The “Bob’s Burgers Music Album” is coming your way May 12, and it’s loaded up with more goodies than a Poutine on the Ritz Burger.
This is not the time to be modern and go the digital route for your music. Hell, even buying the CDs isn’t old-school enough. Instead, if you buy the the “Bob’s Burgers Music Album” deluxe limited-edition gift box, that comes with three LPs (in “condiment-colored” vinyl?!), a Bob’s Buskers seven-inch white vinyl LP, a hardbound lyric book (for those times you need to know more than just “Butts, Butts, Butts”), a sheet music collection, three original posters and a lot more. What is “more” you ask? Take a look at the unboxing video below featuring Teddy’s hairy arms and mumbly narration to see everything:
Of course, the two-cd album is still chockfull of “Bob’s Burgers” audio goodness, which amounts to 107 songs.
This is not the time to be modern and go the digital route for your music. Hell, even buying the CDs isn’t old-school enough. Instead, if you buy the the “Bob’s Burgers Music Album” deluxe limited-edition gift box, that comes with three LPs (in “condiment-colored” vinyl?!), a Bob’s Buskers seven-inch white vinyl LP, a hardbound lyric book (for those times you need to know more than just “Butts, Butts, Butts”), a sheet music collection, three original posters and a lot more. What is “more” you ask? Take a look at the unboxing video below featuring Teddy’s hairy arms and mumbly narration to see everything:
Of course, the two-cd album is still chockfull of “Bob’s Burgers” audio goodness, which amounts to 107 songs.
- 2/23/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
A long distance relationship is put to the test in the first official Us trailer for Carlos Marques-Marcet’s seemingly breathtaking feature directorial debut, “10,000 Km.” The film stars Natalia Tena as Alex and David Verdaguer as Sergi, a Spanish couple whose relationship is tried when Alex moves to Los Angeles for an artistic residency. With Sergi staying behind in Barcelona, their interactions are relegated to the digital realm — Facebook, Skype, and email. Set to “Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing” by The Magnetic Fields, the trailer looks incredible. A modern romance for the modern, electronic age, “10,000 Km” has already been the recipient of high critical praise, including that from our own Nikola Grozdanovic who summed it up as, “Two actors. Two locations. Two laptops. One bittersweet movie.” Recalling, vaguely, Spike Jonze’s “Her,” the film follows the love story between two people separated by a digital wall. Only, in this case,...
- 5/20/2015
- by Zach Hollwedel
- The Playlist
We’re just 31 hours to the wedding — but for most of this week’s episode of How I Met Your Mother, we were back at MacLaren’s, and I don’t know about you, but I was missing the old neighborhood and appreciated the change of scenery.
This week had several homages to the romantic comedy holy grail –- When Harry Met Sally — so that means we must be getting close, with Ted coming to terms with his true feelings for Robin and Barney having a major breakthrough… Plus the return of Hammond Druthers, a.k.a. Bryan Cranston!
Spoilers ahead!
This week had several homages to the romantic comedy holy grail –- When Harry Met Sally — so that means we must be getting close, with Ted coming to terms with his true feelings for Robin and Barney having a major breakthrough… Plus the return of Hammond Druthers, a.k.a. Bryan Cranston!
Spoilers ahead!
- 11/12/2013
- by Laura Hertzfeld
- EW.com - PopWatch
Three years ago, singer Peter Gabriel released the covers album "Scratch My Back," in which he offered his takes on tunes by such noted artists as Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Neil Young, David Byrne, among others. Now it's payback time. According to Gabriel's website, the follow-up album, appropriately titled "And I'll Scratch Yours," will be released this fall and will feature a number of the same artists covering his songs. Arcade Fire, Lou Reed, David Byrne, Bon Iver, Brian Eno, and Elbow are among the returning artists. Randy Newman, Regina Spektor, Paul Simon and The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt are also participating. While...
- 7/25/2013
- by Dave Lewis
- Hitfix
Today is the Fourth of July, America's great big birthday, and what better to do on such a festive occasion than to barbecue some meat (or delicious vegetables), gather with friends and listen to some carefully chosen tunes while staring at the blinding light of impressive pyrotechnic shows overhead.
Well, you're in luck! We've put together a list of the 20 songs you should be listening to on Independence Day. Scroll down for the very indie playlist and let us know what songs you would add in the comments.
1. "Independence Day" - Elliott Smith
Let's start this holiday off with indie royalty.
2. "The Star Spangled Banner" - Sufjan Stevens
A little alternative patriotism.
3. "Parades Go By" - The Magnetic Fields
Because Fourth of July parades are almost as good as St. Patrick's Day.
4. "American Music" - Violent Femmes
An ode to American music on this uber-American day.
5. "4th of July" -...
Well, you're in luck! We've put together a list of the 20 songs you should be listening to on Independence Day. Scroll down for the very indie playlist and let us know what songs you would add in the comments.
1. "Independence Day" - Elliott Smith
Let's start this holiday off with indie royalty.
2. "The Star Spangled Banner" - Sufjan Stevens
A little alternative patriotism.
3. "Parades Go By" - The Magnetic Fields
Because Fourth of July parades are almost as good as St. Patrick's Day.
