Realism Digital MP3 Album

With no synths, no drum kits, and every instrument unplugged, the pristine Realism is the flip-side to the brash noise-pop of The Magnetic Fields' 2008 Distortion. Singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt calls it ""folk,"" but with its wide range of instrumentation and orchestrated arrangements, says Merritt, ""Realism is a more kaleidoscopic approach to a genre.” The BBC calls it ""absolutely prime Merritt."" The vinyl album releases on February 9.