Reviews (page 2 of 8)
I'm not sure what's wrong with me lately. Maybe it's 1,001 fatigue. Or maybe Robert's list is simply flawed and bloated. I listened to this twice, and it has all the makings of what should have been a solid album for me, but I found myself feeling, at best, indifferent towards it... with even a slight annoyance under the surface at some of the overlong repetitive parts and excessive organ holds in the background. I'll give this the benefit of the doubt and hope I can shake this funk soon. I'm tired of being "that guy" who slaps 1s on everything.
I really liked this. It would have been a 5 for me except it didn’t stick enough. I will be looking more into Stereolab though.
Liked it more towards the end but still not really for me
***An ok album
wat een titel.
I thought it was pretty inoffensive when I had it on as I was doing other things. But then I started paying attention during the second half of the album and it really started annoying me. The title track and Motorola Scalatron were my least favorites because of their driving repetition.. Luckily the songs are fairly eclectic and there were others that were more atmospheric and interesting. Definitely a mixed bag, which is preferable to boring.
There is some cleverness and a bit of imagination in all the sampling and layers of these songs. There are lots of tidbits on each track. The problem is, the songs are lame and repetitive. They would honestly be better as instrumentals, and for songs that don't say much, they go on way too long. I really don't think I needed to hear this album before I die.
It’s just too repetitive for me. There are parts of songs that I like but then they go on too long. By the end I just really wanted it to be over. I do think they do a good job of building an atmosphere and I thought the vocals were good but really it’s just not my thing. Fav song: Monstre Sacre Least fav: Metronomic Underground
Thought this was going to be a serious stinker from the first few seconds but it actually turned out alright. Tad repetitive and samey at times but lightly pleasant to listen to. Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song - spark plug Least fav- the noise of carpet
Found the first song so annoying I had to take a break after it was finished. But I think the rest of the album is actually pretty lovely. The French singing won me back over and I stayed won over. There were definitely some more annoying moments (the opening of the title track for one) but I didn't hate it anywhere near as much as I initially thought I would. Favourite song: Les Yper-Sound Least: Metronomic Underground
I was expecting to hate this album and yet I found myself oddly thrilled. Leticia Sadier’s voice reminds me a lot of Nico from the 1970s, but she definitely has more range than Nico ever did. The perfect example is the song Percolator in which her vocals sound like they’re being run through a Wawa pedal. Metronomic Underground was probably my favorite song on this because despite the fact it fell into a groove the song still felt like he was moving forward and building towards something. The song Noise of the Carpet was surprising because so much the album has a psychedelic alt feel, and then this comes along with a Proto-punk feel, yet it’s still worked and felt consistent with the album. Tomorrow Is Already Here reminded me of the band School for Seven Bells. I only heard of a Stereolab in passing, but I am definitely gonna come back to the lab at some point.
Random thoughts: * I thought I knew Stereolab but then I realized I actually knew Stereo MCs. Doh! * Anyway, I have never listened to Stereolab. I was surprised to learn they are French. Well, British and French. Oh la la! * It is upbeat and I'm mostly jamming to it. It is definitely more jaunty and less electronic than I expected. A little more rock and pop. * I played this a couple of times yesterday. There were no songs that really stuck with me but the overall vibes were fun and I'd like to come back to this. * Solid to have one Stereolab album on 1001.
There's certainly nothing bad about the album, but I bounced off it in 1996 and I bounce off it now. I like the 1960s chirpy French vocals and the 1990s electronica, but I can't love it. It's unexciting to me, it seems to lack character, whatever that means.
I enjoyed it more than I expected from reading the title
This album was great. I saved 3 songs, and would've saved more if I was paying it my full attention. I will most definitely revisit this album someday. 8/10.
Massively underrated band, essential listening.
Quite enjoyed this album after being a little unsure on the first track. I like the genre hopping and the vocals are quite pretty and soft to listen to. It’s not something I’d rush back to, but an interesting listen to get something different in here. Monstre Sacre was a personal favourite from this one.
Great beats. Great riffs. Can't stand the voice. Felt this way 30 years ago, and still feel this way now.
wow this was great! Original, fun, trippy
I have tried this band before. I appreciate them, but don’t ever think to listen to them. Forgettable?
Never heard of this band. Interesting. I respect the music, just not my type.
Okay.