4. "American Music" - Violent Femmes
An ode to American music on this uber-American day.
5. "4th of July" -...
- 7/4/2013
- by Katherine Brooks
- Huffington Post
Luke Skywalker would be proud. Planets like Skywalker's fictional home of Tatooine in the "Star Wars" movie series might have more potential for habitability than planets in other systems, research suggests.
Tatooine's dual suns might actually help prevent damaging solar winds from bombarding planets in their system, allowing for a wider "Goldilocks zone" of habitability, Joni Clark, an undergraduate at New Mexico State University, said during a poster session at the 222nd meeting of the American Astronomical Society last week. [See Alien Planets With Twin Suns]
"[The stars] calm each other down," Clark told Space.com of her new work that expands on earlier studies examining binaries. "It's like a really good marriage. They vent to each other, and they're not focused on anything else. They slow each other down and that causes increased magnetic protection of the planets."
When the stars in a binary are somewhat evenly matched in mass, they can enter into a synchronized dance...
Tatooine's dual suns might actually help prevent damaging solar winds from bombarding planets in their system, allowing for a wider "Goldilocks zone" of habitability, Joni Clark, an undergraduate at New Mexico State University, said during a poster session at the 222nd meeting of the American Astronomical Society last week. [See Alien Planets With Twin Suns]
"[The stars] calm each other down," Clark told Space.com of her new work that expands on earlier studies examining binaries. "It's like a really good marriage. They vent to each other, and they're not focused on anything else. They slow each other down and that causes increased magnetic protection of the planets."
When the stars in a binary are somewhat evenly matched in mass, they can enter into a synchronized dance...
- 6/13/2013
- by Space.com
- Huffington Post
Future Bible Heroes, the band Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson are in that’s not The Magnetic Fields, is going on tour. There’s a catch, though: Merritt, who writes all the group’s melodies and lyrics, won’t be tagging along. Rather, the tour will consist of Gonson, Christopher Ewen, Magnetic Fields collaborator Shirley Simms, and Anthony Kaczynski only. A full list of dates is below. In his defense, Merritt has a pretty good excuse for skipping the tour. According to The New York Times, he suffers from hyperacusis, “which makes him sensitive to loud sounds.” And while Future ...
- 5/9/2013
- avclub.com
About a third of the way through this frustrating 80-minute film, English musician Johnny Flynn, portraying a charismatic drug addict, sings an acoustic version of The Magnetic Fields song "Papa Was a Rodeo" that's so plaintive and moving that it stops the show, so to speak, and also, regrettably, underscores the show's hollowness. Directed by newcomer Alexandra McGuinness, this beautifully photographed (by Gareth Munden) black-and-white film tracks a group of London-based trust-fund twentysomethings as they meet for coffee, go to parties, puke, flirt, and talk, a lot, about how bored they are. When tragedy strikes, the group doesn't know how to deal, so they head to a country manor to dance, drink, and betray each other sexually. Lotus Eaters, which McGuinness co-wrote with Bren...
- 4/4/2013
- Village Voice
1963
Johnny Cash: Blood, Sweat and Tears (Columbia)
Some of Cash's '60s concept albums were burdened with much too talking between tracks; here the tribute to the American working man gets to mostly stand alone on its musical merits, and shines. Notably, it incluces the top version of the traditional "John Henry"” about the most legendarily heroic working man ever, and the version of "Casey Jones" here is classic as well. Politically and psychologically, Cash was the perfect man for this job.
1968
Byrds: Notorious Byrd Brothers (Columbia)
Sometimes transitional albums, confusing listeners expecting a group's earlier style, are underrated. Not so with this classic. It's true that it didn't sell as well as earlier Byrds LPs, nor did the single from the album chart very high, but for decades Notorious Byrd Brothers has been widely revered, and not just by fans; some critics have even anointed it as the band's best album.
Johnny Cash: Blood, Sweat and Tears (Columbia)
Some of Cash's '60s concept albums were burdened with much too talking between tracks; here the tribute to the American working man gets to mostly stand alone on its musical merits, and shines. Notably, it incluces the top version of the traditional "John Henry"” about the most legendarily heroic working man ever, and the version of "Casey Jones" here is classic as well. Politically and psychologically, Cash was the perfect man for this job.
1968
Byrds: Notorious Byrd Brothers (Columbia)
Sometimes transitional albums, confusing listeners expecting a group's earlier style, are underrated. Not so with this classic. It's true that it didn't sell as well as earlier Byrds LPs, nor did the single from the album chart very high, but for decades Notorious Byrd Brothers has been widely revered, and not just by fans; some critics have even anointed it as the band's best album.
- 1/30/2013
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Moogfest 2012 is approaching. The unusual music festival takes up the experimental spirit of electronic music innovator Bob Moog and pushes it into even more far-reaching nooks and crannies of the ever-expanding genre. Moog, (which rhymes with Vogue, however much we wish it rhymed with "moo"), invented the Moog synthesizer, the first voltage-controlled subtractive synthesizer to utilize a keyboard as a controller.
