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emperor tomato ketchup - stereolab

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Emperor Tomato Ketchup is the fourth album by British alternative rock band Stereolab, released in April 1996.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
"Metronomic Underground" – 7:55 24
"Cybele's Reverie" – 4:42 11
"Les Yper-Sound" – 4:05 7
"Tomorrow Is Already Here" – 4:56 6
"Motoroller Scalatron" – 3:48 4
"The Noise of Carpet" – 3:05 3
"OLV 26" – 5:42 3
"Spark Plug" – 2:29 2
"Emperor Tomato Ketchup" – 4:37 2
"Anonymous Collective" – 4:32 2
"Percolator" – 3:47 1
"Slow Fast Hazel" – 3:53 1
"Monstre Sacre" – 3:44 0


― nostormo, Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:33 (thirteen years ago)

easily the first song

― charlie h, Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:36 (thirteen years ago)

olv26

― nostormo, Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:41 (thirteen years ago)

carpet

― rave revue (electricsound), Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:45 (thirteen years ago)

percolator 2nd

― nostormo, Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:48 (thirteen years ago)

but yeah, i guess "Metronomic Underground" or "Cybele's Reverie" will win

― nostormo, Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:50 (thirteen years ago)

"Tomorrow Is Already Here"

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 24 February 2013 14:59 (thirteen years ago)

"Cybelle's Reverie" for me, though "Yper-Sound" is a close second.

― Raymond Cummings, Sunday, 24 February 2013 15:41 (thirteen years ago)

Cybele's Reverie is an easy choice for me, although the whole album is great.

The funny thing is, when they first released it as a single prior to the ETK release, I felt pretty so-so about it. The single version is quite a bit shorter and kind of fizzles out at the end. I had been a bit disappointed with MAQ and the Cybele's Reverie single didn't really do much to reassure me. I figured ETK would be more of the same. Boy was I wrong.

― Moodles, Sunday, 24 February 2013 16:34 (thirteen years ago)

untie the tangles
to be vacuous
to be infinite
leap into the void

― железобетонное очко (mookieproof), Sunday, 24 February 2013 16:37 (thirteen years ago)

"Olv 26"

― tochter tochter, please (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 24 February 2013 17:07 (thirteen years ago)

I may have said it before but the BBC radio session version of "Yper Yper Sound" which combines the b-side version and the album version into one song rules. There's also a spacey Peel sesson version of "Metronomic underground" with Sonic Boom on various analogue synths which is also very good. I've played these versions more often than the album itself,

― Rob M Revisited, Sunday, 24 February 2013 17:39 (thirteen years ago)

Arrr, probably 'Metronomic Underground'. Probably.

― emil.y, Sunday, 24 February 2013 18:13 (thirteen years ago)

theoretically I would like to vote for Yper-Sound or Anonymous Collective but Metronomic is undeniable even though the bassline is nicked from Yoko.

― sleeve, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:09 (thirteen years ago)

Olv 26

― OutdoorFish, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:32 (thirteen years ago)

Btw bassline from metronomic underground stolen from the revolution will not be televised.

― OutdoorFish, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:33 (thirteen years ago)

The Can groove on Yper Sound is so blatant! And very cool sounding.

― timellison, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:33 (thirteen years ago)

Tomorrow Is Already Here & Motoroller Scalatron are the two that i think of any time ETK comes up, they are intrinsically linked in my mind - first tracks on either side of the same sparkly yellow disc, both endlessly pounding out a simple riff in an unusual time sig, copious references to "society" in the lyrics (not that that is unusual in a Stereolab song lol)

― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:34 (thirteen years ago)

this was just reished on vinyl as was dots and loops.

― christmas candy bar (al leong), Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:35 (thirteen years ago)

Went to sleep listening to album quite loud and getting woken up by the noise of carpet was an amazing experience

― OutdoorFish, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:36 (thirteen years ago)

that was a short sleep

― nostormo, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:39 (thirteen years ago)

Dozing off lol

― OutdoorFish, Sunday, 24 February 2013 20:42 (thirteen years ago)

Tonight, the answer might be Motoroller Scalatron. But they're all great except (maybe) the title track.

My first ETK love was Percolator, until the sax part started to sound out of tune to me and now I spend the first three minutes dreading that final sax section.

― susuwatari teenage riot (a passing spacecadet), Sunday, 24 February 2013 22:52 (thirteen years ago)

Tomorrow is Already Here. Love her voice. RIP.

― afriendlypioneer, Sunday, 24 February 2013 23:40 (thirteen years ago)

"Monstre Sacre" sure is nice in retrospect. Voting "Tomorrow."

― timellison, Monday, 25 February 2013 00:24 (thirteen years ago)

The missed punning opportunities of these polls. ;_;

EmPOLLor TomaPOLL Ketchup
MetroPOLLic Underground
PerPOLLator
Les YPOLL-Sound
POLLV 26
POLLmorrPOLL is Already Here
MotorPOLLer Scalatron
POLL Fast Hazel
Anonymous POLLective

― Margaret Vegemite Sanger (Leee), Monday, 25 February 2013 00:34 (thirteen years ago)

My first ETK love was Percolator, until the sax part started to sound out of tune to me and now I spend the first three minutes dreading that final sax section.

I love the out of tune sax. Percolator is definitely another highlight and was amazing in the ETK live show, which featured a big climax where the whole band mix was fed through some crazy Moog effects.

