Aquarium Drunkard — Merge Records just announced they will be releasing a collection of hard to find and previously unreleased tracks by the Magnetic Fields‘ Stephin Merritt. Entitled Obscurities, the set will feature songs during the bands run on the label from 1994-... more info

Stereogum — Stephin Merritt’s forthcoming Obscurities is what you’d expect from the title: The 14-track collection features “hard-to-find” recordings from 1994 (circa The Charm of the Highway Strip) to 1999 (69 Love Songs). More specifically, three come ... more info

Guardian Music — (Papillons Noirs)The debut album from Help Stamp Out Loneliness is packed with tongue-in-cheek pop-culture references: they quote Magnetic Fields lyrics and serenade American pulp model Angelyne; even their name comes from an old country ditty. But ... more info

Guardian Music — Are the Magnetic Fields worthy of a cinema-released documentary film, Strange Powers? Listen closely and the answer can only be a resounding yesFor the last decade and a half I've been hoisting the tag "modern genius" upon the shrugging shoulders of ... more info

Indie Selections For Your Erections — 40. Babies39. Jackass 3D38. Unstoppable37. Rabbit Hole36. Shutter Island35. Best Worst Movie34. Splice33. I Love You, Phillip Morris32. The Runaways31. True Grit30. Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt & the Magnetic Fields29. The Town28. Let Me In27. 127... more info

Guardian Music — Music can be helpful in dealing with the breakdown of a relationship and the rollercoaster of emotions that go with it. What other songs would you recommend to get through a divorce?Marvin Gaye – Here My Dear"I guess I'd have to say this album is d... more info

Guardian Music — You've seen our top 40 albums of the year. But what did Guardian critics' individual lists look like?Alex Macpherson Albums1. Ciara - Basic Instinct2. The-Dream - Love King3. K. Michelle - What's the 911?4. Sade - Soldier Of Love5. Erykah Badu - New ... more info

Guardian Music — 12 December: Banish those Monday morning blues with Domino's playlist for your journey into workFor the 12th Day Of Christmas Domino Records sent to us ... a playlist to help us get through tomorrow's journey into work. We hope it comes in useful. He... more info

Totally Fuzzy — Only Good Song said... Arlo Guthrie - In Times Like These (2007) with The University Of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra @320 Thanks Fuzzy http://onlygoodsong.blogspot.com Sakalli said... Grateful Dead - Shakedown Street (1978) (@256) Black Widow - Blac... more info

KEXP Seattle — I still remember the first time Stephin Merritt visited the KEXP studios a couple of years ago. He performed alone, sitting on one of our creaky chairs, ukulele in hand, but he was trailed by a two-person camera crew, who I was delighted to learn wer... more info