LM Artist Poll No. 74 · STEREOLAB · Results Thread

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>:( You brought this upon yourself:

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:50 (eight years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/UNKHn1M.jpg
24. Contronatura 7 votes, 167 points. 0 first place votes.
From: Dots & Loops (1997)
https://youtu.be/oH8WN-Dd3zw

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:50 (eight years ago) link

But I never listen to it anymore. Most of their music is timeless, but the straight out of the 90's Mouse on Mars-y bleepy electronica on D&L isn't.

xpost oh well

NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:51 (eight years ago) link

Okay, this is my run, voted for the last three. Title track Emperor Tomato Ketchup, my #1, the pinnacle of the band for me. Organ right up front, perfect motorik groove (no surprise I love Yoko's "Why" so much), over the moon vocal melodies, lyrics I've never bothered to understand the meaning behind. Pure magic.

Sushi and the Banchan (Spectrist), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:54 (eight years ago) link

Hahaha. Somewhat related: I was looking at P4K's top 20 albums of 2001 list and they weren't as up to the times as I thought. Daft Punk's Discovery per example and the Strokes would end up in their top albums of the decade list and Discovery isn't even in there and the later is ranked at 15 I think.. Oddly enough, Mouse on Mars' Idiology is at 12 yet Stereolab... nowhere to be found.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:57 (eight years ago) link

The bleep middle section in Contranatura is a bit dull, but damn, the melancholy Sun Ra opening and disco outrageous are so fantastic.

Will never forget being in college in the depths of the library researching my thesis and stumbling upon a book of Feminist theory called The Future of an Illusion. Was one of those ah ha moments.

Check Yr Scrobbles (Moodles), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 18:57 (eight years ago) link

Contronatura is my favorite of the Lab Mouse experiments by far. Even tho exuberant rubbery house cut Schnick Schnack ought to be a discotheque staple.

Sushi and the Banchan (Spectrist), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:00 (eight years ago) link

Okay, this is my run, voted for the last three. Title track Emperor Tomato Ketchup, my #1, the pinnacle of the band for me. Organ right up front, perfect motorik groove (no surprise I love Yoko's "Why" so much), over the moon vocal melodies, lyrics I've never bothered to understand the meaning behind. Pure magic.

― Sushi and the Banchan (Spectrist)

Don't know if you knew this but the Emperor Tomato Ketchup song was also known as Ono! Mayhaps your Yoko reference to the song isn't accidental. The bass riff is pretty much the same as the Yoko one, might even be a sample...

Here's the translated lyrics and no, they don't make much sense:

The comings and goings,
labyrinth, well what's this I see?
The exit, I see it, it's there, not too far now,
much too close, from across, thick walls but I can do it,
bring down the screens of deception, of deception

Holding to emptiness, to smoke the balls are burst, start everything over.
What will we want to see? The curtain rises, silence is golden, I disagree.
To not make an effort and yawn a lot, to be able to rise up and salute you.
We are not pigeons, perhaps idiots, reality in another way

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:02 (eight years ago) link

I was somewhat mm on "Dots and Loops", then about two years ago I was in Oxfam Reading, and they played it and of sounded so good I bought it. (I was fair, I went away and came back an hour later for it when they had finished playing it).

The double lp, obv.

Mark G, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:02 (eight years ago) link

Going back to the start for the next one.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:07 (eight years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/dnKAEUx.jpg
22. Doubt 7 votes, 175 points. 0 first place votes.
From: Stunning Debut Album 7” (1991)
https://youtu.be/eiB_atFYAck

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:07 (eight years ago) link

Oh shoot I ate up number 23... ignore 22 for a bit, we'll come back to it in a moment.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:08 (eight years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/Xa1kwnq.jpg
23. The Black Arts 7 votes, 169 points. 0 first place votes.
From: Sound-Dust (2001)
https://youtu.be/CDbYgV1Wmr4

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:09 (eight years ago) link

Did NOT know that about 'Ono'! It's as sensible a working title as any. Yeah those lyrics... the more I look at them, the more mysterious they seem. That's praise, of course. xps

Sushi and the Banchan (Spectrist), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:10 (eight years ago) link

I actually hated The Black Arts the first times I heard it... I'm not used to hearing Laetitia doing 'emotion' and the break sounds very awkward. In Captain Easychord the different sections work fine but in this one it feels very abrupt. Then I started hearing its beauty. The vocals sound stylized like a 60's Brazilian song... like Astrud Gilberto or something.

