Obscurities gathers just that: a hodgepodge of previously unreleased cuts from Magnetic Fields mastermind Stephin Merritt. The collection may lack a cohesive flow, but it does showcase how versatile the man is, from minimalist love songs to avant-garde pop to quirky synth work. Selections include tracks from The Song From Venus (a science-fiction musical with Lemony Snicket that unfortunately never came to fruition), along with rare Magnetic Fields seven-inch singles, Merritt's work with the 6ths, and "The Sun and the Sea and the Sky," an outtake from the 69 Love Songs sessions.