Moog began a career in the 1950s as an electronic music engineer at the ripe age of 19. Twenty years later he had created the first music synthesizers that were portable, affordable and easily distributable. In a 2000 interview Moog said, "I'm an engineer. I see myself as a toolmaker and the musicians are my customers. They use my tools." One of our favorite accomplishments of his was creating analog effect pedals he dubbed "moogerfoogers." It doesn't get much better than that.
In honor of all things Moog, the electronic music...
Moog began a career in the 1950s as an electronic music engineer at the ripe age of 19. Twenty years later he had created the first music synthesizers that were portable, affordable and easily distributable. In a 2000 interview Moog said, "I'm an engineer. I see myself as a toolmaker and the musicians are my customers. They use my tools." One of our favorite accomplishments of his was creating analog effect pedals he dubbed "moogerfoogers." It doesn't get much better than that.
In honor of all things Moog, the electronic music...
- 8/10/2012
- by Priscilla Frank
- Huffington Post
The Magnetic Fields' second video for their 2012 album Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is here. In "Quick!," directed by James Spinney, a man and woman fall in love with each other, not at the bottom of the sea but at the bottom of two trash cans they call home. Stereogum points out a connection between the characters' credited names, "Ada" and "Blom," and a little-known 19th century writer, Ada Blom, who wrote a quirky confessional memoir about her romances, titled "The Biography Of A New York Hotel Scrub."
"Quick!" is the followup to "Andrew In Drag," the video for Stephen Merritt's very Stephen Merritt song about a man in love with his best friend's drag self. All things considered, a quirky romance writer sounds like a kindred spirit.
Watch "Quick!" below:...
"Quick!" is the followup to "Andrew In Drag," the video for Stephen Merritt's very Stephen Merritt song about a man in love with his best friend's drag self. All things considered, a quirky romance writer sounds like a kindred spirit.
Watch "Quick!" below:...
- 5/8/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
The annual South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin is just around the corner and those of us not going are getting more and more jealous with every additional performance announcement. The latest news brings ex-White Stripes frontman and Third Man Records empresario Jack White to the weeklong event, along with his opposite on the color spectrum, Tenacious D's Jack Black. They join a slew of previously announced artists, ranging from Insane Clown Posse to The Magnetic Fields, with Bruce Springsteen acting as this year's keynote speaker. Even Jay-z has joined the event. White's Third Man Records has previously made news at SXSW...
- 3/7/2012
- by Dave Lewis
- Hitfix
If you were a kid who grew up during the '90s, chances are you were probably watching either MTV or Nickelodeon to get your fix of entertainment for the day. And if you watched Nickelodeon, you were probably a fan of “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” the oddball series featuring two brothers both named Pete and their sometimes surreal adventures growing up in the suburb of Wellsville. Created by Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi -- who were working in the promo department at the still-fledgling network -- 'Pete & Pete' had begun as a series of shorts in 1989 before becoming a regular series several years later. But this wasn’t just any kids program. Not only did it feature an 8-year-old with a tattoo of a topless mermaid named Petunia and a personal superhero wildly gesticulating in skin tight pants but featured recurring guest stars, including Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop,...
- 2/29/2012
- by Cory Everett
- The Playlist
Tracy Ketcher Monks from the Drepung Gomang Monasteries at the Tibet House Benefit Concert.
It was a study in contrasts at Monday night’s annual benefit concert and dinner presented by Tibet House Us.
At Carnegie Hall, an invocation by monks from the Drepung Gomang Monasteries kicked off the evening. The monks, wearing yellow and red robes, sang a dirge, then solemnly removed their fringed hats to bow to the audience. Moments later, Laurie Anderson performed an amusing spoken-word piece...
It was a study in contrasts at Monday night’s annual benefit concert and dinner presented by Tibet House Us.
At Carnegie Hall, an invocation by monks from the Drepung Gomang Monasteries kicked off the evening. The monks, wearing yellow and red robes, sang a dirge, then solemnly removed their fringed hats to bow to the audience. Moments later, Laurie Anderson performed an amusing spoken-word piece...
- 2/15/2012
- by Barbara Chai
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Did you miss me? Because I brought presents, if I can just find time to prepare them for you guys. I have about 800 pictures, interviews with Travis Wall and Nick Lazzarini (they're huggers!), Alec Mapa, Bruce Vilanch and Dixie Longate. I have stories galore, from the over-the-top dance parties to just how filthy Idina Menzel's mouth is when she's not singing. I do want to thank Don and Rich at Atlantis Events for having me and Andrew Oldershaw of Fifteen Minutes for facilitating everything. That will all come later in the week, so let's get to our Meme. I hope you're ready for Meme Classic after all the tasty new writers you had last week!
Lifetime has cast the leads in their contemporary remake of The Blue Lagoon, and they went Down Under to grab Brenton Thwaites and Indiana Evans from Home and Away. But the big question is...
Lifetime has cast the leads in their contemporary remake of The Blue Lagoon, and they went Down Under to grab Brenton Thwaites and Indiana Evans from Home and Away. But the big question is...
- 2/7/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
The Magnetic Fields have unveiled the video for their new single 'Andrew In Drag'. The song is the first single from the Stephin Merritt-fronted group's upcoming album Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is released on March 5. 'Andrew In Drag' is available to buy now. The Magnetic Fields play a six-date UK and Ireland tour this spring, starting (more)...
- 2/6/2012
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
A new year, a new crop of pop culture to consume. Sure, "The Hunger Games" is gonna be huge, and yep, Madonna will definitely make a splash with her follow-up to “Hard Candy.” But here’s the first part of my list of 12 releases that I’m personally shaking and crying over in 2012. Welcome to my brain, Internet!
12. Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson
You just know "I’m untouchable, bitch" will become The catchphrase in 2012. Enjoy it now, until we get sick of it once “Drew Peterson: Untouchable” debuts on Lifetime January 21.
11. “Downton Abbey” Season Two!
At first, this British miniseries may look like every other stuffy “Masterpiece Theater” entry. But with lightning-fast pacing, relatable characters and enough “oh no she didn’t” barbs and juicy melodramatic twists to last a lifetime of Tyler Perry movies, “Downton Abbey” skirts the typical costume drama clichés. When’s the last time “PBS...
12. Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson
You just know "I’m untouchable, bitch" will become The catchphrase in 2012. Enjoy it now, until we get sick of it once “Drew Peterson: Untouchable” debuts on Lifetime January 21.
11. “Downton Abbey” Season Two!
At first, this British miniseries may look like every other stuffy “Masterpiece Theater” entry. But with lightning-fast pacing, relatable characters and enough “oh no she didn’t” barbs and juicy melodramatic twists to last a lifetime of Tyler Perry movies, “Downton Abbey” skirts the typical costume drama clichés. When’s the last time “PBS...
- 1/4/2012
- by Jim Cantiello
- MTV Newsroom
The Magnetic Fields have announced the release of their tenth studio album Love at the Bottom of the Sea. The Stephin Merritt collective revealed that their latest opus will be unveiled on March 5, 2012 - 21 years since their debut LP Distant Plastic Trees landed. Its release will be marked with a six-date tour of the UK and Ireland starting at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead on March 11 and concluding April 29 at the Cork Opera House. Love at the Bottom of the Sea is made up of 15 tracks, all of which clock in at under three minutes long and feature their signature mix of synth and acoustic sounds. The Magnetic Fields' previous albums Realism (2010), Distortion (2008) and i (2004) were dubbed by Meritt as the band's "no-synth trilogy". Addressing the return to their trademark (more)...
- 12/13/2011
- by By Daniel Sperling
- Digital Spy
Stephin Merritt thrives on self-imposed constraints. Whether doing soundtrack work under his own name or releasing aesthetically and topically themed albums with The Magnetic Fields, Gothic Archies, or Future Bible Heroes, Merritt has always displayed an uncanny ability to cram visceral pleasures into high-concept packages. Obscurities seems purposeful in its lack of a singular purpose, compiling a far-reaching selection of singles, rarities, and unreleased music from the period leading up to the Magnetic Fields’ career-defining 1999 epic 69 Love Songs. It’s a testament to Merritt’s conceptual discipline that a gorgeous 70th love song, “The Sun And The Sea ...
- 8/23/2011
- avclub.com
Merge Records has announced that The Magnetic Fields will return to the label for a new record due out sometime next year. The album will be chief songwriter Stephin Merritt’s first Magnetic Fields LP with Merge since 1999’s lengthy-yet-cherished 69 Love Songs. Before the new record, however, Merritt has a rarities collection titled Obscurities coming out on the label Aug. 23....
- 7/14/2011
- Pastemagazine.com
If Dimples, the name of the debut Ep by the Texas band The Nighty Nite, suggests a certain romantic sweetness, you're going to be disappointed. Led by former Paper Chase frontman and producer extraordinare John Congleton, The Nighty Nite fills Dimples with references to cancer, murder and greed, all delivered with the sort of Pentecostal urgency that makes you feel like bad things are just around the corner.
But these songs actually have enough punch and potency to wipe a smile across your face, with hooks that are built for the big time and then hurled with magnetizing gusto. Only the beginning of what Congleton hopes becomes a much bigger body of work, Dimples is a beautiful, brutal collection that makes you want more immediately after their thundering cover of The Magnetic Fields' "Meaningless" ends.
We spoke with Congleton about The Nighty Nite by e-mail. You can download the Ep's first track,...
But these songs actually have enough punch and potency to wipe a smile across your face, with hooks that are built for the big time and then hurled with magnetizing gusto. Only the beginning of what Congleton hopes becomes a much bigger body of work, Dimples is a beautiful, brutal collection that makes you want more immediately after their thundering cover of The Magnetic Fields' "Meaningless" ends.
We spoke with Congleton about The Nighty Nite by e-mail. You can download the Ep's first track,...
- 7/7/2011
- by Grayson Currin
- ifc.com
Ukulele connoisseur and The Magnetic Fields mastermind, Stephin Merritt is releasing a collection of hard-to-find recordings dating back to before "69 Love Songs," the album that brought Merritt out of obscurity, before all the Fox news morning shows and endlessly awkward interviews.
