Pitchfork

Photo by Clay Walker

That Volvo ad with Stephin Merritt is nice, isn't it? I know I respond more favorably to whatever product's being hawked when said onslaught'o'commerce is soundtracked by one of my favorite maestros making their way through a purty tune (though they really couldn't play that Feist ad any more if they tried, eh?). But, as Merritt's a heck of a songwriter (and "The Wheels on the Bus" is intentionally annoying, if catchy), I'll take a Merritt original over a reinterpretation any day.

So don't touch that dial, 'cause it seems Volvo will follow the "Wheels" ad with another spot later this month featuring "I'm in a Lonely Way", a new Merritt composition. What's more, according to Merritt's website, the tune from that ad will appear on the iTunes store under Merritt's given name October 3. That's today, right? It is, but as of press time, the track's not up just yet. These things take time.

Speaking of which, still no word on what's up with that Magnetic Fields album-- for which we were promised both a title and a release date some three months ago-- due early next year.