Inspired by Vu's post last week about the Gothic Archies and my purchase last night of their 2000 EP I'm Lonely (And I Love It), I've decided to write about another Stephin Merritt project, Future Bible Heroes, where Merritt collaborates with Chris Ewen (former keyboardist for the 80's band Figures On a Beach) and Magnetic Fields vocalist/percussionist/pianist Claudia Gonson. Merritt's website describes the Heroes as:
Future Bible Heroes is the fruitful product of Ewen's exotic electro-pop instrumentation, replete with samples ranging from Hawaiian birds to computer printers, overlaid with Merritt's exquisite pop songs and humorous lyrical style.
Thanks to Ewen's electro-touch, Future Bible Heroes' songs have a definite synthpoppy feel to them, conducive to remixes and the complete dancefloor treatment. Now, I like "serious" music as much as the next indie kid, but I'm also partial to the 3-minute pop song, upbeat and effervescent and full of synths and driving basslines. Add to that Merritt's witty and (at times) hilarious lyrics and Gonson's sweet yet plaintive voice and voilà! You've got yourself a sparkling little pop gem.
I've included here the title track off I'm Lonely (And I Love It) (with Merritt on vocals) and also a song from their 2002 full-length LP Eternal Youth, 'Doris Daytheearthstoodstill.' Only Stephin Merritt could rhyme "asteroid" with "gas droid" and have it make perfect sense in a pop song.
*Apparently they have released a brand new song 'Mr. Punch' last year, which appears on a Neil Gaiman tribute CD.
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