Future Bible Heroes
I'm Lonely (And I Love It) EP
[Merge]
Rating: 6.0
At the college radio station where I work, there are a few types who show up at every
open house. There's the kid who wants to do an all-Phish show, but who, in the interest
of keeping things fresh, would consider mixing in some moe. He's often followed by the
alarmingly socially inept kids who pitch "a Loveline-type show," overlooking the fact
that even radio divas like myself are lucky to get five calls on a 10-watt station.
There's the white rapper who cries when he doesn't make the cut (actually, this is the
same guy every semester). And always, always, there are freshman girls who want to do
an '80s show.
There are reasons these girls, enthusiastic as they seem, don't get radio shows. Not
least amongst these is that the local adult contemporary station does a more than
adequate job of covering this era. Of course, what it ultimately comes down to is
that no one wants to be subjected to Men Without Hats again.
It's extremely difficult to write a meaningful synth-pop song, let alone an immortal one.
The genre lends itself to disposability. But while herculean, it's certainly not an
impossible task, and Stephin Merritt, who contributes lyrics and vocals to the Future
Bible Heroes, has probably written a good percentage of the '90s' most compelling ones.
On the Magnetic Fields' classic 1993 album, Holiday, Merritt primarily depended
on synth to back his eternally deadpan vocals. Even the record's mid-fi production
values couldn't blunt the impact of his songwriting.
But Future Bible Heroes frontman Chris Ewen just isn't a Merritt-caliber composer, and
this EP suffers in comparison to the Magnetic Fields. In 1997, when the Future Bible
Heroes' debut album was released, it was a treat. Those were less prolific days for
Merritt, and any output was anxiously anticipated. Now, however, with Magnetic Fields
fans still discovering new favorites among last year's epic 69 Love Songs, this EP
is disappointing. After having explored Merritt's many musical fascinations-- 69 Love
Songs found him taking on John Cage, the war ballad, and Celtic music, amongst other
genres rarely explored by pop artists-- it's difficult to return to the Future Bible
Heroes' limited musical worldview.
The title track, a manic ode to break-ups, features Merritt's best lyrical effort here,
offering gems like, "I'm lonely as Mount Everest and probably as high/ It's time to buy
the records you would never let me buy." "My Blue Hawaii" is one of Ewen's more
compelling compositions, a near-hysterical combination of drum machines, whirs, clicks
and sirens. Merritt, unfortunately, is at his laziest on the song, listing every tropical
association that occurs to him. "Caf Hong Kong" is too reminiscent of my least favorite
Magnetic Fields song ever, "Tokyo A Go-Go," for me to find any enjoyment in it. On this
track, and on "Good Thing I Don't Have Any Feelings," the band strays far too close to
Human League territory, rather than just having been influenced by them. But it doesn't
bode well for I'm Lonely that its strongest track is a remix of "Hopeless," a song
that saw release on the Future Bible Heroes' 1997 full-length, Memories of Love.
Still, the song's combination of morbid lyrics and bleepy, danceable pop proves that
Merritt and Ewen do have their inspired collaborative moments.
Chris Ewen writes some fun, fairly interesting electro-pop, but it's his ties to Stephin
Merritt that makes this a salable record. The Magnetic Fields association guarantees an
audience for the Future Bible Heroes, and a place for them on college radio. Much like the
spongecake recipe in I'm Lonely's liner notes, Ewen's music is sugary and weightless;
Merritt adds the "favorite filling" which makes it unique. In the end, though, the EP just
isn't substantial enough to join the exclusive ranks of classic synth-pop records.
-Meg Zamula