On March 6th 2012, The Magnetic Fields will release Love at the Bottom of the Sea, their tenth full-length album. During the 90's, the band released several albums with Merge, including 1999's highly acclaimed 69 Love Songs.
Magnetic Fields records embody an intellectual pop aesthetic that includes funny, strange lyrics, extremely catchy melodies and otherworldly sounds. Stephin Merritt has come back to synths with a fresh approach: "Most of the synthesizers on the record didn't exist when we were last using synthesizers," he notes. The songs - none over three minutes long - were recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York with Merritt's usual cast of collaborators: Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Johny Blood and Daniel Handler.
Love at the Bottom of the Sea is full of silly gems, insanely infectious melodies and indecipherable noises. The Magnetic Fields' return to Merge Records after three albums on Nonesuch is a pop music delight from a master of American songcraft.
www.houseoftomorrow.com
Magnetic Fields records embody an intellectual pop aesthetic that includes funny, strange lyrics, extremely catchy melodies and otherworldly sounds. Stephin Merritt has come back to synths with a fresh approach: "Most of the synthesizers on the record didn't exist when we were last using synthesizers," he notes. The songs - none over three minutes long - were recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York with Merritt's usual cast of collaborators: Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Johny Blood and Daniel Handler.
Love at the Bottom of the Sea is full of silly gems, insanely infectious melodies and indecipherable noises. The Magnetic Fields' return to Merge Records after three albums on Nonesuch is a pop music delight from a master of American songcraft.
www.houseoftomorrow.com
05/08/13
Future Bible Heroes are hitting the road this summer in support of their forthcoming new album, Partygoing. The live ensemble will consist of Claudia Gonson, Shirley Simms, Christopher Ewen and Anthony Kaczynski. These will be their first live dates since 2002.
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals for these songs is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson.
To support their forthcoming album Partygoing and the re-issue of their back-catalogue on Merge Records (all in stores June 8), Future Bible Heroes will join the Chickfactor Summer Festival in Brooklyn, New York on June 12, followed by eleven US dates in July.
Also, watch “Catching Up with Future Bible Heroes” now at YouTube. Directed by JL Aronson (Danielson: a Family Movie, Last Summer at Coney Island) and featuring photographs old and new by Kimberly Butler and Gail O’Hara, the video shows the band hanging out and talking about the old days as well as the new.
Listen & share “Living, Loving, Partygoing” and pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
Future Bible Heroes on tour:
June 12 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House Chickfactor Summer Festival
July 8 Los Angeles, CA The Echoplex
July 9 San Francisco, CA The Independent
July 11 Portland, OR Doug Fir
July 12 Seattle, WA The Tractor Tavern
July 16 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
July 17 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
July 21 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair
July 22 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace
July 23 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
July 25 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
July 26 Washington, DC The Black Cat
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals for these songs is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson.
To support their forthcoming album Partygoing and the re-issue of their back-catalogue on Merge Records (all in stores June 8), Future Bible Heroes will join the Chickfactor Summer Festival in Brooklyn, New York on June 12, followed by eleven US dates in July.
Also, watch “Catching Up with Future Bible Heroes” now at YouTube. Directed by JL Aronson (Danielson: a Family Movie, Last Summer at Coney Island) and featuring photographs old and new by Kimberly Butler and Gail O’Hara, the video shows the band hanging out and talking about the old days as well as the new.
Listen & share “Living, Loving, Partygoing” and pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
Future Bible Heroes on tour:
June 12 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House Chickfactor Summer Festival
July 8 Los Angeles, CA The Echoplex
July 9 San Francisco, CA The Independent
July 11 Portland, OR Doug Fir
July 12 Seattle, WA The Tractor Tavern
July 16 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
July 17 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
July 21 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair
July 22 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace
July 23 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
July 25 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
July 26 Washington, DC The Black Cat
04/29/13
As the release date for the new Future Bible Heroes album Partygoing as well as the compilation of their original catalog Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. draws near, we commissioned a video chat with Claudia, Stephin and Chris.
