In March of 2012 Stephen Merritt released the best Magnetic Fields album since 2004’s i largely because it benefits with vast improvements in production over recent releases. Love at the Bottom of the Sea, song-writing wise is nothing but aces, but it could have been a whole lot better. Unfortunately for Love at the Bottom of the Sea, Merritt farmed-out half of the vocal duties to Claudia Gonson and Shirly Simms. I certainly appreciate most of the guest vocal contributions to 69 Love Songs, but most subsequent post 69 Love Songs MF songs would have benefited substantially if Merritt had provided his vocals instead.
Nearly the exact same complaint can be levied to the the April 4, 2012 MF set-list at Beacon Theater – too many songs with Claudia/Shirley on vocals. (L.D. and Dudley have been notably absent from the recent MF albums/tours. Pourquoi?!?)
I suspect Stephen Merritt, the lovable curmudgeon, generally finds touring bothersome and, therefore, the less he does on-stage, the better – hence heavy helpings of songs with Shirley or Claudia on vocals.
Here is a live take of the stand-out track on Love at the Bottom of the Sea, “Andrew in Drag”.
Beacon Theater April 4, 2012 set-list:
I Die
A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off
Your Girlfriend’s Face
Reno Dakota
Come Back From San Francisco
No One Will Ever Love You
I’ve Run Away to Join The Fairies
Plant White Roses
Drive on, Driver
My Husband’s Pied-A-Terre
Time Enough for Rocking When We’re Old
The Horrible Party
Smoke and Mirrors
Goin’ Back to the Country
Andrew in Drag
Quick!
Busby Berkeley Dreams
Boa Constrictor
The Book of Love
Fear of Trains
You Must Be Out of Your Mind
Grand Canyon
Swinging London
It’s Only Time
Smile! No One Cares How You Feel (The Gothic Archies)
Encore:
Tar-Heel Boy
Forever and a Day
Download: Magnetic Fields – Andrew In Drag (Live)
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