- The Magnetic Fields【 221 songs in total 】
- The Magnetic Fields (named after the André Breton/Philippe Soupault novel Les Champs Magnétiques) are an American indie pop group founded and led by Stephin Merritt. Merritt is the group's primary songwriter, producer, and vocalist, as well as frequent multi-instrumentalist. The Magnetic Fields is essentially a vehicle for Merritt's songwriting, as are various side-projects including The 6ths, Future Bible Heroes, and The Gothic Archies. While the musical style of the band is varied, its songs are commonly attributed to pop genres such as synthpop, indie pop, Baroque pop and noise pop. The band is often cited[citation needed] as being recognizable for Merritt's lyrics, which are often about love and with irregular or neutral gender roles, and are by turns ironic, tongue-in-cheek, bitter, and humorous.
The band released their debut single '100,000 Fireflies' in 1991. The single was typical of the band's earlier career, characterized by synthesized instrumentation by Merritt, with lead vocals provided by Susan Anway (and then by Stephin Merritt himself from The House of Tomorrow (EP) onwards). A more traditional band later materialized; it is now composed of Merritt, Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, and John Woo, with occasional guest vocals by Shirley Simms. The band's best-known work is the 1999 three-volume concept album 69 Love Songs. It was followed in the succeeding years by a 'no-synth' trilogy: i (2004), Distortion (2008), and Realism (2010). The band's most recent album, 50 Song Memoir, was released in March 2017.
History
The band began as Merritt's studio project under the name Buffalo Rome. With the help of friend Claudia Gonson, who had played in Merritt's band The Zinnias during high school, a live band was assembled in Boston, where Merritt and Gonson lived, to play Merritt's compositions. The band's first live performance was at T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1991 where they played to a sparse audience that was expecting to see the Galaxie 500 spin-off, Magnetophone.
The 1999 triple album 69 Love Songs showcased Merritt's songwriting abilities and the group's musicianship, demonstrated by the use of such varied instruments as the ukulele, banjo, accordion, cello, mandolin, flute, xylophone, and the Marxophone, in addition to their usual setting of synthesizers, guitars, and effects. The album features vocalists Shirley Simms, Dudley Klute, L.D. Beghtol, and Gonson, each of whom sings lead on six songs as well as various backing vocals, plus Daniel Handler (who has written under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket) on accordion, and longtime collaborator Christopher Ewen (of Future Bible Heroes) as guest arranger/synthesist. Violinist Ida Pearle makes a brief cameo on 'Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side'.
The band's recent albums, i (2004) and Distortion (2008), both followed the album theme structure of 69 Love Songs: The song titles on i begin with the letter (or, in the case of half the songs' titles, the pronoun) 'I', whilst Distortion was an experiment in combining noise music with their typically unconventional musical approach. The liner notes claim the album was made without synthesizers. According to an article: 'To celebrate the release of Distortion, Merritt and The Magnetic Fields played mini-residencies in cities around the country, culminating with six shows at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music.'
Realism was released in January 2010, concluding what Merritt termed the 'no-synth' trilogy (following i and Distortion). The next album produced would feature synthesisers 'almost exclusively'.
In 2010, the documentary film Strange Powers: Stephen Merritt and the Magnetic Fields made its debut in film festivals around the world. It was directed by Kerthy Fix and Gail O'Hara. Shot over a period of 10 years, it discusses the formation of the band, Stephin's friendship with Claudia Gonson, the production of various albums, and Stephin's move to California from New York. It won the Outfest 2010 Grand Jury Prize for Feature Documentary and Starigrad Paklenice Prize for Directing.
The band was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform a rare festival performance at the All Tomorrow's Parties event that he curated in March 2012 in Minehead, England.
The band released its tenth full-length album, Love at the Bottom of the Sea, on March 6, 2012 to critical acclaim. This album, sometimes compared to 69 Love Songs, brought back the use of a synthesizer. Merritt told fans on his website, 'I was very happy to be using synthesizers in ways that I had not done before. Most of the synthesizers on the record didn't exist when we were last using synthesizers.' The song 'Andrew in Drag' has garnered much attention, receiving play from entities such as CBS News and NPR's 'All Songs Considered.' In 2012, the Magnetic Fields celebrated its new album by launching a North American and European tour. It began on March 6, the release date of Love at the Bottom of the Sea, and continued for two months.
In 2016 it was announced that the band's eleventh studio album, 50 Song Memoir would contain fifty songs, akin to the 69 Love Songs concept, one to commemorate each year since Stephin Merritt was born. It was released in March 2017.
Members
Official members
Stephin Merritt – guitar, ukulele, keyboards, harmonium, melodica, lead vocals
Claudia Gonson – piano, drums, percussion, vocals, group manager
Sam Davol – cello, flute
John Woo – banjo, guitar
Shirley Simms – autoharp, ukulele, vocals
Other contributors
Current and former contributors include singers Susan Anway, Dudley Klute, Nell Beram, and LD Beghtol, as well as instrumentalists Johny Blood, Daniel Handler, Chris Ewen and engineer/producer Charles Newman and instrumentalist and singer Pinky Weitzman.