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson. Directed by JL Aronson (Danielson: a Family Movie, Last Summer at Coney Island) and featuring photographs old and new by Kimberly Butler and Gail O’Hara, the video shows the band just hanging out and talking about the old days as well as the new.
Watch “Catching up with Future Bible Heroes” now at YouTube
Partygoing features a number of songs that meditate upon both the good and bad sides of parties: there’s the fun, and then there’s the morning after. Running themes for this album are drinking, dancing, and death. Memories of Love, Eternal Youth and Partygoing. marks the first time the entire original Future Bible Heroes catalog has been available in one place. In addition to the three full-length albums, the CD collection includes a fourth disc that compiles the band’s three EPs—The Lonely Robot, I’m Lonely (And I Love It), and Lonely Days—plus several tracks from outside compilations, including a song from the soundtrack to the film Welcome to the Dollhouse and the band’s hilarious gender-bending rendition of “Don’t You Want Me?” from a tribute album to the Human League. The LP collection includes each of the three albums (Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing) on vinyl plus a download card containing all of the EP and compilation tracks as well as digital versions of the full-lengths.
Future Bible Heroes (sans Stephin) will perform June 12 at the Bell House in Brooklyn as part of the Chickfactor summer festival. More tour dates coming soon! Listen & share “Living, Loving, Partygoing” and pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson. Directed by JL Aronson (Danielson: a Family Movie, Last Summer at Coney Island) and featuring photographs old and new by Kimberly Butler and Gail O’Hara, the video shows the band just hanging out and talking about the old days as well as the new.
Watch “Catching up with Future Bible Heroes” now at YouTube
Partygoing features a number of songs that meditate upon both the good and bad sides of parties: there’s the fun, and then there’s the morning after. Running themes for this album are drinking, dancing, and death. Memories of Love, Eternal Youth and Partygoing. marks the first time the entire original Future Bible Heroes catalog has been available in one place. In addition to the three full-length albums, the CD collection includes a fourth disc that compiles the band’s three EPs—The Lonely Robot, I’m Lonely (And I Love It), and Lonely Days—plus several tracks from outside compilations, including a song from the soundtrack to the film Welcome to the Dollhouse and the band’s hilarious gender-bending rendition of “Don’t You Want Me?” from a tribute album to the Human League. The LP collection includes each of the three albums (Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing) on vinyl plus a download card containing all of the EP and compilation tracks as well as digital versions of the full-lengths.
Future Bible Heroes (sans Stephin) will perform June 12 at the Bell House in Brooklyn as part of the Chickfactor summer festival. More tour dates coming soon! Listen & share “Living, Loving, Partygoing” and pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
03/20/13
On June 4, Future Bible Heroes will release Partygoing, their third album, on Merge Records. In addition, Merge will compile all three Future Bible Heroes albums and an additional disc of EP tracks into one newly remastered collection entitled Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing.
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson.
Partygoing features the signature Future Bible Heroes mix of dancefloor-filling club anthems and super-sad ballads. The record is their first release since 2002’s Eternal Youth. Why the long break between albums? Well, the trio has been busy. Merritt has made four stage musicals, four Magnetic Fields albums, a Gothic Archies album, and done some film work. Ewen has been working on another band, the Hidden Variable, and DJing in Boston. Gonson has discovered parenthood while navigating the Magnetic Fields’ busy post-69 Love Songs schedule.
Future Bible Heroes are known for their fantastical lyrical themes, which on prior albums were preoccupied with B-movies, science fiction, aliens, robots, disco dancing, and committing suicide on camera. Along with songs like “Keep Your Children in a Coma,” which is about keeping youngsters under sedation until they pass through their vulnerable teenage years, Partygoing features a number of songs that meditate upon both the good and bad sides of parties: there’s the fun, and then there’s the morning after. Running themes for this album are drinking, dancing, and death. “The songs ‘When Evening Falls on Tinseltown’ and ‘A Drink Is Just the Thing’ are quite old,” Merritt says. “The first describes my experience of living in Los Angeles—and leaving it, which I did while recording Partygoing; the second describes solving all your problems with alcohol, which I don’t do much anymore either. Writing true and heartfelt lyrics is pointless because once you get around to singing them, they’re lies.”
