50 Song Memoir Explained
50 Song Memoir is the eleventh studio album by American indie pop band The Magnetic Fields, released on March 10, 2017. 50 Song Memoir is an autobiographical concept album that chronicles the first 50 years of lyricist Stephin Merritt's life, with one song for each year that he has lived.[1]
Recording
The album was produced by Merritt with additional production by Thomas Bartlett and Charles Newman.[2] Merritt sings on all fifty tracks.
Tour
The fully staged live shows in support of 50 Song Memoir were directed by José Zayas[3] with an expanded Magnetic Fields lineup that included three additional musicians for the tour for a total of seven musicians, each playing a different instrument. On the tour the band played the entirety of 50 Song Memoir in two halves across two nights at each venue.[4]
Release
50 Song Memoir is available in five-L.P. and five-C.D. editions that include an interview by Daniel Handler and facsimile handwritten lyrics by Stephin Merritt, and as a bound book.
Reception
Upon release, the album received near universal acclaim, with the average critical score being an 86 out of 100 according to review aggregator website Metacritic.
Accolades
Personnel
The Magnetic Fields
- Stephin Merritt – lead vocals, Roland vocoder, ukulele, resonator ukulele, bass ukulele, 8-string ukulele, classical guitar, 12-string guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, electric bass, acoustic bass, mandola, autoharp, marxolin, bass banjo, charango, cavaquinho, harp, hammered dulcimer, bowed psaltery, electric sitar, Prophet-5, ARP String Ensemble, Moog Voyager, Casio VL-Tone, piano, keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano, Rhodes Piano Bass, organ, pianet, celeste, toy piano, prepared piano, Omnichord, audio pattern generator, kazoo, melodica, xylophone, glockenspiel, bass drum, log drum, slit drum, ocean drum, cymbal, tubes, rainstick, wind chimes, chimes, maracas, conga, bongos, triangle, tambourine, washboard, steel drum, shakers, finger cymbals, guiro, djembe, cajon, woodblock, bells, sleighbells, fingersnaps, thunder sheet, cabasas, cowbells, tongs, bottle, abacus, drum machines, tapes, feedback
- Claudia Gonson – background vocals, piano
- Sam Davol – cello, musical saw
- John Woo – guitar
- Shirley Simms – background vocals
Additional personnel
- Thomas Bartlett – mellotron, clavinet, omnichord, rhodes, piano, Moog synthesizer, optigan
- Christopher Ewen – synthesizers, kazoo, angklung, stylophone, omnichord
- Pinky Weitzman – viola, Stroh violin, musical saw
- Daniel Handler – background vocals, accordion, vibraphone, piano, Hammond organ, celeste
- Johny Blood – tuba, flugelhorn, mouthpiece
- Brad Gordon – trombone, pocket trumpet
- Randy Walker – background vocals
- Anthony Kaczynski – background vocals
- Otto Handler – spoken word
Notes and References
- Web site: The Magnetic Fields 50 Song Memoir. 17 November 2016. Nonesuch. 18 November 2016.
- Web site: Hill . Michael . Stephin Merritt Shares the Story Behind the Magnetic Fields' "50 Song Memoir" . Nonesuch Records . January 30, 2017 . 4 May 2023.
- Web site: Magnetic Fields Roll Out 2017 US Tour Schedule for 50 Song Memoir. 18 October 2016. The House of Tomorrow. 18 November 2016.
- Web site: The Magnetic Fields Announce Tour. Yoo. Noah. 20 October 2016. Pitchfork. 18 November 2016.