In a nutshell: pick 'n' mix music Electronica-VU avant garde- krautrock leaning-abstract goodness. It's the kind of artist you need to be in the right mood to appreciate. Personally I'd start with Dots and Loops then go back to Emperor if you're new to Stereolab Overall: 6/10
5/5. Stereolab are one of my favorite bands. They combine a ton of disparate elements from Lounge music to post-rock to kraut-rock to electronica and much more and fuse it all into such a distinct, but wholistic sound. Then add in some left-wing philosophy and political anger and you’ve got the basic idea of Stereolab. Emperor Tomato Keptchup is one of the albums that shows the band at its full power and that begins immediately with “Metronomic Underground” which has a hypnotic locked-in Krautrock groove to it. You then get “Cybele’s Reverie” which might be the most beautiful sounding song in the Stereolab catalogue. A few tracks later there’s “Les-Yper Sound” which has a bizarre groove to it and lyrics that talk about how humanity loves to create categories of separation and then fight over them. And from there the tracklist continues to be pretty much all hits no misses. Frontwoman Lætitia Sadier is also great all throughout this album, matching the energy of every song whether that be the more punkish energy of “the noise of carpet” or the hectic-ness of “Percolator.” One of those albums that’s just absolutely bursting at the seams with creativity from one of the most consistent bands to ever do it. I will always heavily recommend checking out their stuff.
Meh, pretty boring 90s electronica.
Very good
Not my favourite of theirs but probably their most experimental
Like most electronic music, this quickly became background music. It was not bad, but there was nothing exceptional here. 2.5/5
Nice eclectic sounds.
Something different! Franco pop? Would listen to again
honesty very iffy at first but pretty into it the further i got, saved 0/13
A whole album of Stereolab is a bit too much for me. I was given a promo copy of the single from this album back in the day and enjoyed listening to it and added it to a mix tape. The soundscapes they create are wonderfully dreamy but a whole album is a bit too much. The Noise of Carpet gave me Hawkwind vibes, for what it's worth.
After that godawful first track the rest of the album is alright.
Maso
4/5
I’d only ever heard discotheque by stereo lab which I love, and this album in the most part was very good, the albums a bit long is all, but I liked it.
Simply epic
I confused them with Supergrass so this wasn't what I expected.
2⭐️
Very hypnotic
Parts were kind of cool, I guess.
I liked this more than I was expecting to; what aliens would be listening to on their spaceship radio Playlist add: "Spark Plug"
Terrible decision to listen to this album while extremely exhausted and trying not to fall asleep at work. Thankfully, after taking a small nap of... two and a half hours (once I finished my job), I was able to quite enjoy this record. The reason why I had a hard time listen to it in that state is due to how hypnotic this sounds. It is a very sweet and charming indie rock album that blends different styles, like krautrock (where the hypnotic rhythms and guitars would come from, and notable in songs such as "Metronomic Underground" or "Olv 26"), post-rock (from which they take the crescendo type of composition, and very palpable in "Cybele's Reverie) and Indietronica (probably the most obvious one as every song is filled with little electronic details). There are in addition other genres that they take elements from, like Neo-Psychedelia and Space Rock Revival, both of them making the album feel more hypnotic and spacious. Apart from the ambitious mixture of styles, I quite liked how catchy everything sounds as well, specially the singing, which happens to do something very peculiar by switching between English and French. In the end, I think this is a very fun album that had my head moving along the rhythms through the whole project.
Okay, but ultimately a bit bland and boring.
Sehr elektrisch, etwas stampfend. Nicht mein Geschmack. 2/5
Not my cup of tea
2.5 if it was an option. Not my thing, but there’s enough meat on the bones for me to try another Stereolab album or two
If every song on this album was cut in half it would still be too long.
6/10 Too repetitive. I love my guitar pedal looper, but I kind of realise not many people want to hear it and nauseum.
Quite like the French tones injected into the altrock sound. My wife reminds me however that "were too old for this" 🤣
Familiar with Stereolab. Enjoy their mix of indie rock and electronic music. It's a fun album. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
The precursor to Dots and Loops, amazing album.
Liked this a lot. I knew the name but don't recall listening before now. Certainly not this album. Enjoyable. Not life changing but enjoyable. 4/5
Not for me
Rubbish
Experimental, right? Normally, this category would bring to mind something that’s somehow surprising, jarring, or unsettling… Instead, on “Emperor Tomato Ketchup,” Stereolab delivers a series of semi-electronic tracks that are so monotonous that literally any 3-second sequence from them could be used as a ringtone. The slightly livelier “The Noise Of Carpet” stands out just a bit, but at best reaches the status of a solid track. If Stereolab hadn’t happened to be founded in London, Robert Dimery certainly would never have heard of them. That wouldn’t have been such a bad thing.