Discography
Main article: The Magnetic Fields discography
Studio albums
Distant Plastic Trees (1991)
The Wayward Bus (1992)
The Charm of the Highway Strip (1994)
Holiday (1994)
Get Lost (1995)
69 Love Songs (1999)
i (2004)
Distortion (2008)
Realism (2010)
Love at the Bottom of the Sea (2012)
50 Song Memoir (2017)
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Song
Lyricist
Composer
Date
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1
100,000 Fireflies
Stephin Merritt
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2
A Chicken with Its Head Cut Off
Stephin Merritt
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3
A Pretty Girl Is Like ...
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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4
Abigail, Belle Of Kilronan
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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5
Absolutely Cuckoo
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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6
Acoustic Guitar
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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7
Alien Being
Stephin Merritt
-
8
All I Want To Know
Stephin Merritt
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9
All My Little Words
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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10
All She Cares About Is Mariachi
2012-03
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11
All the Umbrellas in London
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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12
All You Ever Do Is Walk Away
Stephin Merritt
-
13
Always Already Gone
2010-12
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14
Andrew in Drag
2012-03
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15
Asleep And Dreaming
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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16
Beach-a-Boop-Boop
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17
Better Things
2010-12
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18
Bitter Tears
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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19
Blue You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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20
Boa Constrictor
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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21
Born For Love
2012-03
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22
Born on a Train
Stephin Merritt
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23
Busby Berkeley Dreams
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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24
California Girls
2013-01
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25
California Girls
2008
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26
Candy
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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27
Come Back From San Francisco
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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28
Courtesans
2008
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29
Crazy for You But( Not That Crazy)
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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30
Crowd Of Drifters
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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31
Dancing In Your Eyes
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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32
Deep Sea Diving Suit
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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33
Desert Island
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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34
Don't Look Away
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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35
Dreams Anymore
Stephin Merritt
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36
Drive On, Driver
2008
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37
Either You Don't Love Me or I Don't Love You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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38
Epitaph for My Heart
Stephin Merritt
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39
Epitath for My Heart
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40
Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree
2010-12
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41
Experimental Music Love(Provided)
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42
Falling In Love With The Wolfboy
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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43
Famous
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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44
Fear Of Trains
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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45
Fido, Your Leash Is Too Long
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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46
For We Are The King Of The Boudoir
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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47
For We Are the Kings of the Boudoir
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48
From A Sinking Boat
2010-12
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49
God Wants Us to Wait
2012-03
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50
Goin' Back to the Country
2012-03
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51
Grand Canyon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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52
he Way You Say Good-Night
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53
Heather Heather
Stephin Merritt
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54
Heroes
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55
How Fucking Romantic
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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56
How to Say Goodbye
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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57
I Can't Touch You Anymore
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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58
I Die
Stephin Merritt
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59
I Die: You Die
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60
I Don't Believe In The Sun
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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61
I Don't Believe You
Stephin Merritt
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62
I Don't Know What To Say
2010-12
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63
I Don't Like Your Tone
2012-03
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64
I Don't Really Love You Anymore
Stephin Merritt
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65
I Don't Want to Get Over You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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66
I Have The Moon
Stephin Merritt
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67
I Looked All Over Town
Stephin Merritt
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68
I Shatter
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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69
I Think I Need a New Heart
Stephin Merritt
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70
I Thought You Were My Boyfriend (Single Edit)
Stephin Merritt
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71
I Thought You Were My Boyfriend
Stephin Merritt
-
72
I Was Born
Stephin Merritt
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73
I Wish I Had an Evil Twin
Stephin Merritt
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74
I'd Go Anywhere with Hugh
2012-03
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75
I'll Dream Alone
2008
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76
I'll Dream Alone
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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77
I'm Sorry I Love You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
78
I'm Tongue-Tied
Stephin Merritt
-
79
I've Run Away to Join the Fairies
2012-03
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80
If There's Such A Thing As Love
Stephin Merritt
-
81
If You Don't Cry
Stephin Raymond Merritt
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82
In An Operetta
Stephin Merritt
-
83
In My Car
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
84
In My Secret Place
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
85
Infatuation (With Your Gyration)
2012-03
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86
Infinitely Late At Night
Stephin Merritt
-
87
Interlude
2010-12
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88
Irma
Stephin Merritt
-
89
Is This What They Used To Call Love?
