The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson aim to answer the question "Why Realism?" "Typically when we title Magnetic Fields albums," Merritt explains in his response, "we find that thing people are most likely to complain about and give it the title."

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson offer details behind the recording process for Realism, giving credit where its due to the most acoustically-gifted room in the house. (Look for a hint on the album's cover art.)

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson examine the oft-pondered notion of fact vs. fiction in Stephin's lyrics, and how that has been affected (or not) by the folk-inspired production on Realism.

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson discuss why the "folk heaven" of Los Angeles proved to be the perfect setting to record the band's latest Nonesuch release, the folk-inspired Realism. Says Gonson: "Somehow the folk thing worked out really well in the bucolic, perpetual sun of L.A."

Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson of The Magnetic Fields re-introduce themselves and introduce the band's latest Nonesuch release, Realism, giving an idea of the instrumentation used for arrangements the BBC called "inventive" and MusicOMH called "wonderful."