Listen to “Living, Loving, Partygoing” now from Partygoing via Soundcloud
Memories of Love, Eternal Youth and Partygoing. marks the first time the entire original Future Bible Heroes catalog has been available in one place. In addition to the three full-length albums, the CD collection includes a fourth disc that compiles the band’s three EPs—The Lonely Robot, I’m Lonely (And I Love It), and Lonely Days—plus several tracks from outside compilations, including a song from the soundtrack to the film Welcome to the Dollhouse and the band’s hilarious gender-bending rendition of “Don’t You Want Me?” from a tribute album to the Human League. The LP collection includes each of the three albums (Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing) on vinyl plus a download card containing all of the EP and compilation tracks as well as digital versions of the full-lengths.
Pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
Future Bible Heroes is one of the musical projects from the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, who writes all the melodies and lyrics for the band. His longtime friend and collaborator Christopher Ewen composes the instrumental backing tracks. Joining Merritt on lead vocals is the Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson.
Partygoing features the signature Future Bible Heroes mix of dancefloor-filling club anthems and super-sad ballads. The record is their first release since 2002’s Eternal Youth. Why the long break between albums? Well, the trio has been busy. Merritt has made four stage musicals, four Magnetic Fields albums, a Gothic Archies album, and done some film work. Ewen has been working on another band, the Hidden Variable, and DJing in Boston. Gonson has discovered parenthood while navigating the Magnetic Fields’ busy post-69 Love Songs schedule.
Future Bible Heroes are known for their fantastical lyrical themes, which on prior albums were preoccupied with B-movies, science fiction, aliens, robots, disco dancing, and committing suicide on camera. Along with songs like “Keep Your Children in a Coma,” which is about keeping youngsters under sedation until they pass through their vulnerable teenage years, Partygoing features a number of songs that meditate upon both the good and bad sides of parties: there’s the fun, and then there’s the morning after. Running themes for this album are drinking, dancing, and death. “The songs ‘When Evening Falls on Tinseltown’ and ‘A Drink Is Just the Thing’ are quite old,” Merritt says. “The first describes my experience of living in Los Angeles—and leaving it, which I did while recording Partygoing; the second describes solving all your problems with alcohol, which I don’t do much anymore either. Writing true and heartfelt lyrics is pointless because once you get around to singing them, they’re lies.”
Listen to “Living, Loving, Partygoing” now from Partygoing via Soundcloud
Memories of Love, Eternal Youth and Partygoing. marks the first time the entire original Future Bible Heroes catalog has been available in one place. In addition to the three full-length albums, the CD collection includes a fourth disc that compiles the band’s three EPs—The Lonely Robot, I’m Lonely (And I Love It), and Lonely Days—plus several tracks from outside compilations, including a song from the soundtrack to the film Welcome to the Dollhouse and the band’s hilarious gender-bending rendition of “Don’t You Want Me?” from a tribute album to the Human League. The LP collection includes each of the three albums (Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing) on vinyl plus a download card containing all of the EP and compilation tracks as well as digital versions of the full-lengths.
Pre-order Future Bible Heroes’ new album Partygoing on CD as well as their 4-CD or 3-LP collection Memories of Love, Eternal Youth, and Partygoing. now in the Merge store. LP pre-orders will include a free Merge Records slipmat.
07/31/12
The Magnetic Fields released their tenth album Love at the Bottom of the Sea on Merge in March and visited Europe and North America in a tour chronicled at TouratheBottomoftheSea.com. The band will extend their tour this fall with a small number of performances around the east coast and midwest with a special opening act reading by novelist Emma Straub, also known as The Mag Fields’ merch gal extraordinaire!
Full list of dates with ticket information listed below.
The band will soon announce further solo Stephin Merritt appearances and an additional full band appearance this fall. Keep up with the Magnetic Fields on Twitter, Facebook and at Houseoftomorrow.com.
Visit the Merge store to find Love at the Bottom of the Sea on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store as well as Stephin Merritt’s Obscurities and more from the Magnetic Fields’ catalog.
