Rolling Stone — You’ve read Rolling Stone’s lists of the top albums and singles of the year — but how did our critics rank their personal favorites? Here’s Christian Hoard’s year-end lists: Albums Magnetic Fields, Distortion Randy Newman, Harps and Angels ... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — Over the years we have often asked the question: when does a cover trump the artists original vision? While I love the Magnetic Fields original, off Holiday, this Shins (studio) version has me asking myself that very question. Weigh in below in th... more info

Stereogum — RS's list is an interesting and at times odd mix of fogies and new blood, with a few representatives from each camp who don't seem like they really belong here. For instance, it's the second list in two days that shows kindness towards Chinese Demo... more info

My Old Kentucky — MOKB spent much of 2008 pestering and/or threatening Jeff Klein, but now we find ourselves in the awkward position of begging him to set a release date for the highly-anticipated debut record from Jerusalem. On Thanksgiving Eve, as the weather outsid... more info

Totally Fuzzy — blend said... Bellavista Terrace: Best of the Go-Betweens Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip http://under-g.blogspot.com themusicologist said... musicology #245 soul&boogie #6 Decided... [Visit the blog for the full post] more info

Stereogum — Shugo Tokumaru completed his tour with Magnetic Fields and went home to Japan, but not before recording a Daytrotter Session, which went to tape in October. Take a listen (and don't forget "Green Rain"). more info

Stereogum — In January, The Lifted Brow, a biannual "50% fiction and 50% everything else" Melbourne-based magazine, is putting out an issue that includes two CDs with exclusive music from Spiral Stairs, the Magnetic Fields' Claudia Gonson, Frightened Rabbit, an... more info

Pitchfork — The twentieth anniversary edition of the annual Rock for Kids Rock & Roll Charity Auction will take place December 5 at Chicago's Park West, with the aim of raising some coin for the city's homeless and underprivileged youngsters. Over the years, the... more info

Star Online, Malaysia — As the lodestar of Magnetic Fields, Stephin Merritt has exerted an insistent tug on indie-pop since 1990 by crafting simple, clean, melodic songs that lean heavily on keyboards. more info

Said the Gramophone — Neil Gaiman - "Bloody Sunrise" If the Magnetic Fields had been asked by Said the Gramophone to write a Hallowe'en song for us to post today, they would have written Neil Gaiman's "Bloody Sunrise". But Neil Gaiman would have already written it, and ... more info