Crack

15/20

As leader of The Magnetic Fields, Stephin Merritt became a figurehead in American music, utilizing synth, folk, indie and more, yet always with a melodic sensibility attached. 1999’s staggering 69 Love Songs (which is as good as its word) saw him lauded as one of the great American songwriters, celebrated for its ever witty and poetic lyricism and Merritt’s deep, rich baritone befitting of the most earnest strains.

Obscurities is a retrospective of odds and sods and bits and bobs from Merritt projects Buffalo Rose, The 6th and The Gothic Archives, as well as the Fields and solo work. As is often the case with such collections, it’s something of stop-start listen, veering drastically in sound and tone. Within two songs we’re taken from gorgeously strummed opener Forever and a Day to the hooky yet curiously bleak synth noodlings of Rats in the Garbage of the Western World. Later, Scream (Till You Make The Scene) is pure Numan, strutty electropop, Beach-a-Boop-Boop is the expected sunny stomper and When You’re Young and in Love is a typically skewed love song.

Excellent songwriting is rife, as is Merritt’s incredibly distinctive vocal style, and the quality of nigh on every track is undeniable. Obscurities, therefore, transcends being one for the completists and stands up as a worthy introduction to Merritt’s substantial charms for any newcomer.


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Words: Geraint Davies

http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/

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