Wikipedia isn’t always accurate, but it is a great resource for people who love reading between the lines. For whatever reason, The Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt’s entry lists his common song topics: “the age 17, dancing, seasons (most often summer), youth, old age, cities (especially New York City and Paris), the moon, the sun, the stars, rain, the night, marriage, blue eyes, faces, trains and railroads, the road, crying, murder, drinking, musical instruments, and love.” Translation: predictable.

But a synonym for predictable is “familiar,” which more accurately describes Merritt’s plan. You don’t throw on a Magnetic Fields record because you want your mind blown, you do it for the same reason you eat grilled cheese, watch Family Guy and read Stephen King; sometimes you like what you like and to hell with everyone else.

That’s not to say the band is subpar, just that their sentiment is typically clear and earnest. Charm of the Highway Strip (1994) held a batch of mildly rustic road songs. Distortion (2008) was a shoegaze record. Their three-disc magnum opus 69 Love Songs (1999) was just that. Common subjects are easily mapped out, perhaps, because Merritt isn’t hiding his romance (or failure thereof) behind too much symbolism. One of my favorite Fields songs, “Underwear,” takes about as much effort to unpack as its title suggests. That’s an observation, not a criticism.

The band’s ninth album, Realism, has been described by Merritt as a “folk album,” and that is exactly, absolutely what is given. Folk songs. Dance-with-the-village songs. Virtually no percussion, and no synth from a band that did their share of making synth pop ubiquitous. “We Are Having a Hootenanny,” “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” and “The Dada Polka” sound removed from the woe-is-me persona that Merritt has been somewhat unfairly saddled with, like they got off the boat before he picked up his first guitar.

The lovely “You Must Be Out of Your Mind” opens the album, an acoustic tune recalling the simple delivery of 69 Love Songs. Likewise, “From a Sinking Boat” leaves us off with the warm lovesickness that The Magnetic Fields have made their own, while “Walk a Lonely Road” is a reminder of how powerful Merritt’s bass vocals can be.

In between, the album gets a little too gimmicky for my liking; the extreme twee of “Dolls’ Tea Party” and “Painted Flower” isn’t necessarily a bad idea – imagine another indie band throwing expectations so knowingly back into our faces – but the songs are almost too light to stand. A little muscle could’ve lifted them and “I Don’t Know What to Say” to greater heights.

So what has Wikipedia taught us? That we can either accept Merritt’s insistence on staying the world’s gloomiest dreamer, or move on. “Moving on” has never seemed as important to his songwriting as “being stubborn,” and his fans get a few more gems as a result.

Artist: The Magnetic Fields
Album: Realism (Nonesuch, 35 minutes)
Rating: 3.5/5
Key Tracks: “You Must Be Out of Your Mind,” “We Are Having a Hootenanny,” “Walk a Lonely Road”