A bit weird here and there but in general a nice vibe
I firmly believe that all of stereolab's good output after the 3rd album would barely fill an EP. this goes on forever.
Delightful. Whimsical yet relentless.
Huge disconnect between reputation and what I heard here. I think I just don't care for this sort of low key soundscape stuff. Didn't dislike it! Just not for me.
I love this. Psych pop with some krautrock in the mix. Very cool
Fun. Still sounds great & fresh.
My first and probably favorite Stereolab. Still pretty great!
This was pretty cool and fun. I never have listened to much Stereolab, but I wouldn’t mind if another album or two of theirs popped up.
Headache mysic for me.
Extremely enjoyable listen
Voice like Nico, atmosphere and sensibility like Air. Also reminiscent of Cortex. Uncoincidental that all are French except Nico (German). This is a difficult rating because I dig the psychedelic dream pop vibes but the musical motifs in the songs are a little too flat and repetitive for my tastes, so it’s a 3.5 rounded down.
Might be one of my new favorites. I had not heard any of this album before, but a bit from the artist. Lovely music and lovely voice, with some political messages thrown in.
Meh, not my thing. At moments, hardly consider it music, too braindead, or ironically brainy. Little to no nuance. Some odd rhythmics. I gotta kick u down
Stereolab has always been a favorite since discovering Dots and Loops in the early thousands. You'll slowly realize their influences, but the way they do things is truly unique. They also kick live if you get the chance to see them these days. Anyway, this album is a definite highlight of their discography and probably a great representation of it.
This is not my usual style but I enjoyed it quite a bit for what it is. Not huge on the indie stuff but this has to be on eof the better records ive heard. Its just interesting all around. The songs and the changes within them are pretty varied. There are some moments where an idea gets a little played out but thats almost the only negative I could throw at it. It just does alot with the time it has. And I respect it. Hard jot to have a good time and move with this on
One of their best
Glorious
Always assumed I didn't like Stereolab but this is very good. 3 for now but it's a grower I think
A four star classic, thank you RGP!!!!!! time. ❤️❤️❤️❤️. Tom.
it was interesting not a huge fan of it
Nej, detta var tråkigt. Inget som direkt stod ut. Lite kul att det sjöngs på franska då och då men det var väl det. Inget jag kommer att lyssna på igen.
Perhaps leaning a tad too much to the indie side of things to my taste but eh, I know they love their krautrock and that they do very well. Enjoyed this album greatly in any case and think I couldn't give it anything but full five stars, especially in the context of this list. Brilliant.
5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background
Музыка такая же странная, как и название альбома. Иногда даже раздражает своими постоянными зацикленными повторениями одного и того же. Хотя местами напоминает Dakh Daughters, но только местами.
Lovely stuff - the combination of krautrock, indie vibes, chanson styles etc makes for something really unique. Not perfect, but different enough to everything else to be a really enjoyable listen. Strong 4.
Fun! And interesting. But is it profound? 3.5?
i'm sure i've heard of stereolab before but this is my first time actually hearing their music. i'm into the sound i think, especially for the first 20 mins or so. i really like the dueling vocals, especially on "cybele's reverie", which is probably my favourite track from this album, and they got the electric organs going throughout which is always a plus for me. but to be honest..... on every single listen i've found myself clocking out mentally by about halfway through. the back half isn't bad, or even just less interesting than the front, but it somehow really starts to drag on. the tracks can be quite repetitive, which in isolation i think works pretty well and gives them a kinda hypnotic quality, but combined with the length of the album as a whole..... maybe a double album was a misstep i think. it's a pretty good album but, i really struggle to lock onto it. cool sound though!
i like a few tracks a lot but it does drag on a bit. not my fav stereolab album either
This is real real good 90s french pop that was totally top of its game when britpop was running rapant and we had real dirgey stuff over here. It's playful and fun and one of their best I reckon! I love booping about to this!
6music dads wet dream, but also really good. I like Stereolab a lot, this is just real nice to chill and work to, but also there's such a wealth of stuff going on beneath the surface that it also rewards concentration.
Very Avant Garde - A few songs are good, many are experimental for the purpose of being experimental
Funky electronica - wasn't bad
I liked it a lot when they weren't singing.