The break still sounds a bit awkward to me.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:13 (eight years ago) link

Should have voted for Doubt. ABC Music version is my favourite - sounds like McCarthy.

everything, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:13 (eight years ago) link

Haha, I'm a sucker for her at her most emotional

Xpost

Check Yr Scrobbles (Moodles), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:15 (eight years ago) link

I located all my S albums (proper) to see what I was missing: basically, their first and the last two.

should track 'em down with Discogs, really.

Mark G, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:17 (eight years ago) link

Not many people in here appreciate or are acquainted with their late albums/eps/singles. I should probably start a Stereolab 2000 - 2010 appreciation thread after the poll is over.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:21 (eight years ago) link

So much catchy up to do.

Moka, Tim has said the most recent vinyl reissues are really poor quality. He's planning to remaster them and do them himself but it has been held up for legal reasons. I'd love to get some more of their stuff on vinyl (I have Margarine Eclipse, Peng and the coloured vinyls of Dots & Loops, Emperor Tomato Ketchup and Refried Ectoplasm). I'm just going to wait until these new ones come out before getting anymore. See also Saint Etienne who are getting proper reissues done by the band who also said to stay away from the recent reissues.

Going back to Margarine Eclipse, That would have been in my top five if it had just been studio albums.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:22 (eight years ago) link

Oh I didn't know that. Any place I can check updates when those go for sale?

Those two albums I have Peng! and D&L are not reissues... at least not the recent ones, I've had them for almost a decade now.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:25 (eight years ago) link

I read that in an interview he did for the Cavern of Anti-Matter album. I'm not sure where I'd check for announcement. I'll be obsessively keeping an eye out for them, so I'll let you know on one of their threads or send you a message. Sadly, I got the impression it might take a while. He's desperate to get them out there.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:29 (eight years ago) link

Last song of the day! Apologies for the slight fuckup upthread. Coming up tomorrow: The heavy hitters. There's a significant point bump #16 onwards and keeps scalating from there, so I guess it means there's a more defined consensus on their top 15 songs.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:31 (eight years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/niHqzJ8.jpg
21. Golden Ball 9 votes, 176 points. 0 first place votes.
From: Jenny Ondioline 7” / Transient Random Noise-Bursts (1993)
https://youtu.be/_sTN9ozglRo

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:32 (eight years ago) link

"The Black Art" was one of my discoveries in preparing my ballot. Such an un-Stereolab song, too -- classically beautiful.

XPs WOOOOOH GOLDEN BALL.

Jenny Ondioleeene (Leee), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:32 (eight years ago) link

Catching up on some of the songs. Great selection from Emperor Tomato Ketchup today. The title track ended up high on my list.

I remember hearing the single edit of Captain Easychord on the John Peel show and really not liking it. Then I heard the album version which changed everything. Great to see that and The Black Arts appear. Two of the songs that make Sound-Dust such a great song.

Totally thought Wow & Flutter would be in the top 10. Possibly the first song I ever heard of theirs.

I'm still so surprised when I see people saying Dots & Loops is one of their weakest albums. It's my second favourite behind Emperor Tomato Ketchup. Gorgeous songs with some really wonderful production.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:33 (eight years ago) link

So is it safe to say nothing post Sound-Dust is placing?

I don't think I voted for any even though there are plenty of worthy later tunes. It'd kind of interesting statement on the band's later years.

