Distant Plastic Trees cover

Distant Plastic Trees

The Magnetic Fields · 1991

36 min · 11 tracks · indie rock · synth-pop

A lo-fi tapestry of melancholic melodies and quirky lyrics wrapped in a charmingly unconventional production style.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • steady mid-tempo flow throughout
  • quirky storytelling with charm
  • melancholic melodies for reflection
  • for afternoon listening

Maybe skip if you want

  • seeking high-energy tracks
  • prefer instant gratification songs

Where this album fits

Career context
Released in 1991, 'Distant Plastic Trees' was The Magnetic Fields' debut album, marking the beginning of Stephin Merritt's distinctive songwriting career. At this time, the band was still exploring their sound, fusing indie rock with elements of synth-pop that would define their later work.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Railroad Boy 3:00
  • 2 Smoke Signals 3:26
  • 3 You Love to Fail 2:32
  • 4 Kings 2:15
  • 5 Babies Falling 3:18
  • 6 Living in an Abandoned Firehouse With You 3:55
  • 7 Tar‐Heel Boy 2:23
  • 8 Falling in Love With the Wolfboy 4:09
  • 9 Josephine 3:08
  • 10 100,000 Fireflies 3:21
  • 11 Plant White Roses 4:44

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata