In 1999, Magnetic Fields [ tickets ]--a project of diversified songwriter Stephin Merritt--released a three-disc set, "69 Love Songs." It delivered exactly what this title suggests--dozens of rich, bouncy, slow or funny songs in a variety of tones.

Though Merritt had been making albums for close to a decade, this outpouring put him squarely on the indie-pop map, earning his band a record deal with Nonesuch to create its latest release, "I."

At only 14 songs, the new album seems teasingly thin compared to the previous effort, but it too has a unifying theme: all song titles begin with the letter "I." Despite that restriction, and the band's self-imposed limitation to only hand-played, non-synth instruments, the group delves into a variety of material--from the new-wavey "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend," to the chamber music of "In an Operetta."

However, Merritt sings every song this time, which may make "69" fans miss other voices. They may also look for more of the humor found in his other work--though lyrics like "I wish I had an evil twin/running round doing people in" are certainly grin-worthy. And there’s a repetitive plunkiness--plunky guitar, banjo and ukulele--that can sometimes make the songs blend together.

But unique pieces like the final song, "It’s Only Time," make "I" worthwhile. The track, with its peaceful piano stressed by whiny guitar, has lyrics that at once make you think Merritt’s gone sentimental--"Why would I stop loving you a hundred years from now/It’s only time"--to thinking he’s messing with you--"Lock this chain around my hand and throw away the key." It’s a reminder that, theme or not, there’s much more range left for him to explore.