Titled, "Obscurities" the album features five previously unreleased songs, 14 total, all recorded prior to "69 Love Songs." Three of the unreleased tracks come from an unfinished science fiction musical that Merritt began writing with Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, called "The Song From Venus." Also included are five songs from various 7" vinyl singles by The Magnetic Fields, Merritt's side project the 6ths, a track from a rare K Records cassette-only release, and others.
Real "It was raining broken glass in the forgotten part of town" type stuff. "Obscurities" comes out on Merge Records August 23rd.
Download! "Forever and a Day," the first song from "Obscurities."
Here's the full track listing:...
Titled, "Obscurities" the album features five previously unreleased songs, 14 total, all recorded prior to "69 Love Songs." Three of the unreleased tracks come from an unfinished science fiction musical that Merritt began writing with Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, called "The Song From Venus." Also included are five songs from various 7" vinyl singles by The Magnetic Fields, Merritt's side project the 6ths, a track from a rare K Records cassette-only release, and others.
Real "It was raining broken glass in the forgotten part of town" type stuff. "Obscurities" comes out on Merge Records August 23rd.
Download! "Forever and a Day," the first song from "Obscurities."
Here's the full track listing:...
- 5/24/2011
- by Brandon Kim
- ifc.com
Tuesday night at the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Castro Theatre hosted one of the more inspired events of the festival. Every year, the San Francisco Film Society puts on an event pairing a musical act with a silent film. The past few years have seen Stephen Merritt (The Magnetic Fields) providing live music for the 1916 version of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” Dengue Fever accompanying the stop-motion feature-length film “The Lost World,” and Black Francis (The Pixies) lending his songs to “The Golem.” This time around, the festival decided to change the rules slightly and invited Tindersticks…...
- 5/7/2011
- The Playlist
This Saturday is every vinyl addict's favorite holiday: Record Store Day. On April 16th, music fans across the country will perform a simple act that in the digital age is becoming increasingly rare: Go to their local record store and buy music. What once started as a small annual celebration of independent record stores, Record Store Day has blossomed into a full-fledged musical celebration of the local music shop. Bands of all sizes and statures are offering limited edition albums, playing intimate shows, and giving fans future relics all in a show of solidarity with record stores.
Need some inspiration to dole out some cash? Buzzfeed has put together a depressing collection of old record store photos. See them and weep here. Now, ready to do your part? Head to Record Store Day's official website to find participating stores and on April 16th start shopping.
Here are some of the...
Need some inspiration to dole out some cash? Buzzfeed has put together a depressing collection of old record store photos. See them and weep here. Now, ready to do your part? Head to Record Store Day's official website to find participating stores and on April 16th start shopping.
Here are some of the...
- 4/15/2011
- by Melissa Locker
- ifc.com
Sometime in between hearing The Pogues’ “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” in a minivan commercial and the words “Whaaaat the Fffff?” fully processing in my brain, I decided to cathertically compile the following list of the 20 Most Inappropriate Songs Ever Used In Commercials. This subject has been broached numerous times online before, but before doing some research (some Google, but mostly library microfiche), I had no idea just how widespread this phenomenon was. Prepare your “huh?”s now: 20. Wendy’s – “Blister In The Sun” by Violent Femmes Nothing gets people in the mood for some Value Menu chili quite like one of pop music’s most notorious masturbation songs! I love Wendy’s and make it a point to stop there on any road trip, but I’m not sure I’ve ever been quite… that… excited about the fry-Frosty combination. Could they not acquire the rights...
- 4/13/2011
- by Dan Hopper
- BestWeekEver
Okay, so we knew there were some Magnetic Fields fans out there who’d be eager to catch Kerthy Fix’s intimate documentary portrait of Stephin Merritt & The Magnetic Fields. I think we might have underestimated the number of devoted out there though since all three shows we had a couple weeks back pretty much sold out.
Thankfully, for all of those who missed out the first time around, we’re bringing this insightful documentary about the cranky, lovable genius back to The Ritz for an entire week.
Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt & The Magnetic Fields screens Dec 3-9 at Alamo Ritz. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Click here to get them!
Thankfully, for all of those who missed out the first time around, we’re bringing this insightful documentary about the cranky, lovable genius back to The Ritz for an entire week.
Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt & The Magnetic Fields screens Dec 3-9 at Alamo Ritz. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Click here to get them!
- 11/25/2010
- by George Bragdon
- OriginalAlamo.com
Most fan-docs are fairly remedial, but Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt And The Magnetic Fields is more sophisticated than the norm, in keeping with its subject. Directors Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara reportedly spent 10 years on the film, though that time span isn’t really reflected in the finished work, which jumps around in telling The Magnetic Fields’ story, relying heavily on just a few formal sit-down interviews. What sets Strange Powers apart is how Fix and O’Hara evoke the peculiar headspace Merritt occupies while he’s working. The movie features lots of scenes of him writing, recording ...
- 10/28/2010
- avclub.com
Summary: An "as-intimate-as-they'll-allow" foray into the emotional and creative innerworkings of a true pop anomaly.
Stephin Merritt is cooler than you.