Not a bad album as such but really didn’t leave much of an impression
I dig looped soundscapes, and I was all in on the first track, but the rest of this album couldn't seem to keep that soundscape propulsion going and by track 5 and 6 the album had really begun to drag. I was hopeful that this was just a reprieve, but it never made it back. While the production and engineer skill levels are clearly high enough to produce magic, there does not, in fact, appear to be much magic on this album. In this genre, and in this decade, Yello's ZEBRA (1994) was far more interesting to me. Most bearable: "Metronomic Underground" To me this wasn't one of the interesting albums from 1996. More interesting albums in 1996 that are not on this list include: Tori Amos's BOYS FOR PELE TOOL's AENIMA Primitive Radio Gods ROCKET Rush's TEST FOR ECHO THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS Soundtrack album Prong RUDE AWAKENING Gravity Kills GRAVITY KILLS.
While I'm not a mad stereo lab fan, I have a couple of their albums, and this sounds similar. I like their vibe, but the other albums I own skins very similar.
A fun listen. But likely to never come up on my rotation again. And without this most, never would have.
This one passed me by in 1996 - I wish it hadn't! Also, doesn't seem to have aged at all in 30 years.
644/1001 2026.06.25
Weird but ok
fun
interesting
Stereolab is good, actually.
75
3 out of 5. There's fun to be had listening to this album.
Stereolab is another band that I need to spend more time exploring. This is their second album that I've listened to, the first being "Dots and Loops" (which should be on this list). It seems like they have a pretty consistent discography so I definitely need to check out more from them. Favorite track: Metronomic Underground
Interesting, kind of Jazzy. Sounds like it would be part of an Indie movie soundtrack
pretty cool album, unusual
Bad background music
Nothing special.
Dødsbra album! Treffer godt! Veldig kul indie fra 90 tallet!
I don’t know this band and this album isn’t to my taste. One star...
I really liked this one. I had listened to Dots and Loops before so I kinda knew what to expect from them going in and that may have helped me prepare. I don't always enjoy Krautrock, but these guys are great.
80s quirk chungus ass music
This is a really good album. While listening I felt like I was floating through something both futuristic and warm at the same time. The music is the star here — it’s interesting, layered, and constantly shifting between groovy, hypnotic, almost industrial rhythms and beautiful melodic pop moments. The production is excellent, mixing motorik beats, funky basslines, spacey synths, loungey vibes, and noisy textures in a way that feels fresh and inventive. It has this cool, retro-futuristic charm that keeps things engaging. My only real issue is the lyrics. Laetitia Sadier sings a lot in French, and even though I read the translations, I just don’t connect with them the same way. They feel distant and I don’t fully get into the words. If I understood French better I’d probably rate this album even higher. Still, as a musical experience, Emperor Tomato Ketchup is strong and rewarding. It’s one of those records where the sound and atmosphere carry it.
Fun, but pretty forgettable
i liekd it
Tomorrow Is Already Here
Reading the reviews to this album is the first time I wished I could argue on this site, because this is a slice of heaven, knobheads saying this is bad electronica just means that they don't listen to these albums. Undeserved score, it's a 5 again - Cybele's Reverie will be my wedding song when I never get married.
Yeah, that'll do. Wasn't entirely sure at first, but once it gets moving this is really decent and different enough to deserve a place here.