― Moodles, Monday, 25 February 2013 00:47 (thirteen years ago)

voted carpet, coulda voted for nearly any of the others, would vote live metronomic underground if that was an option, god they always jammed hard on that one. speaking of jam...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-OsCgCM9KE&feature=youtu.be&t=3m45s

― balls, Monday, 25 February 2013 00:51 (thirteen years ago)

blerg - http://youtu.be/_-OsCgCM9KE?t=3m49s

― balls, Monday, 25 February 2013 00:52 (thirteen years ago)

My first ETK love was Percolator, until the sax part started to sound out of tune to me and now I spend the first three minutes dreading that final sax section.

It just struck me, my track on the xmas comp (the end bit) was defn 'inspired' by that bit, ok it's xylophone but still.

― Mark G, Monday, 25 February 2013 07:36 (thirteen years ago)

It has to be Cybele's Reverie. The title track, The Noise of Carpet and Slow Fast Hazel are all amazing too.

This is a perfect album. It's probably just behind Laughing Stock, Very and Homogenic for my favourite album of the 90's.

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 25 February 2013 09:09 (thirteen years ago)

Motoroller Scalatron

― Jeff W, Monday, 25 February 2013 10:16 (thirteen years ago)

Title track for me.

― Chewshabadoo, Monday, 25 February 2013 10:22 (thirteen years ago)

Metronomic Underground, what a monster.

― Plasmon, Monday, 25 February 2013 13:04 (thirteen years ago)

I actually prefer the revolution will not be televised itself. Amazing track.

― OutdoorFish, Monday, 25 February 2013 13:23 (thirteen years ago)

I may have said it before but the BBC radio session version of "Yper Yper Sound" which combines the b-side version and the album version into one song rules. There's also a spacey Peel sesson version of "Metronomic underground" with Sonic Boom on various analogue synths which is also very good. I've played these versions more often than the album itself,

― Rob M Revisited, Sunday, February 24, 2013 12:39 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

where can i hear these?

― zero dark (s1ocki), Monday, 25 February 2013 14:49 (thirteen years ago)

always liked spark plug

― ciderpress, Monday, 25 February 2013 14:50 (thirteen years ago)

s1ocki, check out ABC Music

― Moodles, Monday, 25 February 2013 14:55 (thirteen years ago)

coocoo

― zero dark (s1ocki), Monday, 25 February 2013 15:08 (thirteen years ago)

Anyone like the Wagon Christ mix?

― OutdoorFish, Monday, 25 February 2013 15:11 (thirteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Saturday, 2 March 2013 00:01 (thirteen years ago)

metronomic mandate

― j., Saturday, 2 March 2013 01:42 (thirteen years ago)

Have enjoyed revisiting this album

― Mark G, Saturday, 2 March 2013 18:22 (thirteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Sunday, 3 March 2013 00:01 (thirteen years ago)

it is not time for the percolator

― mookieproof, Sunday, 3 March 2013 00:06 (thirteen years ago)

Wagon Christ mix?

― OutdoorFish, Sunday, 3 March 2013 00:13 (thirteen years ago)

three years pass...

How is the "Les" in "Les Yper-Sound" pronounced? Is it French, or is it like Les Paul?

BTW Wagon Christ mix is butts.

― Jenny Ondioleeene (Leee), Sunday, 10 April 2016 23:57 (ten years ago)

French I would assume, since it's a reference to the short-lived 60s band of the same name:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1087914-Les-Yper-Sound

― Michael F Gill, Monday, 11 April 2016 00:08 (ten years ago)

I'm really surprised this album doesn't have more detractors. It's so accessible, so pop, so anomalous! But without doubt so good.

― Forever LXI (rip van wanko), Monday, 11 April 2016 01:43 (ten years ago)

it's very frontloaded, imo, i can't really hang with much after track 4. those first four tracks, though, wow. i think "les yper sound" was the first lab tune i heard and i was so dazzled by the motorik (hadnt heard Neu! yet)

― lute bro (brimstead), Monday, 11 April 2016 01:53 (ten years ago)

It's got a killer 1st track, and the last is stunning too.

― Mark G, Monday, 11 April 2016 10:42 (ten years ago)

Pronounced like Les Paul or "Lehs" cos it precedes a vowel, n'est-ce pas?

― Noel Emits, Monday, 11 April 2016 12:05 (ten years ago)

If anyone has a line on a somewhat affordable copy of the yellow sparkle vinyl version of this, let me know

― Check Yr Scrobbles (Moodles), Monday, 11 April 2016 12:26 (ten years ago)

lay zeeper sound

― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Monday, 11 April 2016 13:41 (ten years ago)

I'm really surprised this album doesn't have more detractors. It's so accessible, so pop, so anomalous! But without doubt so good.

this is one of my least favorite stereolab albums actually. all of the songs are fine (+ cybele's is undeniable) but to me it almost feels like a greatest hits album from a slightly less ambitious band.

― iatee, Tuesday, 12 April 2016 12:26 (ten years ago)

That sounds like a better description of Mars Audiac Quintet than this album IMO.

― Tim F, Tuesday, 12 April 2016 12:29 (ten years ago)

yeah, it's about half a greatest hits album from an insanely ambitious & creative pop band (i.e. stereolab), and half a regular stereolab album (i.e. damn good).

― Keks + Nuss (contenderizer), Tuesday, 12 April 2016 12:50 (ten years ago)

Another Groop Noob ETK question: is that Mary singing the lead vocals on "Metronomic"?

― Jenny Ondioleeene (Leee), Tuesday, 19 April 2016 02:30 (ten years ago)

four weeks pass...

Yup.She was so great

― Black Arkestra, Tuesday, 17 May 2016 03:29 (ten years ago)

nine years pass...

happy 30th

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 18 March 2026 22:37 (six months ago)


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