The Magnetic Fields' century-ending triple-CD, 69 Love Songs, left little doubt that Stephin Merritt is the most versatile and prolific songwriter of his generation. He returns barely a year later with a pair of new discs, offering nineteen more nuggets from two of his other groups. While neither release comes close to his previous epic's weight or quality, even as minor entries to Merritt's catalog they reinforce the impression that he has an innate knack for words and music -- pop bliss corrodes Merritt's marrow, and toxic levels of melodic swagger lace his bile.

In both brevity and theme, Future Bible Heroes' EP I'm Lonely (And I Love It) serves as an antidote to 69's lovesickness. Teaming Merritt's typically wry lyrics with house and synth-pop tracks by Boston DJ Christopher Ewen, the trio -- completed by Merritt's sidekick-manager Claudia Gonson -- strings together a slender set of humorously coldhearted would-be club hits that celebrate hopelessness, freedom from tedious human relationships and numbness to heartbreak. Call it 5 Loveless Songs.

With the 6ths' second release, Hyacinths and Thistles, Merritt's rotating guest-singer project points in a direction befitting an acclaimed composer with limited vocal appeal (cf Bob Dylan). But doing "covers" of his own songs with the voices of New Wave heroes (Gary Numan, Marc Almond) and like-sounding contemporaries (Momus, Bob Mould) keeps it way too indie rock and insiderish for those of us who think Madonna and Britney Spears should be popularizing his songs. While memorable tunes abound, and at least one left-fielder scores (Sixties folk-pop singer Melanie returns, singing like Tom Waits channeling Lotte Lenya), the 6ths largely seem inclined to preach to the converted. Call this one 14 Self-Love Songs. (RS 849)

RONI SARIG

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(Posted: Sep 14, 2000)