Really cool, now I gotta listen to Dots and Loops I guess
Number: 159 Date: 06/11/2026 Artist: Stereolab Album: Emperor Tomato Ketchup Year: 1996 Style: Stereolab Familiarity: Extremely (5) Rating: 5 Before: ======= Yum, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, don't mind if I do. This is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite groups of all time. It's hard to say who would take the top spot for favorite artist(s) but it would be either Stereolab or The Fall. They're hard to compare seeing's how they are so different from each other. I do have to say though that it's a travesty there's only one album from Stereolab on this list. Shoot, I would probably consider breaking my own rule of no more than 3 albums for this group. Anyway's, this is a fine choice to represent them, but not the best, imo. If I could choose only one album from them it would probably be Dots And Loops. Funny story: I once had Emperor Tomato Ketchup stuck in my car's cassette player for an entire year and never got tired of listening to it, for real. Now, I did listen to a lot of talk radio back then but if I was listening to music, this is what I was listening to. So without further adieu, we'll get started. During: ======= 5 Metronomic Underground 5 Cybele's Reverie 5 Percolator 4 Les Yper-Sound 5 Spark Plug 4 Olv 26 5 The Noise Of Carpet 5 Tomorrow Is Already Here 4 Emperor Tomato Ketchup 4 Monstre Sacre 5 Motoroller Scalatron 5 Slow Fast Hazel 5 Anonymous Collective ----------------------------------------------------- 4.68 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= So, this might by my favorite album on this entire list. I know I'm only 159 albums in so there are probably a lot of artists I've never head of before that I'll get the chance to listen to but from what I know so far, this one is right up there at the top. However, it would probably only rank around number 5 of all of Stereolab's collection for me. I actually have Stereolab down for the best album of the year for the years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001. And either the top 2 or 3 for the years 1993 and 1994. One final note, you may notice that for Style, I have "Stereolab". I'm calling the style "Stereolab" instead of something like Indie-Art-Kraut-Post-Rock as they pretty much invented their own style of music, that didn't sound like anything else at the time. In fact when people used to ask me what kind of music I listened I would simply tell them, Stereolab. 5 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.7 composite rating
I had zero expectations or ideas as to what this album would sound like. I had never heard of this band before, and I didn’t take the time to look at the Wikipedia page. So all of this was completely new to me, and I really liked it. It’s so relaxing and pleasant. Right off the bat though I have to admit alot of the album is in French so on a literal level I did not understand/connect with the lyrics in the same way I would with a band singing in English. But I don’t think that got in my way from enjoying this album. The instrumentals are repetitive but creative and original. There are moments where it’s electronic leaning, then there’s moments where it feels like a small indie rock band, and then there’s even movements that feel epic and orchestral. This album truely has a great sense of variety and creativity that I always harp on almost every single album about. Seriously this album is a powerhouse of creativity. The only small negatives to me were at moments it was painfully repetitive like the opening track, and a few songs near the end of the album didn’t really grab me in anyway. But seriously I really love this album, definitely go check it out.
Alright, so this is a mid-90s electronic rock album? More accurately, it sounds like a more modern version of krautrock. The songs are often long and very groove-driven, and they often have heavy amounts of synth and electronics mixed in. Hell, even the vocals sound Can-esque. Unfortunately, this doesn't come close to the quality of Tago Mago's greatest songs despite solid songwriting. On that album, they swell dramatically and change constantly, showcasing huge dynamic range that this lacks. However, this is by no means a bad album. It still has much of the appeal of krautrock as a style even if it's not a true great of the genre. This album is ranked #14 of 28 albums for 1996. Other 1996 albums rated by me: The Score(1/28)-4 Tigermilk(8/28)-3 Everything Must Go(11/28)-3 1977(13/28)-2 Better Living Through Chemistry(15/28)-2 Oedipus Schmoedipus(23/28)-3 Now I Got Worry(27/28)-4
Emperor Tomato Ketchup gets high marks for WHEN it deftly blends its Krautrock-French pop into an enticing update of those two styles. However, several songs could not quite get the Motorik groove down to my liking or the breathy vocals of Lætitia Sadier took up to much space. The title track fell prey to these issues as did “Les Yper-Sound.” Ballads such as “Monster Sacre” and “Slow Fast Hazel” definitely depend on mood. Sometimes, I can feel the rain dripping down the window as a forlorn Jean Seberg stares out contemplating her existence. Other times I find them dreary with effects like wah-wah sounds that grate. The opener “Metronomic Underground” ranks with Neu’s “Hallogallo” as my top tunes with the Motorik sound. “Percolator” fully evoke the title and is the most fun song on the abum. I did not remember how “Motoroller Scalatron” and “The Noise of Carpet” feature great guitars that get fully supported with terrific drums. To hit great status, an album should not have this many tracks that draw a thumbs up or down depending on the day I listen.
I feel my first listen of it is what fits this album best, seems like a great one to have on in the background, but I don't feel much depth when it comes to an album I would intently listen to, except maybe the French stuff because I already don't understand it, which makes it feel sophisticated to listen in another language. "Slow Fast Hazel" was my favorite. I would jam along if it came on, especially the last minute or so. Sometimes repeating the same line over and over again can grit me, but here it is done in a way I want to chant along to, maybe it's Lætitia Sadier's voice, or just her name, which is a great name, unlike this album title.
1001 albums to hear before you zone out 128# So, i love the sound of this. Sounds timeless, not from a given space in time, but from a diverse time space. The only issue is that some tracks become a bit tiresome, becoming a loop that doesn't really go anywhere. Even though the loops are satisfying as hell, but it just goes on for a bit longer than it should. Great sound they made in 96, if I had to give this a date of release I'd say around 150 before christ and 2350 after christ.