He is fat, bald, short, old, and chihuahua-owning, but he is cooler than you. He also happens to be one of the most gifted and unique working songwriters of our time, and the subject of Strange Powers, a documentary on him and his band of twenty years, The Magnetic Fields. Said band had been kicking around the subbasement of the American underground music scene for nearly a decade before the 1999 release of 69 Love Songs (as daunting, sprawling, and charming as it sounds) rustled up some mainstream success.
Screen Frontpage
read more...
Stephin Merritt is cooler than you.
He is fat, bald, short, old, and chihuahua-owning, but he is cooler than you. He also happens to be one of the most gifted and unique working songwriters of our time, and the subject of Strange Powers, a documentary on him and his band of twenty years, The Magnetic Fields. Said band had been kicking around the subbasement of the American underground music scene for nearly a decade before the 1999 release of 69 Love Songs (as daunting, sprawling, and charming as it sounds) rustled up some mainstream success.
Screen Frontpage
read more...
- 10/27/2010
- by Benny Gammerman
- Filmology
Stephin Merritt is a hilariously unhappy little man in a hat who spends all day sitting in a gay bar, writing songs. He is also, quite possibly, a songwriting genius; able to bring the swooning melody and lyrical bite of a Cole Porter or Irving Berlin, updating it with a modern, arch sensibility that is completely Merritt's own. He has been playing with his band, The Magnetic Fields, and more importantly, his main collaborator/longtime best friend Claudia Gonson, for nearly twenty years now, and their shining artistic statement (so far) has been the instant classic album 69 Love Songs (1999), a three disc epic of sixty-nine brilliant songs about love, spanning the range of life, from heartbreak to ecstacy, with song titles like "Papa Was a Rodeo," "Punk Love," "Absolutely Cuckoo," "Your Love is Like Jazz," "The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side," and much, much more. And the thing...
- 10/26/2010
- TribecaFilm.com
The sight of Toronto musician John O’Regan in his Diamond Rings getup—his cascading mohawk, multicolored tights, acid-washed denim, and Patrick Nagel eye makeup—screams electroclash irony, much like his taste for simplistic drum-machine patterns and vintage synth sounds. But although the laptop rocker’s 2009 breakthrough viral video “All Yr Songs” dripped with intentional gimmickry, it also hinted at a sincere sentimentality that O’Regan’s debut, Special Affections, wears wholeheartedly. Much of that is due to O’Regan’s voice, a charming, sad bastard baritone reminiscent of The Triffids’ David McComb or, more pointedly, The Magnetic Fields ...
- 10/26/2010
- avclub.com
Screen Queensland CEO Maureen Barron has confirmed that the Brisbane International Film Festival will move to a spring time slot (November 4-14) to align it with the Asia Pacific Screen Awards – as reported by Encore in June.
Brisbane will also have its first Underground Film Festival on September 9-October 1.
Barron announced that this year’s Biff – the 19th edition – will have a new look,, now under the direction of the state’s new head of screen culture and former Miff director, Richard Moore. It will also feature new venues (Palace Centro, Palace Barracks and the Tribal Theatre) and “refreshed” programming and awards that will cover films from Australia and across the world, documentaries, animation, late night thrillers, retrospectives and music films. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The festival’s Queensland Short Film Competition (Qsfc) – designed to reward and develop the creative talents of Queensland short filmmaker – will have a new category,...
Brisbane will also have its first Underground Film Festival on September 9-October 1.
Barron announced that this year’s Biff – the 19th edition – will have a new look,, now under the direction of the state’s new head of screen culture and former Miff director, Richard Moore. It will also feature new venues (Palace Centro, Palace Barracks and the Tribal Theatre) and “refreshed” programming and awards that will cover films from Australia and across the world, documentaries, animation, late night thrillers, retrospectives and music films. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The festival’s Queensland Short Film Competition (Qsfc) – designed to reward and develop the creative talents of Queensland short filmmaker – will have a new category,...
- 9/3/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
The folks at Siff seem determined to keep enthusiasm up at the end of the multi-week marathon festival, and in a big way. They’ve packed every moment until Sunday’s closing gala with screenings, parties and special events, as if they suddenly realized that they don’t have enough time left to do all they wanted (or that everyone’s getting a little weary and needs a boost).
Last night, for example, festival fans had to choose between two very different one-shot options: Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields playing his original live score for a new 35-mm print of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” originally made in 1916, and the “Gay-la” dance party. I went to the former. The most impressive thing about the screening was the Paramount Theater’s mighty Wurlitzer organ, played with aplomb by David Hegarty as Merritt and Daniel Handler played other instruments and threw in...
Last night, for example, festival fans had to choose between two very different one-shot options: Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields playing his original live score for a new 35-mm print of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” originally made in 1916, and the “Gay-la” dance party. I went to the former. The most impressive thing about the screening was the Paramount Theater’s mighty Wurlitzer organ, played with aplomb by David Hegarty as Merritt and Daniel Handler played other instruments and threw in...
- 6/10/2010
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Ever since his prominent appearance in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's trailer, a lot of Twilight fans have had their eyes on the series' newest looker, Xavier Samuel.
Samuel is featured in Teen Vogue's "New Vampire on the Block" special, and in his interview with the publication, Samuel talked about his experience on the set of Eclipse.