“Merritt’s songwriting ability makes crafting extremely catchy songs seem easy.” ~ NPR Music
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
* = Emma Straub reading from her debut novel Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures
Oct 25 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson (Onsale Jul 31)
Nov 14 St. Louis, MO Sheldon Concert Hall (Onsale Aug 11)
Nov 15 Detroit, MI The Redford Theatre (Onsale Aug 4)*
Nov 16 Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie Lecture Hall (Onsale Jul 31)*
Nov 17 Washington, DC Sixth & I Synagogue (Onsale Aug 3)*
Nov 18 Washington, DC Sixth & I Synagogue (Onsale Aug 3)*
Full list of dates with ticket information listed below.
The band will soon announce further solo Stephin Merritt appearances and an additional full band appearance this fall. Keep up with the Magnetic Fields on Twitter, Facebook and at Houseoftomorrow.com.
Visit the Merge store to find Love at the Bottom of the Sea on CD, LP and digital download in the Merge store as well as Stephin Merritt’s Obscurities and more from the Magnetic Fields’ catalog.
“Merritt’s songwriting ability makes crafting extremely catchy songs seem easy.” ~ NPR Music
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
* = Emma Straub reading from her debut novel Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures
Oct 25 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson (Onsale Jul 31)
Nov 14 St. Louis, MO Sheldon Concert Hall (Onsale Aug 11)
Nov 15 Detroit, MI The Redford Theatre (Onsale Aug 4)*
Nov 16 Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie Lecture Hall (Onsale Jul 31)*
Nov 17 Washington, DC Sixth & I Synagogue (Onsale Aug 3)*
Nov 18 Washington, DC Sixth & I Synagogue (Onsale Aug 3)*
05/29/12
Visit iTunes to download the new Merge Spring sampler! Featuring songs from our recent releases as well as a song from our forthcoming reissue of Sugar’s Copper Blue, the sampler makes a great mixtape for your spring BBQ all for the low price of $2.99.
Visit iTunes to download Merge Records Spring Sampler 2012 now
Visit the Merge store to find full-length albums from these artists, and bookmark our SoundCloud page where we are adding new songs all the time!
Track list:
1. The Magnetic Fields “Andrew in Drag”
2. Sugar “A Good Idea”
3. Times New Viking “Try Harder”
4. Eleanor Friedberger “Heaven”
5. The Rosebuds “Second Bird of Paradise”
6. Archers of Loaf “Dead Red Eyes”
7. Wild Flag “Electric Band”
8. Imperial Teen “Out from Inside”
9. Hospitality “Friends of Friends”
10. M. Ward “The First Time I Ran Away”
11. Stephin Merritt “Forever and a Day”
12. Lambchop “Gone Tomorrow”
13. Crooked Fingers “Heavy Hours”
Visit iTunes to download Merge Records Spring Sampler 2012 now
Visit the Merge store to find full-length albums from these artists, and bookmark our SoundCloud page where we are adding new songs all the time!
Track list:
1. The Magnetic Fields “Andrew in Drag”
2. Sugar “A Good Idea”
3. Times New Viking “Try Harder”
4. Eleanor Friedberger “Heaven”
5. The Rosebuds “Second Bird of Paradise”
6. Archers of Loaf “Dead Red Eyes”
7. Wild Flag “Electric Band”
8. Imperial Teen “Out from Inside”
9. Hospitality “Friends of Friends”
10. M. Ward “The First Time I Ran Away”
11. Stephin Merritt “Forever and a Day”
12. Lambchop “Gone Tomorrow”
13. Crooked Fingers “Heavy Hours”
05/08/12
Today, the Magnetic Fields premiered the new video for “Quick!” from their new album Love at the Bottom of the Sea.
Directed by James Spinney, and showcasing vocals from Shirley Simms’ with harmonies from Claudia Gonson, “Quick!” is one of the standout tracks from an album described by Blackbook as “the band’s most consistently entertaining album since 69 Love Songs.” The video introduces us to a woman living in a trashcan as she discovers another of her kind and perhaps kindles a little romance.
Watch the new video for “Quick!” now
The Magnetic Fields are currently on tour in Europe. Keep up with them at their tour diary and check out US merch girl and writer Emma Straub’s entries for The Paris Review, too.
