PopMatters rates the new Magnetic Fields album, Distortion, an 8 out of 10, and as the site's Associate Music Editor Dave Heaton sees it, the titular sound effects form part of Stephin Merritt's comment on the genre of rock 'n' roll, and his place in it:

The cloud of noise surrounding the songs may, in the abstract, bring to mind some leather-jacketed, sneering rockers, but the melodies are as pop as anything he’s done. Catchy melodies are supported by giddy harmony vocals everywhere, even though they’re not the first thing you notice. ... There are bouncy bubblegum tunes and stately ballads, with Merritt’s dry sense of humor, worship of words, and way with melody on display, as usual.

Another thing that distinguishes Distortion from the typical fuzz-filled rock album is the assortment of instruments whose sounds are being distorted. Here, cello, piano, and accordion all get the treatment usually reserved for guitar, and, writes Heaton, that "makes the listening experience richer than if it were just straight-up guitar feedback ... The moment when a distorted piano bangs out a few notes is breathtaking the first time around."

This taste of the unexpected is part of the play on rock conventions inherent in the album. "Distortion distorts perception," says Heaton.

The "rock" angle will no doubt make Distortion the most celebrated Stephin Merritt album since 69 Love Songs. But what’s brilliant about Distortion is how it plays into that mythology while also ripping it down ... It also indulges in the pleasures of the form of rock, that very volume and noise. Meanwhile, Merritt does what he always does. He writes clever songs that are sweet and bitter, comforting and subversive.

To read the review, visit popmatters.com. To purchase the album, starting Tuesday, January 15, visit the Nonesuch Store.