But the role of Riley was a perfect fit—and Xavier had a blast hanging out on the set of Eclipse. An indie-rock aficionado who has recently been digging The Magnetic Fields and The xx, Xavier joined in on periodic jam sessions with fellow guitarists Robert and Jackson Rathbone. (Xavier travels everywhere with his old Yamaha C-40.) And he bonded with Bryce Dallas Howard—his on-screen love...
Samuel is featured in Teen Vogue's "New Vampire on the Block" special, and in his interview with the publication, Samuel talked about his experience on the set of Eclipse.
But the role of Riley was a perfect fit—and Xavier had a blast hanging out on the set of Eclipse. An indie-rock aficionado who has recently been digging The Magnetic Fields and The xx, Xavier joined in on periodic jam sessions with fellow guitarists Robert and Jackson Rathbone. (Xavier travels everywhere with his old Yamaha C-40.) And he bonded with Bryce Dallas Howard—his on-screen love...
- 5/17/2010
- by thetwilightexaminer
- Twilight Examiner
The Magnetic Fields are an eclectic but fairly obscure American indie rock band that has been recording for nearly twenty years. While not a household name, they have a fairly devoted following, and many musicians, such as Peter Gabriel, count leader Stephin Merritt as one of the great contemporary American songwriters. In Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields, directors Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara follow the band for 10 years to get an understanding of Merritt and his songwriting technique, how the band makes their music, and the relationship between Merritt and his longtime collaborator and manager, Claudia Gonson. Generally, any documentary about an artist is either going to be a labour of love or an exposé. This film certainly falls into the former category, particularly considering the time and care used to make it. Fix and O’Hara are given intimate access to Merritt’s creative process.
- 5/8/2010
- by Shelagh
- DorkShelf.com
lf you couldn't guess, Strange Powers is a documentary about Stephin Merritt and his band, The Magnetic Fields. And as we are told about The Magnetic Fields early on, via a title card:
To some, they're an iconic band.
To most, they're completely unknown.
Going into the documentary, I fell somewhere in between these two extremes. I have a passing familiarity with the group, and some of Merritt's other musical projects, but I don't actually own any albums nor do I know much about Merritt aside from having heard that he could be a bit cantankerous, as author Neil Gaiman explains early in the doc, noting that a magazine interview of Merritt "made Lou Reed look like little Orphan Annie" (Merritt's former publicist explains that it's not so much that Merritt is cantankerous or intentionally difficult as it's that he's "the type of person who doesn't suffer fools lightly").
Merritt...
To some, they're an iconic band.
To most, they're completely unknown.
Going into the documentary, I fell somewhere in between these two extremes. I have a passing familiarity with the group, and some of Merritt's other musical projects, but I don't actually own any albums nor do I know much about Merritt aside from having heard that he could be a bit cantankerous, as author Neil Gaiman explains early in the doc, noting that a magazine interview of Merritt "made Lou Reed look like little Orphan Annie" (Merritt's former publicist explains that it's not so much that Merritt is cantankerous or intentionally difficult as it's that he's "the type of person who doesn't suffer fools lightly").
Merritt...
- 4/6/2010
- by Seth Freilich
Less than a week worth of recovering from the Sundance Film Festival, and we are already looking forward to our next, big film fest coverage. That would be the South by Southwest Film Festival held annually in Austin, Texas. Last year, Scott and I brought you all kinds of coverage from the Lone Star State, and this year doesn’t look to be much different.
With that, the announcement came last night of the feature films that will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Previous announcement were already made about films like Cold Weather, Electra Luxx, Hubble 3D, Lemmy, Saturday Night, and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights making their debut. Kick-ass was recently announced as the opening night film, as well.
Among the other films being presented this year are some Sundance darlings, a few, highly anticipated premieres, and MacGruber.
Check out the full list...
With that, the announcement came last night of the feature films that will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Previous announcement were already made about films like Cold Weather, Electra Luxx, Hubble 3D, Lemmy, Saturday Night, and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights making their debut. Kick-ass was recently announced as the opening night film, as well.
Among the other films being presented this year are some Sundance darlings, a few, highly anticipated premieres, and MacGruber.
Check out the full list...
- 2/4/2010
- by Kirk
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I was so excited at seeing the SXSW line up last night that I completely forgot to post it and started searching the interwebs for cool content to go with it. Oops. Yes, I wish I was there but alas, it wasn’t mean to be (though don’t despair. We’ll be bringing you wicked awesome coverage).
But enough rambling, you want to know what’s all playing. Well, for a start there’s the much anticipated McGruber (trailer), the Duplass’ semi-mainstream comedy Cyrus, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs (trailer, review), Daniel Stamm’s horror flick Cotton and that’s on top of the previously announced titles which include Electra Luxx (Carla Gugino as a pregnant porn star? Bring. It. On.) and Kick-Ass (trailer). That’s already a great line-up but dear me, some of the other titles are pretty awesome too.
There’s Clay Liford scifi drama Earthling (trailer...
But enough rambling, you want to know what’s all playing. Well, for a start there’s the much anticipated McGruber (trailer), the Duplass’ semi-mainstream comedy Cyrus, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs (trailer, review), Daniel Stamm’s horror flick Cotton and that’s on top of the previously announced titles which include Electra Luxx (Carla Gugino as a pregnant porn star? Bring. It. On.) and Kick-Ass (trailer). That’s already a great line-up but dear me, some of the other titles are pretty awesome too.