Directed by James Spinney, and showcasing vocals from Shirley Simms’ with harmonies from Claudia Gonson, “Quick!” is one of the standout tracks from an album described by Blackbook as “the band’s most consistently entertaining album since 69 Love Songs.” The video introduces us to a woman living in a trashcan as she discovers another of her kind and perhaps kindles a little romance.
Watch the new video for “Quick!” now
The Magnetic Fields are currently on tour in Europe. Keep up with them at their tour diary and check out US merch girl and writer Emma Straub’s entries for The Paris Review, too.
04/05/12
The Magnetic Fields returned to Merge last month with their new album Love at the Bottom of the Sea. The band kicked off their tour with an inaugural visit to the SXSW festival and have traversed the country by plane and van to some of the most beautiful venues in the country. Merch girl and author Emma Straub is keeping us up-to-date on the tour at the “Tour at the Bottom of the Sea” blog as well as entries posted at The Paris Review.
Listen to Stephin’s KEXP performance live from the men’s room at KEXP.org, and read a great interview with Stephin about his favorite musical gear at the Village Voice’s Sound of the City blog. And don’t miss this video of the soon-to-be-hit song “Hookers and Blow” by the ladies of the Magnetic Fields.
The “Tour at the Bottom of the Sea” wraps up soon, so get your tickets now! Love at the Bottom of the Sea is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Listen to Stephin’s KEXP performance live from the men’s room at KEXP.org, and read a great interview with Stephin about his favorite musical gear at the Village Voice’s Sound of the City blog. And don’t miss this video of the soon-to-be-hit song “Hookers and Blow” by the ladies of the Magnetic Fields.
The “Tour at the Bottom of the Sea” wraps up soon, so get your tickets now! Love at the Bottom of the Sea is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
03/01/12
The Magnetic Fields will make their first-ever appearance at the SXSW Music Showcase in Austin, Texas on March 15 as the headliners for NPR’s Live From the Parish day party. They will also perform at their official SXSW showcase at ACL Live on March 16. The band will be celebrating the release of Love at the Bottom of the Sea which will be available in stores on March 6.
Love at the Bottom of the Sea is their first release of new material with Merge since 1999’s highly acclaimed 69 Love Songs. In addition to the SXSW shows, the Magnetic Fields will also be embarking on a North American tour that includes two dates at the Beacon Theater in New York City. A full list of dates are below and tickets are on sale now.
Stream Love at the Bottom of the Sea in its entirety at NPR Music and watch the video for the first single “Andrew in Drag”. Love at the Bottom of the Sea is available for pre-order on CD and LP now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 10 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 15 Austin, TX NPR’s SXSW day party @ The Parish
Mar 16 Austin, TX ACL Live @ SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 4 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Love at the Bottom of the Sea is their first release of new material with Merge since 1999’s highly acclaimed 69 Love Songs. In addition to the SXSW shows, the Magnetic Fields will also be embarking on a North American tour that includes two dates at the Beacon Theater in New York City. A full list of dates are below and tickets are on sale now.
Stream Love at the Bottom of the Sea in its entirety at NPR Music and watch the video for the first single “Andrew in Drag”. Love at the Bottom of the Sea is available for pre-order on CD and LP now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 10 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 15 Austin, TX NPR’s SXSW day party @ The Parish
Mar 16 Austin, TX ACL Live @ SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 4 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
02/27/12
The Magnetic Fields‘ Love at the Bottom of the Sea will be in stores on March 6, but you can stream the whole album now at NPR Music.
