Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs [Kindle Edition]

This is how it should be done. I've read a few of the other books in the 33 1/3 series and though some were interesting or even great reads, this one alone stands out as a work of art in itself.

The previous reviewer suggested skipping the dictionary. Don't! It contains some of the best bits. It is very tongue in cheek, and in fact a very funny dictionary - very much in tone with the album.

My appreciation of the album was enhanced by reading this book. In fact I must admit I hadn't really listened to it carefully before. Some of the other books in the series, and indeed other books about music or any of the arts, can sometimes have the opposite effect. While they are not really bad books, they take something away from their subject, rob the of their dignity in a way. One such example is the Elvis Costello / Armed Forces book in this series. It's not a bad book, but it doesn't really make me want to listen to the album. I could name numerous other books, but this one sprang to mind. LD's book about 69 Love Songs makes you want to listen to every song on the album again and again. And then read the book again.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on LD Beghtol's companion piece to what's surely one of the best contemporary pop albums ever made. While some other books in the 33 1/3 series are written by vague onlookers, this one was written by a man at heart of the album (LD appears as a guest vocalist and regularly tours with the band).

The book is (roughly) split into two parts: there's a glossary of terms/words that appear in the songs and then there's a song-by-song analysis featuring quotes from band members, fans, producers, managers, journalists etc.

The glossary is, to be honest, easily skipped. Certain words/terms are insightful (it's nice to know the stories behind characters that appear in the songs like Ferdinand de Saussure, Camus and Busby Berkeley etc) but I didn't see the point of including things like acoustic guitar, art etc.

The song-by-song analysis throws up some great anecdotes and insider information and is well worth a read.

The only thing I'd say is that this isn't a book necessarily written by LD Beghtol. It's more a collection of quotes and words written about the album, compiled, overseen and designed by LD.

I feel like I'm complaining too much, but perhaps my expectations were somehow too high or merely different. It's not a particularly expensive book, so it's definitely worth a read. Unlike the record, however, it probably won't change your life.

Being a convert to The Magnetic Fields via this album a few years ago, I decided to re-immerse myself after buying the excellent album "69 Love Songs" again by buying this as a companion. Little did I know that it proved to be exactly that.

My friend had told me of the 33 1/3 edition about Neutral Milk Hotel's "In An Aeroplane Over The Sea", and how it was an account of its making, and needless to say, I thought this would be similar. I found that, not only was it completely different in style and approach, I thought the actual content was a bit of a letdown as well. The reviews before me have quite contrasting opinions about the dictionary that comes near the beginning, and I can see why. Merrit is so clever as a songwriter, that he does use a plethora of different words and influences for his songs. That said though, it's precisely Merrit's use of language and vocabulary which makes his songs so infatuating. They do not need to be interpreted perfectly.

The most informative and entertaining part to me, which does see a redeeming quality to the book, is the song-by-song guide featuring input and background form Merrit, and the rest of the band. This is interesting enough, but even this part frustrates me. I would much rather more of the background explained by Stephen Merrit, Claudia Gonson, the rest of the band and the production team more than the friends of the band. Does the author really think I care about anecdotes from "Ben Mattinson" who just "lives in Brooklyn"? The rest is pretty much diminishing returns in this style, a well transcribed conversation-cum-interview with Merrit, LD Beghtol and some other guy. It just feels like trying to understand a group of old friends deep in conversation with each other, full of in-jokes and history between each other. It just doesn't make for entertainment.

Perhaps if you are an absolute diehard fan of the album and band, you might be familiar with it all via internet communities and lots of reading. But for someone like myself, who is just becoming more than a casual fan of the album, it's a disappointment all in all. Considering it is part of an accessible series of books for people keen to learn more about the background of their favourite albums, this is not that enjoyable on the whole.

P.S I won't even start on how much Beghtol overcomplicates the language he uses via flowery adjectives and quoting things that, I, a music fan will probably never read. I consider myself pretty well read...