Showtunes - Stephin Merritt
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Metascore
69 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Summary: This 26-track set compiles works composed by the Magnetic Fields leader for three separate Chen Shi-Zheng operas.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. NOW Magazine
    90
    The album is absurd, confusing (the random sequencing can be a bitch if you're trying to follow individual plots), hilarious (only Merritt could pen a libretto titled What A Fucking Lovely Day!) and bloody brilliant.
  2. musicOMH.com
    80
    Each of these tracks - the duelling-banjo Train Song; the elegiac And He Would Say - is really perfectly formed, beautifully satisfying in structure alone.
  3. All Music Guide
    80
    Some will be left wondering just what the hell Merritt is up to -- those poor sad kids who hung on every post-rock word of the Magnetic Fields records as if Merritt's abandoned them. And then, of course, there are the rest of you who will be delighted, puzzled, and intrigued by the sheer originality of this recording.
  4. Under The Radar
    60
    As a concept, this is an excellent work, filled with flashes of greatness. But as an album, Showtunes is often dragging and uneven. [#13, p.93]
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See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 2 out of 4
  1. jeffb
    9
    These songs are MUCH better when integrated within their whole mini operas. iTunes has all three of them. Strange but beautiful stuff. Lots for the Merritt/Fields fan to grab to.… Expand
  2. matta
    7
    There are some beautiful moments, but, as Pitchfork pointed out, the way Merritt chose to release the songs feels wrong. Using just a few traditional Chinese instruments for the musical makes sense, but for this record it feels like something is lacking. Obviously, this is how Merritt wanted it to be, but I just can't help but wonder if he would have fused the style on the record with magnetic fields. That right there would have raised it to a nine in my opinion.… Expand
  3. joshn
    3
    It's gets a three for "Shall We Sing a Duet" and it's reprise, otherwise I will never listen to any other song on this album. Reviews make it sound like listenable showtunes when actually it just pradles on to the point of irritation.… Expand
  4. ChazM
    1
    This album is utterly unlistenable, except for by critics hoping to make a point in the already frustrating spectrum of "Indie Rock." By the way, I do love 69 love songs… Expand

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