NPR says of Love at the Bottom of the Sea:
Watch the video for the first single “Andrew in Drag” and pre-order Love at the Bottom of the Sea on CD and LP now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 10 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 16 Austin, TX ACL Live @ SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 4 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
NPR says of Love at the Bottom of the Sea:
Full of confused and otherwise conflicted love songs, Love at the Bottom of the Sea explores many facets of forbidden romance, particularly in the delightful, album-opening pairing of “God Wants Us to Wait” and “Andrew in Drag.” The colorful but not exactly existential dilemmas continue in songs ideally crafted to match The Magnetic Fields’ dour-but-droll delivery: “I Don’t Like Your Tone.” “All She Cares About Is Mariachi.” “I’ve Run Away to Join the Fairies.” “The Horrible Parties.” These are hardly end-of-the-world concerns, so the conflicts play out with just the right mix of ruefulness and playfulness.Listen to The Magnetic Fields’ Love at the Bottom of the Sea at NPR Music
Watch the video for the first single “Andrew in Drag” and pre-order Love at the Bottom of the Sea on CD and LP now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 10 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 16 Austin, TX ACL Live @ SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 4 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
02/22/12
Merge Records will host a showcase at the annual SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX at Frank on Friday, March 16. As usual, we will have the best showcase of the festival including the bands below and perhaps a surprise or two. The Magnetic Fields will also be at SXSW and will play Austin City Limits Live on Friday, March 16 as well!
Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all of the bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases! Check out the Merge SoundCloud page for songs to hear now, too!
Merge SXSW Showcase 2012
Friday, March 16 @ Frank
Doors at 7; show at 7:30
from first to last:
M. Ward
Hospitality
Eleanor Friedberger
the Love Language
Crooked Fingers
Imperial Teen
The Magnetic Fields at SXSW
Friday, March 16 @ Austin City Limits Live
Doors are at 6:30, and the band goes on at 8:30
Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all of the bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases! Check out the Merge SoundCloud page for songs to hear now, too!
Merge SXSW Showcase 2012
Friday, March 16 @ Frank
Doors at 7; show at 7:30
from first to last:
M. Ward
Hospitality
Eleanor Friedberger
the Love Language
Crooked Fingers
Imperial Teen
The Magnetic Fields at SXSW
Friday, March 16 @ Austin City Limits Live
Doors are at 6:30, and the band goes on at 8:30
02/02/12
The Magnetic Fields have premiered their drag-tastic new video for “Andrew in Drag” at NPR Music! Clean white backgrounds and clever camera angles compliment Stephin’s trademark witty songwriting perfectly, but be forewarned, this video is NSFW!
Watch the video for “Andrew in Drag” now at NPR Music
Pre-order both the “Andrew in Drag” 7-inch and Love at the Bottom of the Sea (on CD or LP) now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour in support of Love at the Bottom of the Sea and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Watch the video for “Andrew in Drag” now at NPR Music
Pre-order both the “Andrew in Drag” 7-inch and Love at the Bottom of the Sea (on CD or LP) now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour in support of Love at the Bottom of the Sea and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
The Magnetic Fields announce “Andrew in Drag” Limited-Edition 7-inch, listen to the title track now!
01/11/12
The Magnetic Fields will return to Merge on March 6 with their new album Love at the Bottom of the Sea. Today, NY Magazine’s Vulture blog premiered the first single “Andrew in Drag.”
Listen to “Andrew in Drag” now at the Merge SoundCloud page
“Andrew in Drag” will be the A-side of the limited edition vinyl 7-inch which will be released on January 31. The ukulele-centered B-side, “When Next in Love I Fall,” is an exclusive non-album track. 7-inches are limited to one thousand pieces and include coupons for download.
Pre-order both the “Andrew in Drag” 7-inch and Love at the Bottom of the Sea (on CD or LP) now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour in support of Love at the Bottom of the Sea and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Listen to “Andrew in Drag” now at the Merge SoundCloud page
“Andrew in Drag” will be the A-side of the limited edition vinyl 7-inch which will be released on January 31. The ukulele-centered B-side, “When Next in Love I Fall,” is an exclusive non-album track. 7-inches are limited to one thousand pieces and include coupons for download.
Pre-order both the “Andrew in Drag” 7-inch and Love at the Bottom of the Sea (on CD or LP) now in the Merge store.
The Magnetic Fields have announced their spring tour in support of Love at the Bottom of the Sea and tickets are on sale now!
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
12/13/11
The Magnetic Fields will release Love at the Bottom of the Sea, their tenth full-length album and first release of new material with Merge since 1999’s highly acclaimed 69 Love Songs, on March 6. The band will celebrate their new album with a North American tour that passes through the SXSW Music Showcase in Austin, Texas.
