69 Love Songs: Brian Wilson Effect

Brian Wilson, he of Beach Boys fame and writer of such brilliance as “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows,” is notoriously shy and reclusive. His genius, however, is indisputable. In this episode, we take a look at three artists with shades of Brian Wilson: reclusive, a bit prickly, genius-level songwriters. The Magnetic Field’s 69 Love Songs, Spin’s entry for the week, showcases Stephin Merritt’s love of literal titles and his genuinely impressive range. After some, lively, discussion of 69 Love Songs’ relative merits, Matt brings D’Angelo back into the fold with Black Messiah and tries not to fanboy too hard about Fiona Apple and The Idler Wheel.