Stephin Merritt Talks To Vermont Public Radio and The Magnetic Fields’ 50 Song Memoir Comes to Spotify

Vermont Public Radio has an interview with The Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, whose 50 Song Memoir is among one of the most critically-adored records of 2017. Telling the station about one of the LP’s tracks, “’78: The Blizzard of ’78,” Merritt explains, “It’s maddeningly repetitive, played on a somewhat out-of-tune electric dulcimer, which is basically a cigar box guitar with only three strings, with the electrical connection close to shorting out – at one point it does short out – and a particularly trashy sounding rhythm unit that simulates the sound of a 12-year-old banging on tin cans.” It’s one of many delightful high points on a 50-track record that spans a half-century of the songwriter’s life. Learn more about it, and hear the entire interview, right here.

Earlier this year, we serviced an abridged version of 50 Song Memoir that was curated specifically for radio. Now, we’re happy to report that the full album has been made available on Spotify – all 50 tracks! If you’ve already devoured the sampler and are looking for more, stream the full collection below.