The Magnetic Fields The House of Tomorrow (EP)/Holiday (LP) Merge Records

Don't tell Stephin Merritt that synthesizers are things of the past! The lone man behind The Magnetic Fields utilizes the 1980's relic to weave ethereally futuristic tales of lost love and heartache on the reissues of two of his hard-to-find albums. The Magnetic Fields' music is not an easy, accessible listen, and these reissues do nothing to dispel that fact. Holiday runs together in a monotonous blend of manufactured noises and mumbled words. Tomorrow fares a little bit better, but only because it contains five songs.

In fact, these albums can be seen as the darker, bastard children of New Wave music. The few songs to emerge from the murk are lifted directly from the 1980's. Holiday's "In My Car" is reminiscent of New Wave bands like Yaz, and "Sad Little Moon" contains beats and a background taken from pop radio of the aforementioned decade. Additionally, a strong Men Without Hats (circa 1986) influence can be discerned on Tomorrow's "Technical (You're So)."

The Magnetic Fields are fine in measured doses, but a full album wears on the ears quickly. It's not terrible, but it will not make you feel like walkin' on sunshine, either.