Check Yr Scrobbles (Moodles), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:37 (eight years ago) link

I was hoping Vonal Declosion would sneak in. I put it in my top five.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:40 (eight years ago) link

Sorry, not allowed to share info or results until the end of the poll.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:42 (eight years ago) link

still holding out for Kyberneticka Babicka

Dominique, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:43 (eight years ago) link

I like how "Stunning Debut Album" is neither an album or their debut. "Doubt" is stunning though and probably deserved better.

XP: "Kyberneticka Babicka" is surely yet to come. (It's the middle of the night; I'm allowed to be delusional)

Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:46 (eight years ago) link

Hahaha. Didn't see that final comment.

Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:47 (eight years ago) link

The Black Art is great, that was my gateway into Sound-Dust

still didn't make my top 20, though

the 'major tom guy' (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 19:47 (eight years ago) link

"Doubt" is one of my least favourite songs of theirs from the 90's.

NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 20:39 (eight years ago) link

Golden Ball would have been my number 1. That motorik like beat throughout the song does some weird things to me.

silverfish, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 20:52 (eight years ago) link

best fake-out on record ever

the 'major tom guy' (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:03 (eight years ago) link

Yeah I remember the first time I listened to TRNBwA and during Golden Ball when the vocal distortion glitched into clean, I walked across the living room to my turntable to remove what I'd thought was a dust bunny but it was just clever audio trolling (later to be copied by Tortoise).

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:18 (eight years ago) link

I will never forget how HEAVY (like Broadcast) Stereolab was live in the 94-96 era. Golden Ball was such a menacing brutal dirge. Unfortunately they will never be remembered as a heavy rock band, but they did wear that costume quite well for a brief time.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:20 (eight years ago) link

The great thing about Doubt is that it does not really need any instruments or effects. It's all in the singing. The two female voices overlapping, embracing each other. The lead voice moving up and down whereas the background singer is humming in circles. Those harmonies still haven't lost their charm after all these years. Melancholic and upbeat at the same time. I suppose it is just laetitia's voice overdubbed, n'est-ce pas? There is only one criticism i have here and it is grave. The song is cut in the middle, it is much too short, i feel like a baby catapulted out of the womb of my mother when the song stops suddenly. It is that painful.

it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:34 (eight years ago) link

Nitpick - "Revox!" is originally from Shimmies In Super 8, not the John Cage Bubblegum 7".

It was later paired with John Cage on a New Zealand 1995 promo CD for Refried Ectoplasm.

Jeff W, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:41 (eight years ago) link

aw man I really wanna hear those Huggy Bear songs, damn

the 'major tom guy' (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:42 (eight years ago) link

Oh those 7" must be worth some money today. Darlin' was Daft Punk.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:46 (eight years ago) link

Ok, nitpicker here you go:

http://i.imgur.com/8orPLDX.jpg

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:52 (eight years ago) link

Last Sold: 26 Jan 16
Lowest: $120.39
Median: $134.56
Highest: $179.88

the 'major tom guy' (sleeve), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:54 (eight years ago) link

hey amazon has a "like new" vinyl copy of The Groop EP for under $20 should i get it? is that an insane deal?

AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 21:55 (eight years ago) link

Groop and Peng are the only ones I see in record shops for reasonable prices that aren't those 1972 reissues that I mentioned earlier. That is a good price but I don't think it's an insane deal or anything.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 22:00 (eight years ago) link

You mean space age? It's a fair price I think.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 22:01 (eight years ago) link

I have Peng! on vinyl, I think it is a Too Pure reissue. Sadly, it has pretty poor sound quality.

Check Yr Scrobbles (Moodles), Wednesday, 6 April 2016 23:46 (eight years ago) link

ALL RIGHT I JUST HAVE TO COME OUT AND SAY IT. I REALLY REALLY HATE THE "PENG!" GUY ON THE COVER OF ALL THE EARLY RELEASES. HATE HATE HATE.
Love the music on those records but HATE THE PENG GUY. I know he was from some obscure German animated short.
Sorry for venting, that has been building up in me for a couple of decades.

MatthewK, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 23:56 (eight years ago) link


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