Stephin Merritt
-
90
It's a Crime
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
91
It's Only Time
Stephin Merritt
-
92
Jeremy
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
93
Josephine
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
94
Kings
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
95
Kiss Me Like You Mean It
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
96
Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
97
Let's Pretened We're Bunny Rabbits
-
98
Living In An Abandoned Firehouse With You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
99
Lonely Highway
Stephin Ray Merritt
-
100
Long Vermont Roads
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
101
Long-Forgotten Fairytale
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
102
Long-Forgotton Fairytale
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103
Love Goes Home to Paris in the Spring
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
104
Love In The Shadows
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
105
Love Is Lighter Than Air
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
106
Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
107
Love Is Like Jazz
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
108
Lovers From The Moon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
109
Meaningless
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
110
Mr. Mistletoe
2008
-
111
My Husband's Pied-a-Terre
2012-03
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112
My Only Friend
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
113
My Sentimental Melody
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
114
No One Will Ever Love You
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
115
Nothing Matters When We're Dancing
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
116
Old Fools
2008
-
117
Old Orchard Beach
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
118
Painted Flower
2010-12
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119
Papa Was a Rodeo
Stephin Merritt
-
120
Parades Go By
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
121
Plant White Roses
Stephin Merritt
-
122
Please Stop Dancing
2013-01
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123
Please Stop Dancing
2008
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124
Promise of Eternity
-
125
Promises Of Eternity
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
126
Punk Love
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
127
Queen Of The Savages
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
128
Quick!
2012-03
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129
Railroad Boy
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
130
Rats in the Garbage of the Western World
-
131
Reno Dakota
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
132
Roses
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
133
Sad Little Moon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
134
Save a Secret for the Moon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
135
Seduced & Abandoned
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
136
Seduced And Abandoned
2010-12
-
137
Smoke and Mirrors
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
138
Smoke Signals
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
139
Strange Eyes
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
140
Strange Powers
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
141
Stray With Me
Stephin Merritt
-
142
Suddenly There Is A Tidal Wave
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
143
Sugar World
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
144
Summer Lies
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
145
Sunset City
George Cates, Jack K. Pleis, Unknown Writer
-
146
Sweet-Lovin' Man
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
147
Take Ecstasy With Me
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
148
Tar-Heel Boy
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
149
Technical (You're So)
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
150
The Book of Love
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
151
The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
152
The Dada Polka
2010-12
-
153
The Death Of Ferdinand De Saussure
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
154
The Desperate Things You Made Me Do
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
155
The Desperate Things You Make Me Do
-
156
The Dolls' Tea Party
2010-12
-
157
The Dreaming Moon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
158
The Flowers She Sent And The Flowers She Said She Sent
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
159
The Horrible Party
2012-03
-
160
The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side
Stephin Merritt
-
161
The Machine in Your Hand
2012-03
-
162
The Night You Can't Remember
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
163
The Nun's Litany
2008
-
164
The Nun's Litany(Alternate Vocal Version)
2013-01
-
165
The One You Really Love
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
166
The Only Boy in Town
2012-03
-
167
The Saddest Story Ever Told
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
168
The Sun Goes Down And The World Goes Dancing
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
169
The Things We Did and Didn't Do
-
170
The Things We Did
-
171
The Trouble I've Been Looking For
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
172
The Village in The Morning
Stephin Raymond Merritt, Robert Marshall Scott
-
173
The Way You Say Good-Night
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
174
Three-Way(Provided)
2008
-
175
Till The Bitter End
2008
-
176
Time Enough For Rocking When We're Old
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
177
Tokyo A-Go-Go
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
178
Too Drunk To Dream
2008
-
179
Too Drunk To Dream
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
180
Torn Green Velvet Eyes
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
181
Two Characters In Search Of A Country Song
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
182
Two Kinds Of People
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
183
Underwear
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
184
Very Funny
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
185
Walk A Lonely Road
2010-12
-
186
Washington, D.C.
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
187
We Are Having A Hootenanny
2010-12
-
188
When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There
-
189
When My Boy Walks Down the Street
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
190
When the Open Road Is Closing In
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
191
When You Were My Baby
-
192
When You're Old And Lonely
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
193
Wi' Nae Wee Bairn Ye'll Me Beget
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
194
With Whom To Dance?
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
195
World Love
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
196
Xavier Says
2008
-
197
Xylophone Track
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
198
Xylophone
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
199
Yeah! Oh, Yeah!
-
200
You And Me And The Moon
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
201
You Must Be Out Of Your Mind
2010-12
-
202
You're My Only Home
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
203
Young And Insane
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
204
Your Girlfriend's Face
2012-03
-
205
Zebra
Stephin Raymond Merritt
-
206
Zombie Boy
2008
-
207
'01: Have You Seen It in the Snow?
2017
-
208
'02: Be True to Your Bar
2017
-
209
'05: Never Again
2017
-
210
'06: 'Quotes'
2017
-
211
'12: You Can Never Go Back to New York
2017
-
212
'68: A Cat Called Dionysus
-
213
'71: I Think I'll Make Another World
-
214
'74: No
2017
-
215
'81: How to Play the Synthesizer
2017
-
216
'83: Foxx and I
2017
-
217
'85: Why I Am Not a Teenager
2017
-
218
'86: How I Failed Ethics
2017
-
219
'88: Ethan Frome
2017
-
220
'92: Weird Diseases
2017
-
221
'93: Me and Fred and Dave and Ted
2017