Those in the know might be familiar with The Magnetic Fields and their front man Stephin Merrit, who lives and works in New York City. Adept at computer music programming and production, Merritt records his own albums and plays almost everything on them with help from cellist Sam Davol, banjo player/second guitarist John Woo, and percussionist/ pianist Claudia Gonson. The Magnetic Fields have released six full-length CD's between 1993 and 1999, all on Merge Records. The Charm of the Highway Strip (1994) is an electro-country meditation on life on the open road.
Holiday (1994) has a more euro-pop sound, with songs about escape and nightlife. Get Lost (1995) has a mixture of styles and moods, including the intimate cabaret sound of With Whom to Dance? In 1999, the Magnetic Fields released their 3-disc set, 69 Love Songs. The album has sold 130,000 copies worldwide, and has brought Merritt's music to the mainstream eye. In addition to Merritt's singing, 69 Love Songs also features vocals by pianist Claudia Gonson, as well as three additional singers, LD Beghtol, Dudley Klute, and Shirley Simms. The album also included instrumental contributions of Future Bible Hero Chris Ewen, and novelist Daniel Handler on accordion.
In 2002, The Magnetic Fields signed a worldwide record deal with Nonesuch (Warner Brothers). Their first album for the label, i, was released in May, 2004, which was followed by Distortion in 2008. We are certainly looking forward to this concert and we hope you will join us in the upcoming months as we welcome Los Lobos, Aaron Neville, Malcolm Dalglish, Canadian Brass and local favorite Carrie Newcomer.
