American music group led by Stephin Merritt, noted for literate songwriting and the landmark 69 Love Songs. Their sound spans indie pop, synth-pop and, on Distortion, shoegaze textures.

Stephin Merritt is the principal songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The Magnetic Fields formed in 1989 and are based in the United States. The triple album 69 Love Songs (1999) and albums such as Distortion, Holiday and The Charm of the Highway Strip are widely discussed in published reviews.

DeBaser reviews praise Stephin Merritt's songwriting, baritone delivery and melodic craft. Key albums discussed include 69 Love Songs, Distortion, Holiday, The Charm of the Highway Strip and 50 Songs Memoir. Reviewers note shifts from synth-pop to shoegaze textures and consistently admired melodies.

For:fans of indie pop, synth-pop, shoegaze and literate songwriting

 An ice-cold beer on the little terrace, the clouds chasing each other, and "Holiday" in the headphones: sometimes it really takes very little.

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 Distortions, therefore, as suggested by the title (a programmatic one, just like "69 Love Songs" was five years earlier).

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 Merritt, who handles almost all of the rich and varied instrumentation, over 100 units, ranges from the Ukulele to the Farfisa organ, from the acoustic guitar and the Stratocaster to the Dulcimer, from the celesta to the charango and the abacus, going through Synths and Drum machines of all types and eras.

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