50 Song Memoir

50 Song Memoir is as much the story of Stephin Merritt’s life as it is a love letter to song. It is a certifiable masterpiece and one that music lovers ‘round the world will not soon forget.

Though it lacks its predecessor’s immediate accessibility, it benefits from an aesthetic texture that’s grander, darker, and more satisfying, if only for the sense that memoirs don’t have to be confessional; they can tell a life’s story through tone and structure in addition to words. A good gimmick, it goes to show, has the power to transcend itself.

Merritt has lifted the curtain JUST enough to draw us that bit more into his world, while still maintaining both his brilliantly singular world-view and style AND enough distance for us to look on in abject admiration.

At times he delivers just that [a huge and definitive work].

What lingers, along with the musical brilliance and uncharacteristic openness of his 50 Song Memoir, is Merritt's humour; his distinctive baritone delivering countless witty sardonic kernels, sometimes assisted by a well-timed dramatic pause, all wrapped up in catchy, unforgettable songs.

An even richer reward for admirers--since he's never written with such frankness. [Apr 2017, p.32]

Two and a half hours is a hefty commitment, but if you take the time, you’ll have fun with this one.

An unprecedented two-and-a-half-hour journey into the typically guarded Merritt’s life, the album is as revealing as it is resonant.

Musical quirks do pile up, but the joys here are many, from Merritt’s deadpan views on ethics, discos, Levi’s 501s, tears and his local (Be True To Your Bar), to his magnificent way with a tune, in which complexity lurks within simplicity.

It’s an album worthy of Merritt’s grand half-century.

50 Song Memoir is a rare example of Stephin Merritt offering a look into his offstage life, but just as importantly it's a reminder of why he's a truly great songwriter, and this ranks with his finest work.

It all adds up to a life well-lived, in affecting songs.

Emotionally speaking, however, Merritt has recreated an inner life that sound agonisingly real. [Apr 2017, p.94]

A wild indulgence, of course, and a big investment of time, but like 1999's 69 Love Songs, well worth it. [Apr 2017, p.115]

It helps that most of the album sits squarely in Merritt’s musical comfort zones.