Merritt notes about the new album that “instead of using a synthesizer as a melodic instrument, much of the time I used it as a compositional destructive mechanism, something eating away at the apparent order of my perfectionist arrangements. I was very happy to be using synthesizers in ways that I had not done before. Most of the synthesizers on the record didn’t exist when we were last using synthesizers.”
The songs — none over three minutes long — were recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York with Merritt’s usual cast of collaborators: Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Johny Blood and Daniel Handler
Pre-order the Magnetic Fields’ Love at the Bottom of the Sea in the Merge store for exclusive limited-edition eggshell-colored vinyl. Also, the first 100 people who order the album from Merge on CD or LP will receive a free signed poster and a Magnetic Fields button, as well. Don’t forget . . . the Merge Holiday Code works on pre-orders, too! Follow The Magnetic Fields at @TheMagFields and check The House of Tomorrow for all ticketing information.
Track Listing:
1. God Wants Us to Wait
2. Andrew in Drag
3. Your Girlfriend’s Face
4. Born For Love
5. I’d Go Anywhere with Hugh
6. Infatuation (With Your Gyration)
7. The Only Boy in Town
8. The Machine in Your Hand
9. Goin’ Back to the Country
10. I’ve Run Away to Join the Fairies
11. The Horrible Party
12. My Husband’s Pied-a-Terre
13. I Don’t Like Your Tone
14. Quick!
15. All She Cares About Is Mariachi
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Apr 24 Brighton, UK Komedia
Apr 25 London, UK Royal Festival Hall
Apr 27 Manchester, UK RNCM
Apr 28 Dublin, IR Olympia
Apr 29 Cork, IR Opera House
May 1 Porto, PT TBA
May 2 Lisbon, PT TBA
May 9 Oslo, NO Rockefeller
May 11 Gothenburg, SE Annedalskyrkan
May 12 Stockholm, SE Filadelfiakyrkan
May 14 Berlin, DE Passionskirche
May 15 Hamburg, DE Kampnagel k6
May 16 Amsterdam, NL De Duif
Merritt notes about the new album that “instead of using a synthesizer as a melodic instrument, much of the time I used it as a compositional destructive mechanism, something eating away at the apparent order of my perfectionist arrangements. I was very happy to be using synthesizers in ways that I had not done before. Most of the synthesizers on the record didn’t exist when we were last using synthesizers.”
The songs — none over three minutes long — were recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York with Merritt’s usual cast of collaborators: Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Johny Blood and Daniel Handler
Pre-order the Magnetic Fields’ Love at the Bottom of the Sea in the Merge store for exclusive limited-edition eggshell-colored vinyl. Also, the first 100 people who order the album from Merge on CD or LP will receive a free signed poster and a Magnetic Fields button, as well. Don’t forget . . . the Merge Holiday Code works on pre-orders, too! Follow The Magnetic Fields at @TheMagFields and check The House of Tomorrow for all ticketing information.
Track Listing:
