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"Distortion" marks a distinct shift in the sound compared to previous works by Magnetic Fields: from the intimate, sugary "twee" folk-ballad with hints of synth-pop, to a shoegaze-based structure that characterizes the backbone of every track on the album.
Distortions, therefore, as suggested by the title (a programmatic one, just like "69 Love Songs" was five years earlier). Distortions like surges of white granite that crash down from above onto the melodic textures, submerging them up to the neck and, in doing so, making them (paradoxically) even more piercing, engraving them with scratches in the mind. This was, after all, the immense insight of albums like "Psychocandy" by the Jesus & Mary Chain and "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine: the melodies were there and they were exquisite, but you had to overcome a thick wall of granite to reach them. But once you reached them... what orgasms!
To those who saw "Distortion" as a mere revision of the aforementioned works (especially "Psychocandy"), I would say this: isn't, perhaps, revisionism one of the many paths available to the artist? Isn't Tim Burton's cinema filled with numerous stylistic elements typical of Fellini's cinema? And yet, it seems to me that everyone, both audience and critics, agree on defining him, if not a genius, at least one of the most talented directors of our times (I might even call him a genius myself, but I don't like to overcommit). Not everyone is Fellini (nor are the Jesus & Mary Chain).
However, I tell you that this is not merely about revisionism. Like previous Magnetic Fields' works, this album primarily stands on the strong legs of the sharp and refined melodies that make it up. Refined in the sense of "studied"; "studied" in both the artisanal and philological sense: the search for the perfect melody, a distillation of years of toil and experience; the search for a melody that bridges the distant past to the present (Beach Boys and traditional songs magnificently actualized). The melodies, we were saying... yes, because try playing yourself a "Taste Like Honey" (from "Psychocandy") with an acoustic guitar and... well, draw your own conclusions. Then listen to "The Nun's Litany" in its acoustic guitar+voice version (findable on the web). A poignant melody, a seemingly simple harmonic progression, but one that conceals a deep sense, a sublime inspiration, which, stripped of adornments/distortions as it is, would suffice to make it a small masterpiece of song. If you add the granite wall of drone and reverberations mentioned above, the result could (and I say COULD, remember: I don't like to overcommit!) be one of the most interesting albums released this year that's nearly at its end (saturated with dignity-lacking parasites... and let me complete the quote, for goodness' sake!). This is "Distortion" for me. And for you?Tracklist Samples and Videos
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By easycure
The greatness of the record lies in its being unabashedly full of references yet never trivially revivalist.
It is a record that holds the power of storytelling, which makes it confusingly genius.
By nino
Pop explained to my mother (who has never heard of the Jesus and Mary Chain) or the poetry of feedback in the anthology of distortion.
To write a love song you don’t have to use the foil; you can also use the axe, to cut the thicker feelings.
