Oscillons almost made it to the top 10. Would've have if the last ballot received didn't pushed it down in lieu of space age.
Btw, here's the full album results:
ALBUM YEAR POINTS # VOTES 1 votes1 Emperor Tomato Ketchup 1996 863 26 42 Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements 1993 752 23 43 Refried Ectoplasm (Switched On Vol. 2) 1995 660 19 64 Mars Audiac Quintet 1994 558 17 35 Dots and Loops 1997 533 15 56 Sound-Dust 2001 444 13 57 Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night 1999 300 9 28 Peng! 1992 268 8 29 Switched On Vol. 1 1992 231 7 110 The Groop Played Space Age Batchelor Pad Music 1993 183 6 11 Oscillons from the Anti-Sun 2005 168 5 12 Aluminum Tunes 1998 132 4 113 Fluorescences EP 1996 97 3 14 The First Of The Microbe Hunters 2000 89 3 15 Chemical Chords 2008 72 2 16 Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center EP 1995 64 2 17 Fab Four Suture 2006 61 2 18 Super 45 40 1 119 Low Fi EP 1992 36 1 19 The Free Design EP 1999 36 1 21 ABC Music 2002 33 1 22 Instant 0 in the Universe EP 2003 30 1 23 Margerine Eclipse 2004 28 1
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:11 (eight years ago) link
Not Music the only zero then? It's good good stuff but feels so low-key, even non-canonical.
― everything, Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:32 (eight years ago) link
OK I surrender. I LOVE CLIFF.
― MatthewK, Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:35 (eight years ago) link
Oscillons is a non-trivial distance ahead of Aluminum Tunes too! I guess I slightly prefer AT (nice to see it got a #1 vote), not least for bonkers stuff like "Iron Man" and "Speedy Car", etc. But I'm pretty sure both comps each house a greater number of my track selections than of any of the standard LPs!
xp: LOL
― Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:36 (eight years ago) link
I am absolutely shocked at Microbe Hunters outplacing Amorphous, and deeply saddened at Margerine finishing 23rd. I should have voted. Since there won't be any focused discussion of Marge, I should point out that the album is mixed dual-mono, i.e. a separate mono mix of track elements was created for each channel, rather than a mix with the elements placed in a stereo field. Makes the headphone experience immersive, with separate things going on in each ear.
― MatthewK, Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:42 (eight years ago) link
Amorphous (and Fluorences) may have got a raw deal, their contents being major contributors to the greatness of the aforementioned comps.
― Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 7 April 2016 03:49 (eight years ago) link
yeah how did Margerine Eclipse finish last. Does anyone actually think it's their worst record?
― Dominique, Thursday, 7 April 2016 04:01 (eight years ago) link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/172154472637?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, April 6, 2016 5:45 PM (4 hours ago)
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, April 6, 2016 5:45 PM (4 hours ago)
I think I have that shirt somewhere? 22 years old!
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 7 April 2016 04:49 (eight years ago) link
To be fair, asking people for five favourites is not much of a measure of their position on the albums they didn't mention. ETK wasn't on my ballot either. I think I'd prefer that be read as at least as much of a rejection of ETK (which I don't really need to hear anymore) as a rejection of ME or NM!
― Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 7 April 2016 04:58 (eight years ago) link
https://www.instagram.com/p/3HQdo-tKs2/
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 7 April 2016 05:01 (eight years ago) link
If I was living on a desert island and could bring only one Stereolab album, it would probably be "ABC Music". As mentioned upthread, many of the live versions are better (and heavier!) than the recorded ones, and it covers the best ten or so years of their career. It's the closest thing to a comprehensive "best of" in their catalogue.
That said, I didn't vote for it in the albums poll because I've never thought of it as a "proper" studio album, and I guess most other people don't either seeing as it finished third from the bottom in the poll. But about half of my tracks ballot is made up of songs that appeared on "ABC Music".
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 7 April 2016 08:09 (eight years ago) link
Marge is a fantastic album - all of the dual mono recordings* are startling great, a conceit that Tim pulled off brilliantly - but I just couldn't find a place for it in a Stereolab all-time Top 5. I guess nearly everyone felt likewise.
*see also 'Instant 0 in the Universe' (which I voted for), "Variation One" and the 'Rose, My Rocket-Brain!' tour single
― Jeff W, Thursday, 7 April 2016 09:32 (eight years ago) link
One thing which strikes me is how incredibly successful Stereolab were at achieving what they set out to do. From that first 10" single to Not Music they nailed their aesthetic every single time. There was never a moment which felt commercially calculated or compromised. Some records were far better than others, but they were always absolutely, inimitably, wholeheartedly Stereolab. That's an incredible thing to pull off amid the wreckage of the record industry and the wholesale transformation of recorded music, across two decades. Perfect. I can't think of many groups or artists who can say the same - Autechre, maybe.
― MatthewK, Thursday, 7 April 2016 11:50 (eight years ago) link
(well, Autechre definitely, but it's pretty rare huh)
― MatthewK, Thursday, 7 April 2016 11:52 (eight years ago) link
I did get that "Shimmies" double-set, it was somewhat expensive. The idea was, I could make a copy recording of it, then sell it on for the same price as I paid.
Which was pretty much what happened.
― Mark G, Thursday, 7 April 2016 12:59 (eight years ago) link
one of my favorites, voted it ["Animal or Vegetable"] high― the 'major tom guy' (sleeve)
― the 'major tom guy' (sleeve)
Me two! #2 on my ballot after thee immaculate "K-Stars", though it isn't really my 2nd favorite Stereolab track. Or even really a Stereolab track at all. But such a wonderful headphone ride.
― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Thursday, 7 April 2016 15:55 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/SdZ4oV2.jpg20. Mountain 8 votes, 185 points. 0 first place votes. From: Mountain 7" (1993)http://youtu.be/t-66TiJ1pY4
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 16:30 (eight years ago) link
"mountain" and "revox" for ever and ever and ever and ever and
― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:03 (eight years ago) link
"Mountain" is one of my favorite early-period (ie. Martin Kean) deep cuts. Despite the release date, it comes from the Low-Fi session (which also had Revox, Sadistic, and [i think] John Cage Bubblegum).
― city worker, Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:32 (eight years ago) link
btw I just got a mail from a mix by Tim on fact... haven't listened to it but thought you guys might care: http://www.factmag.com/2016/04/04/fact-mix-544-tim-gane-cavern-anti-matter-stereolab/
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:32 (eight years ago) link
More Peng! Yessir:
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:34 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/z3CnD6n.jpg19. The Seeming & the Meaning 9 votes, 189 points. 0 first place votes. From: Peng! (1992)https://youtu.be/5k4dRo48BaI
They seem to come in pairs. Here's another one. Very beautiful sounds but thought it was piano magic, not stereolab the first time I heard it.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:53 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/ePHCL18.jpg18. Super Falling Star 8 votes, 205 points. 0 first place votes. From: Peng! (1992)https://youtu.be/r1T4Lrg2Nx8
it will leave them with a pounding dream
― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Thursday, 7 April 2016 17:55 (eight years ago) link
voted for each of the last 4
cool song. Something to be said for early Stereolab, they never were a "genre" band, in that none of the songs ever really seem like excuses to use a particular synth, or particular Bacharach chord progression. Even when I don't like all the early stuff, the songs seem more synthesis than homage or exercise.
― Dominique, Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:01 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/ysIboSA.jpg17. Come and Play In the Milky Night 9 votes, 206 points. 0 first place votes. From:Voltage in the Milky Night (1999)https://youtu.be/C2RRpNd1-0s
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:31 (eight years ago) link
This is on spotify and Amazon music as 'Come Andy Play' instead of 'Come And Play' is that a typo or was the title changed?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:34 (eight years ago) link
Opening has been sampled in at least 4 hip hop tracks... notably by Jaylib and Busta Rhymes. It's a really good bassline to sample.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:37 (eight years ago) link
Jaylib - the message: https://youtu.be/v9jVajloBpY
Busta - show me what you got: https://youtu.be/fHROoYCyBpE
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:38 (eight years ago) link
another weird Deerhoof-y melody, can see them doing a version of this. Cool track, wouldn't necessarily have been out of place on earlier records
― Dominique, Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:40 (eight years ago) link
xxpost typo, but an amusing one
― Jeff W, Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:40 (eight years ago) link
― Jeff W
Yeah it's weird. At first I thought I had fucked up but everywhere else it's as 'come and play'. Thought for a minute it was the real title and they were referencing their drummer Andy Ramsay at first.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:45 (eight years ago) link
Super falling star has got this time-machine madeleine quality. It beams me back into luxembourg 1992. Listening to it is like falling into a hole and coming out at the other side more than 20 years younger. It's less motorik beat and more wistful tune. Early Stereolab always has got this innocent childlike quality which touches something deep inside me. A very essential song.
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:48 (eight years ago) link
The next section is where the points start increasing dramatically instead of one or two points between songs:
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:49 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/HUJh4a8.jpg16. We’re Not Adult Orientated 12 votes, 258 points. 0 first place votes. From:Space Age Batchelor Pad Music (1993)https://youtu.be/I30I3jTbtfI
One of those votes is for the New Wave Live version.
d'oh neu
― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:52 (eight years ago) link
ok, Neu Wave Live sorry---
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:53 (eight years ago) link
just wanted to use the harbly formed "joke"
― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:55 (eight years ago) link
On deezer it is come andy play as well. Much cooler than the other title. I didn't know it but it's quite nice. Her high-pitch singing reminds indeed a little of japanese singers like from deerhoof or blonde redhead.
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:56 (eight years ago) link
wait more Peng! songs that I thought. never heard mountain before, terrific.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 7 April 2016 18:57 (eight years ago) link
We're not adult orientated was pretty much on top of my ballot but it went down to #13. It feels too familiar, one of their songs i have listened to most often. Still a phantastic groove.
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:00 (eight years ago) link
My 10 year old cousin loves the next one one. Have no idea where she got it from but I got very excited and nerded out talking about Stereolab with her but she clearly didn't care about the band just this one song. Was it featured on a cartoon channel ad or something?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:09 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/latPFnE.jpg15. Lo Boob Oscillator 13 votes, 286 points. 1 first place vote. From:Lo Boob Oscillator (1993)https://youtu.be/f8258BP42q8
was in the Hi Fidelity movie
― Jeff W, Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link
My barely conscious brain at 4:30am thought "Hmmm, I wonder what number Moka is up to".
I didn't know to expect more Peng! at this point either, though I vaguely knew "SFS" was popular. All the others were on my ballot until quite late.
Fun fact: "We Are Not Adult Orientated" is the first groop track I knowingly heard. That video with the winding mountain road was on late night TV. Sounded cool. I think the vocals brought to mind...Shonen Knife.
― Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link
Probably my all-time favorite 'Lab song
and omg shoulda kept my t-shirts (well I never meant to lose them)
― Forever LI (rip van wanko), Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link
I don't think she's watched that one but who knows.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 7 April 2016 19:12 (eight years ago) link