1. God Wants Us to Wait
2. Andrew in Drag
3. Your Girlfriend’s Face
4. Born For Love
5. I’d Go Anywhere with Hugh
6. Infatuation (With Your Gyration)
7. The Only Boy in Town
8. The Machine in Your Hand
9. Goin’ Back to the Country
10. I’ve Run Away to Join the Fairies
11. The Horrible Party
12. My Husband’s Pied-a-Terre
13. I Don’t Like Your Tone
14. Quick!
15. All She Cares About Is Mariachi
The Magnetic Fields on tour:
Mar 6 Hudson, NY Helsinki Hudson
Mar 7 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Mar 11 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
Mar 14, 15, 16 Austin, TX SXSW
Mar 18 Vancouver, BC The Vogue
Mar 19 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theater
Mar 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Mar 23 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater
Mar 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theater
Mar 28 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater
Mar 30 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
Mar 31 Montreal, QC Le National
Apr 3 New York, NY Beacon Theater
Apr 6 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 7 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
Apr 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 11 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Apr 14 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Apr 24 Brighton, UK Komedia
Apr 25 London, UK Royal Festival Hall
Apr 27 Manchester, UK RNCM
Apr 28 Dublin, IR Olympia
Apr 29 Cork, IR Opera House
May 1 Porto, PT TBA
May 2 Lisbon, PT TBA
May 9 Oslo, NO Rockefeller
May 11 Gothenburg, SE Annedalskyrkan
May 12 Stockholm, SE Filadelfiakyrkan
May 14 Berlin, DE Passionskirche
May 15 Hamburg, DE Kampnagel k6
May 16 Amsterdam, NL De Duif
Distant Plastic Trees :: CD (Red Flame) 1991
"100,000 Fireflies" b/w "Old Orchard Beach" :: 7" (Harriet) 1991
The House of Tomorrow EP :: 7"/CDEP (Feel Good All Over) 1992
The Wayward Bus :: CD (PoPuP) 1992
"Long Vermont Roads" b/w "Alien Being" & "Beach-A-Boop-Boop" :: 7" (Harriet) 1993
Holiday :: CD (Feel Good All Over) 1994
The Charm of the Highway Strip :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2008)) 1994
"Why I Cry" b/w "The Man Amplifier" :: 7" (Motorway) 1995
Get Lost :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2008)) 1995
The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees (reissue) :: CD/CS (Merge) 1995
"All the Umbrellas in London" b/w "Rats in the Garbage of the Western World" :: 7" (Merge) 1995
"I Don't Believe You" b/w "When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There" :: 7" (Merge) 1998
Holiday (reissue) :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2011)) 1999
The House of Tomorrow (reissue) :: CDEP (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 1 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 2 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 3 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs 3-CD Box :: 3xCD (Merge) 1999
I Thought You Were My Boyfriend :: 12"/CD5 (Nonesuch) 2004
i :: CD (Nonesuch) 2004
Please Stop Dancing EP :: digital single (Merge) 2008
Distortion :: CD/LP (Nonesuch) 2008
Realism :: CD/LP (Nonesuch) 2010
69 Love Songs (ltd ed) :: 6x10" (Merge) 2010
Holiday (reissue) :: LP (Merge) 2011
"Andrew in Drag" b/w "When Next In Love I Fall" :: 7" (Merge) 2012
Love At The Bottom Of The Sea :: CD/LP (Merge) 2012
"100,000 Fireflies" b/w "Old Orchard Beach" :: 7" (Harriet) 1991
The House of Tomorrow EP :: 7"/CDEP (Feel Good All Over) 1992
The Wayward Bus :: CD (PoPuP) 1992
"Long Vermont Roads" b/w "Alien Being" & "Beach-A-Boop-Boop" :: 7" (Harriet) 1993
Holiday :: CD (Feel Good All Over) 1994
The Charm of the Highway Strip :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2008)) 1994
"Why I Cry" b/w "The Man Amplifier" :: 7" (Motorway) 1995
Get Lost :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2008)) 1995
The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees (reissue) :: CD/CS (Merge) 1995
"All the Umbrellas in London" b/w "Rats in the Garbage of the Western World" :: 7" (Merge) 1995
"I Don't Believe You" b/w "When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There" :: 7" (Merge) 1998
Holiday (reissue) :: CD (Merge (LP version released 2011)) 1999
The House of Tomorrow (reissue) :: CDEP (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 1 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 2 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs: Vol. 3 :: CD (Merge) 1999
69 Love Songs 3-CD Box :: 3xCD (Merge) 1999
I Thought You Were My Boyfriend :: 12"/CD5 (Nonesuch) 2004
i :: CD (Nonesuch) 2004
Please Stop Dancing EP :: digital single (Merge) 2008
Distortion :: CD/LP (Nonesuch) 2008
Realism :: CD/LP (Nonesuch) 2010
69 Love Songs (ltd ed) :: 6x10" (Merge) 2010
Holiday (reissue) :: LP (Merge) 2011
"Andrew in Drag" b/w "When Next In Love I Fall" :: 7" (Merge) 2012
Love At The Bottom Of The Sea :: CD/LP (Merge) 2012
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