Distortion

Magnetic Fields
Nonesuch

Take some perky pop songs that range in sensibility from surf rock to British Invasion, and play them in an echo chamber that's six feet underground. That's the first impression of this muted marvel, which shrouds perfect pop nuggets in layers and layers of fuzz and noise. Even the strings and pianos have been tricked out with reverb. If that sounds like an incipient headache, soldier on and discover each track's hidden sunshine: The killer hooks, the airy harmonies, the bells and organ. Listen even more closely and check the lyrics, generally mournful and sardonic but with touches of wit, with darkly clever lines like "please stop dancing in my eyes" and "I hate California girls." This is dense, intricate, hypnotic stuff, and if it's not as perfect as the album that really put the band on the map, 69 Love Songs - well, what could be? It's still generally as delicious as dark chocolate, with Shirley Simm's sly voice providing the sweetness and Stephen Merritt's mournful baritone the bitterness.