myspace)
“Let go of the old ones, we’ve got new ones.”
#96 Jodi by The Dodos (myspace)
Jodi my dear, this is a song you must hear.
#97 Battle Royale by Does It Offend You Yeah? (myspace/video)
A catchy instrumental for one of my favorite movies.
#98 I Wasn’t Made For Fighting by Woodhands (myspace/video)
They were actually made for dancing.
#99 Heaven (Narctrax Remix) by Health (myspace)
Health’s Disco has amazing remixes.
#100 Dawn Of The Dead by Does It Offend You Yeah? (video)
Critics hated on the wrong album.

Playlist for Valentines Day

Valentines Day is great some people as it’s supposed to be a day of love but it can be a reminder on just how much it sucks to be lonely and single. Some might say it’s just a corporate ploy just for people to buy lavish gifts on some arbitrary day that I have no idea where it originated from (don’t feel like wiki-ing this one). For me personally Valentines Day, comes and go. I’m really indifferent about the day, it’s nice to see the love in the air but I can see how one can despise it as it’s really great to be with someone. I’ll do a list of some good love songs or ones that are of the “love sucks” variety.

1. No One’s Gonna Love You by Band of Horses
Such a misleading title but have you ever felt the need to say to your lover “no one is ever gonna love you like I do” because that perfectly describes how head over heels you are?

2. I Don’t Love Anyone by Belle & Sebastian
One of my favorite songs and one that makes me feel good about being alone and single.

3. Lover I Don’t Have To Love by The Bright Eyes
This song is dedicated to those who aren’t looking for a relationship but are just looking for flings and not being emotionally tied to someone.

4. First Day of My Life by The Bright Eyes
Arguably one of the best love songs out there.

5. Crown of Love by The Arcade Fire
One of my favorite Arcade Fire tracks. Mainly about the inability to love just one person and usually involving moving on to the next person and the next.

6. Everyday I Love You Less and Less by The Kaiser Chiefs
Sometimes love does wave and this song perfectly describes it an upbeat manner.

7. Song For A Sleeping Girl by the Devics
This song describe the feeling of sleeping next to someone and really the sheer enjoyment of watching someone sleep. It’s one of my favorite love songs.

8. Modern Girls & Old Fashioned Men by The Strokes and Regina Spektor
Needed an excuse to include this awesome song, it’s about love so it fits.

9. What I’m Trying To Say by Stars
Saving you love someone is harder then it looks (when you whole-heartedly mean it).

10. Girl Inform Me by The Shins
This one goes for us guys who don’t really “understand” women and just sometimes need to be told!

11. I’m Leaving You Because I Don’t Love You by Jens Lekman
Pretty self-explanatory.

12. You Were Meant For Me by Jewel
I love this song, not ashamed heh.

13. Strange Powers by The Magnetic Fields
Some people just hypnotize you.

14. Love Astronaut by Murder Mystery
I like the line “I go looking for love but is it looking for me?”.

The Magnetic Fields – Distortion Review

Do the Magnetic Fields need an introduction? They are very well known in indie circles but if this the first time you’ve heard about them then here’s a brief summary: The Magnetic Fields are an indie pop band who’ve been around since 1990 who are known for their love songs, Stephin Merritt‘s deep voice and some pretty good writing. Merritt is known as being openly gay and sometimes isn’t afraid to express it in his lyrics. I never bothered to care that he’s gay but if you didn’t know then now you do.

The Magnetic Fields are known for their release of 69 Love Songs a number I would probably choose myself (because I’m apparently a perv). Anyway I’ll admit I’ve only listened to a handful of songs by the Magnetic Fields but almost every song I’ve heard and have been able to acquire, I’ve really dug.

Distortion starts off with some pretty fun tracks. I laughed when I heard “Three Way” as all it contained were some entertaining instrumentals and Three Way! repeated 3 times. The Magnetic Fields exchanged vocals between Merritt and Shirley Simms on each track. California Girls is a fun song with the tune of “I hate California girls” quiet a catchy song yet meaningful. Simms sings this and I actually had a hard time believing these vocals were of a man’s…. (I should probably omit this). Simms made me miss Merritt’s deep baritone voice as I kind of expected his voice all the way throughout. Either way the tracks are great and whoever is singing it doesn’t matter.

This album has been garnering comparisons to the Jesus and Mary Chain style which has been emulated numerous times by other bands and usually has an addictive quality. I would say though that this album is more of a grower then a instant hit. I found myself not being able to get past “Three Way” and “California Girls” at one point but eventually I put on Distortion and fell asleep to it, allowing me to discover the rest of the album. I really enjoyed the lyrics and while I didn’t enjoy the “distortion” as much as I thought I would’ve this album is still great.

Maybe not that great of an album but very very solid and I enjoyed this album though there were some misses. If you give it time, I’m sure you can get to like it. I give it a 4.1 out of 5.

Since California Girls has been posted a ton, you can find it here, there and everywhere.

Here are 2 other tracks that I really dig:

The Nun’s Litany by The Magnetic Fields

Too Drunk To Dream by The Magnetic Fields

Buy Distortion @ Insound
Buy Distortion @ CD Universe
Buy Distortion @ Amazon