There’s Clay Liford scifi drama Earthling (trailer...
- 2/4/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Late yesterday the SXSW Fim Festival, which runs from March 12-20 in Austin, TX, announced the full lineup of films that will be screening at this year’s event. And baby, it’s quite a list. Mixing big name films with intimate indie gems, the sheer number of films and the vast array of talented filmmakers is sure to be a hit with attendees and critics alike.
This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.
For more on...
This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.
For more on...
- 2/4/2010
- by Chris Ullrich
- The Flickcast
The 2010 SXSW Film Festival and Conference has announced its initial slate of titles. The list is rife with hot world premieres (Kick-Ass), films fresh from Sundance (The Runaways, Cyrus), hot titles from the 2009 editions of Tiff and Cannes that haven't had much U.S. play (Enter the Void, Dogtooth, Trash Humpers), interesting documentaries (Lemmy, The People v. George Lucas) and much, much more. Simon Rumley's Red, White & Blue, which has received much praise on Twitch based on its Iffr screenings, will have its North American premiere.
Midnight programming courtesy of Fantastic Fest is also back with titles like Higanjima, Monsters, Serbian Film, Outcast, and a yet to be announced special film. Keep eye out for SXSW coverage at Twitch, but for now, pursue the massive list below (descriptions courtesy of SXSW).
Headliners
Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film...
Midnight programming courtesy of Fantastic Fest is also back with titles like Higanjima, Monsters, Serbian Film, Outcast, and a yet to be announced special film. Keep eye out for SXSW coverage at Twitch, but for now, pursue the massive list below (descriptions courtesy of SXSW).
Headliners
Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film...
- 2/4/2010
- Screen Anarchy
The SXSW Film, Music, and Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas just announced their list of features at this year's festival, and I have to say my excitement level has pinged up a couple of notches. I'm actually looking forward to this more than I was to Sundance, even though many of the same films are playing at both festivals. The all-seeing eye of the geek is on Kick-Ass, which will open the festival, but there are a ton of other projects that sound impressive, including the documentary The People vs. George Lucas, James Franco's Saturday Night project about Saturday Night Live, MacGruber (my own personal jury is still out on this one), and Bernard Rose's Mr. Nice.
SXSW differs from most other film festivals in that it also encompasses a massive music festival as well, and it's nice to see that reflected in the film selection. Films include...
SXSW differs from most other film festivals in that it also encompasses a massive music festival as well, and it's nice to see that reflected in the film selection. Films include...
- 2/4/2010
- by Kevin Kelly
- Cinematical
Stephin Merritt completes his “no synth” trilogy Providing the counterpart to 2008’s noise-pop experiment Distortion, The Magnetic Fields’ latest, Realism, is the band’s first attempt at folk music. Setting aside all instruments requiring an electric cord, Stephin Merritt and his bandmates trade the former album’s fixation on feedback and fuzz for a focus on crisp textures and neatly arranged acoustic instruments such as banjo, tuba, cello and accordion....
- 1/26/2010
- Pastemagazine.com
The Magnetic Fields’ main man Stephin Merritt claims that Realism is the clear-headed answer to the purposefully excessive fuzz of 2008’s Distortion. Sonically, that’s true. But thematically, Realism’s Big Idea involves expressing adult concerns over music fit for children, then reveling in the disconnect. Merritt and his lineup of guest vocalists sing songs about the lost, the lonely, and the self-obsessed, set to bells, accordions, and an array of pluckable acoustic instruments. Whether Magnetic Fields are excoriating the look-at-me generation in the twinkly “The Dolls’ Tea Party” or evoking fairytale imagery in the haunting love song “Walk ...
- 1/26/2010
- avclub.com
"Zombieland" — a horror-comedy flick starring Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and (inexplicably) that girl from "Little Miss Sunshine" — hits theaters today, and since we're huge fans of gore, head injuries, violence, quips and Jesse Eisenberg, we've compiled a special playlist for the occasion. The undead have been a common theme in pop music for decades, from the Zombies to White Zombie to Michael Jackson's brain-eating-tastic "Thriller." These are our favorite zombie tunes — 13 of them, in fact, because that's extra spooky.
The Cranberries, "Zombie" - A crushing, angry song about the ethno-political violence that racked Northern Ireland for more than 30 years. It's not exactly easy listening, but it's also probably the most popular "zombie" song ever written, so we've included it here. Seriously, if you are of a certain age (say, 25-30), you can remember hearing this tune on the radio — or seeing the video on MTV — every 15 minutes or so.
The Cranberries, "Zombie" - A crushing, angry song about the ethno-political violence that racked Northern Ireland for more than 30 years. It's not exactly easy listening, but it's also probably the most popular "zombie" song ever written, so we've included it here. Seriously, if you are of a certain age (say, 25-30), you can remember hearing this tune on the radio — or seeing the video on MTV — every 15 minutes or so.
- 10/2/2009
- by James Montgomery
- MTV Newsroom
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