Band: Magnetic Fields
Release: 2010
Label: Nonesuch Records

1. “You Must Be Out of Your Mind”- B+
2. “Interlude” – C-
3. “We Are Having A Hootenanny” – C
4. “I Don’t Know What To Say” – C-
5. “The Dolls Tea Party” – D
6. “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” – D+
7. “Walk Alone” – C
8. “Always Already Gone” – C-
9. “Seduced and Abandoned” – B-
10. “Better Things” – B+
11. “Painted Flower” – C-
12. “The Dada Polka” – C
13. “From A Sinking Boat” – C

Comments: Realism comes off as a joke, considering the lyrical content and light instrumentation. Even at their most amateur, Merritt and crew fail to win “cute” points, if that’s what they were shooting for. Jens Lekman, oft compared to Merritt, does well in that department (which, by the way, is a musical aesthetic not a physical characteristic). Some songs succeed when the cheese level is turned down. This album isn’t utter shit, but you have to be a patient listener to appreciate it.

Grade: C (74)