Why, it's Stephin Merritt week in Seattle! Hopefully you caught the excellent Strange Powers at SIFF Cinema eariler this week, but if not, you're not completely out of SM luck (though it was a great movie for Magnetic Fields fans!). He and Gothic Archies contributor/Lemony Snicket writer Daniel Handler have scored the 1916 silent movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and will be performing it on Wednesday, June 9th at the Paramount.

Like many of you, I could watch Stephin Merritt do anything and still be pleased. I've been positively fascinated with his opera and musical theater output, and I can't wait to see what he's done with this score. I have no idea what the music will be like, but I'm positive it will contain wonderful SM wit, and probably some wonderful Merritt/Handler chemistry (if you don't know what I'm talking about, go pick up your copy of 69 Love Songs and read the interview in the booklet). Plus, I hear there's a song called "I Don't Want to Wear Pants". This will probably be one of the best music fan SIFF events. Don't miss it!

And just when we thought that a sunny day in November was enough to celebrate (and let's face it, it is!), news like this just drops in our laps. Prepare yourselves for a brand new Magnetic Fields album out January 26 on Nonesuch! It's called Realism, and as we can see, the artwork definitely takes a cue from 2008's Distortion.  And just think, if it's anything like the last few records, it'll result with a tour stop in Seattle! I should start buying kleenex now in preparation, because just thinking about how beautiful the last Town Hall shows were makes me want to weep. The track list is after the jump (thanks, Stereogum!). Who wants to take a gander or start rumors on what the theme of this album might be?

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OK, so it's not in Seattle (and how I wish it were!), but because it has to do with our (my) favorite eccentric genius artist-who-only-wears-brown, Stephin Merritt, it's newsworthy to me! Our dear SM has created a new opera/musical based on Neil Gaiman's book (and now, movie) Coraline, it it premiers in New York May 7th for a limited engagement run at New York City's Lucille Lortel Theatre.

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Merge has done it again! For their 20th anniversary, a part of the brilliant subscriber only compilation series SCORE, the Chapel Hill label (run by none other than members of my favorite indie rock band, Superchunk) is releasing a compilation of covers of Merge bands by a ton of non-Merge artists.

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2008 was an interesting musical, and personal, year for me. I listened to a lot of indie rock, electronica and went to a shit-ton of shows (one of which was the best I've ever seen, thanks Of Montreal).

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The top 10 albums "that made my head spin (in a good way)" from Chop Suey booker Pete Greenberg.

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I'm always terrible at finishing best-of lists. I have a tendency of being at least half a year behind on albums everyone else loves.

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The Magnetic Fields, back from their European tour, have announced a wee list of US tour dates. The closest they get to Seattle is Wisconsin (the horror!), but at least October is a great time to vacation on the East Coast.

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Cassette From My Ex is devoted to the stories behind these loved-but-obsolete mixes.

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I see a man on the streets of Venice or Paris strumming his ukulele, belting out repeated similes in hopes to woo the ladies passing in the moonlight.

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