Holiday (Reissue)

VINYL FORMAT. Stephin Merritt has claimed that each of the first four Magnetic Fields albums has a specific and unique musical style. It is telling that Holiday shares its name with Madonna's first major hit single, because the musical style on display here is early-'80s-style synth-dance-pop. Of course, in 1994, at the pinnacle of the post-grunge "alternative" era, few musics could have been more resolutely unfashionable. There's no doubt that the ever-contrary Merritt had this in mind all along. In keeping with the escapist title and lighthearted music, Merritt's lyrics only occasionally-and then only lightly-touch upon his usual world-weary cynicism, as on the mournful "Deep Sea Diving Suit." Merritt pursues a more romantic path for most Holiday, crooning the swooning "Take Ecstasy With Me" and "Strange Powers" with an uncharacteristic lightness of spirit. Chances are that it is all deeply ironic and bitter, but at least on the surface, Holiday is sheer delight.