69 Love Songs - Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs Image
Metascore
88 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 40 Ratings

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  • Summary: The title says it all. This 3-disc set indeed contains 69 love songs, all penned by Stephin Merritt (whose other projects include The 6ths, Future Bible Heroes, and the Gothic Archies). The Magnetic Fields have evolved into a real "band," including keyboardist Claudia Gonson (also Merritt's manager) and multi-instrumentalist John Woo, and Merritt alternates on vocals with Gonson and additional singers. Despite the almost encyclopedic variety of styles and huge volume of songs, there is surprisingly little filler here.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
    100
    Even the "jazz" and "punk" cuts are good for a few laughs -- total losers are rare indeed.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    100
    69 elegant observations by a pop master.
  3. Almost Cool
    80
    He jumps styles of music effortlessly, all the while managing to pull things together with touching and inventive lyrics.... One of the best releases of the year.
  4. Rolling Stone
    60
    Merritt's compositions have a tossed-off, barely produced quality and are held together by sturdily constructed melodies that hark back to Eighties synth poppers like Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Smarticus
    10
    Amazing. Among my favourite albums of all time. Stephin Merritt is a prolific songwriter. There are so many gems on this album. It's a must haveâ… Expand
  2. WayneW.
    10
    This album is just a fun album to listen to. Stephin Merritt writes incredible lyrics!
  3. JohnP.
    10
    Lyrically brilliant and beautifully structured from start to finish. One of the most relevant and ambitious albums of the 90s, and a must-have for anybody who prides themselves as having good taste in music.… Collapse
  4. Jim
    10
    Rolling Stone is wrong again. A great album

See all 17 User Reviews

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