The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees

by The Magnetic Fields

Overview

Magnetic Fields' first two albums, released in 1990 and 1992 on tiny indies and all but ignored until the release of this double CD in 1994, are among the most influential records of '90s indie pop. Resolutely unfashionable in the dawning of grunge, with their early-'80s synthesizers and deliberately twee lyrical preoccupations, these albums are directly responsible for dozens, if not hundreds, of less capable imitators. Thing is, they're also the least interesting and most atypical Magnetic Fields albums. Both albums were sung by Susan Anway, whose deliberately deadpan voice sounds like a cross between Tracey Thorn and Francoise Hardy, instead of Stephin Merritt. While Anway's voice has an alluring charm on many tracks and is absolutely perfect for songs like the Phil Spector pastiche "When You Were My Baby" and the classic heartbreaker "100,000 Fireflies," she can't always put across Merritt's signature mix of cynicism and romantic longing. For that matter, these are Merritt's weakest songs both lyrically and melodically, with only flashes of the wit and sophistication that flowered on later Magnetic Fields albums. While there are several gems to be found here, including the hypnotic "You Love to Fail" and the swooning "Suddenly There Is a Tidal Wave," many of the melodies are unmemorable and a few of the lyrics strive for the kind of offhand cleverness that would later become Merritt's trademark. These records are historically important, and entertaining in their way, but they're by far the weakest releases of Merritt's career. ~ Stewart Mason

Product Details

Release Date:	12/02/2016
Label:	Merge
UPC:	0673855007533
Rank:	27378

Tracks

Disc 1

1. When You Were My Baby
2. The Saddest Story Ever Told
3. Lovers From The Moon
4. Candy
5. Tokyo ¿¿ Go-Go
6. Summer Lies
7. Old Orchard Beach
8. Jeremy
9. Dancing in Your Eyes
10. Suddenly There Is a Tidal Wave

Disc 2

11. Railroad Boy
12. Smoke Signals
13. You Love to Fail
14. Kings
15. Babies Falling
16. Living in an Abandoned Firehouse With You
17. Tar-Heel Boy
18. Falling in Love With the Wolfboy
19. Josephine
20. 100,000 Fireflies
21. 100,000 Fireflies

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Magnetic Fields   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Stephin Merritt   Composer
Gage   Composer