Review of Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields (2011) by Kyle G — 16 Jul 2012

"Epitaph For My Heart" is a great place to begin. There's lovely music in the whole of this, though, and songs are tied to the documentary in a deep and coy and very interesting layout. I like the unexpected sparks... Sam Davol [cello] saying his dream would have been "a harder rock band, like AC-DC [a long, thoughtful pause] or maybe Boston"; a tender performance of "Papa Was A Rodeo" with Shirley Simms; and the whole history of The Magnetic Fields from their roots in '80s Boston to the extraordinary success of 69 Love Songs and beyond.

But the documentary really belongs to vocalist/pianist/manager Claudia and songwriter/instrumentalist/auteur Stephin's spunky, wonderful, supportive business-&-art relationship. Is he using her? Is she a "fag hag"? Why? You can see glimpses of love between them as they squabble while building a particularly tricky section of "In An Operetta," while they trade verses back and forth in a performance of "Yeah, Oh Yeah!", and while they contemplate the state of things as Stephin relocates to California... will he and Claudia be able to work still? (Apparently so, as Love at the Bottom of the Sea was released in 2012.).

And shortly before "Strange Powers" brings STRANGE POWERS to a cutely uplifting sort of close, Claudia and Stephin share some crunchy bons mots: Claudia says, during a concert, "To 'I wish that you were louder, Claudia', I should've said something like 'I wish that you were gayer, Stephin', but I thought better of it." and Stephin says, in an interview, "Recognized on the street? Not too much. If I heard 'Hey! 69' I might say 'Sure'.".