God, I love when an album grabs me from the first notes. I had never heard of this band, and was immediately mesmerized. My enthusiasm tempered somewhat by the end but I still enjoyed this unique sound enough to give it 4 stars
Malo
Quirky and cool.
nao é ruim mas não é minha vibe
Like listening to Air without the breathy vocals.
Bit chaotic opening. Songs are way too repetitive (same lyrics over and over again), but some are catchy.
Aye really like these. One of the many bands where I hear one album and think ‘this is great’ and never seem to delve much further. Hadnt hesrd this one before, recognised a few songs. Quite ahead of its time in a lot of respect, probably helped pave the way for that early 00s indie/electro crossover scene. Got no evidence to prove it, but why not. And not that I’m blaming them for most of those bands. This is a lot more ‘sophisticated’, more experimental. Strong 4.5
This was so good, it's a mix of electronic and indie I've always wanted. The run from olv26 to emperor tomato ketchup was the best part. The early album was nice but a bit more indie and strings, which I really liked but not as much Lovely electronic repetition but crafted into proper interesting songs. The electronic side reminded me of air and royksopp, building up with guitars and proper drums in an LCD way. A good few songs with odd time signatures too. Loved it.
Cybele's Reverie, The Sound of Carpet, and Percolator (definitely heard it before, perhaps an advert) were the strongest. Slightly too repetitive for me, some droney vocals could have been livened up. Better than I expected going in, but no exquisite bloops.
This wasn't what I was expecting when I saw it was listed as electronica.... I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Perhaps reminiscent of hookworms? Yeah yeah yeahs too? Either way it was way better than I was expecting. I do think the first half was stronger than the latter. The first couple of tracks and "the noise of carpet" were the highlights. Good though. 3.5
Noisy and French. Terrible
kind of great
I kind of think it sounds like Krautrock made in Ableton. It's mostly progressive looping and layering, where various melodies constantly recontextualise what came before. It's a very atmospheric listen which explores every angle of the core of each track. It becomes quite hypnotic. But where the album excels in harmonic layering, it sacrifices rhythm variation. This is of course a staple of Krautrock but it leaves a lot of the burden on the melody, and I think the melodies tire quicker to the ear than a repeating drum loop ever would. Without rhythmic evolution to carry the weight, the tracks can feel a bit static. Several tracks offer a break from that mechanical rigidity. "Monstre Sacré" is atmospheric and contemplative. But the real standout for me is "Slow Fast Hazel." It's a dynamic track which is fun, jazzy, and spacey. It makes a nice change from the rigid, looping, progressive structure found elsewhere on the album. Ultimately, this is an album of evolving textures rather than narrative journeys, and that will probably put off some listeners. I enjoyed it though. I'd consider checking out their other stuff. 4/5
Liked this, it was pleasant. Not one I would be rushing back to but I like a lot of stuff likely inspired by and adjacent to it.
Good album
No no no
Why do people make stuff like this
- This has always been my favourite Stereolab album, and I've listened to it a lot. I don't actually know most of the lyrics, but I should, lol. - Love the sound effects, cool and unexpected vocals/harmonies, and laid back groove. - There's a lot of variety on this album for something that's so singularly its own. - I love the first half most, but I like most of the songs and prefer to listen to this completely as an album than as singles. - I do find it goes on a little too long.
super enjoyable. I prefer the repetitive/hypnotic side of this album to the more rock-oriented tracks.
2.5
All I can say about this album is that, like many Radiohead Lps, I find them more interesting than enjoyable. There is a lot of cool stuff going here I like the actual mix EDM and 90s modern rock, as well, as throwback 70's synth exploration. But I really found myself admiring the complexities and really getting into the actual Groove itself. I don't know if I would put this album on as a casual listen. (7.1) ★★★½
Some cool parts, but mostly boring. 3 stars
I think this is a really interesting mix of Krautrock, electronica, and indie pop. They kind of come across as an electronic Yo La Tengo. It's really pretty and hypnotic at times. Highlights for me are "Metronomic Underground", "Cybele's Reverie", "Olv 26", "The Noise of Carpet", and "Tomorrow is Already Here". 4.5 stars.
4.5
Album art is unfortunate because it reminds me of Emergency & I by Dismemberment Plan, one of the most earachey albums of all time (it will dismember your ears. Even google will tell you that ‘help is available’ if you were to search for Emergency & I.) Album name is unfortunate because it reminds me of Tormato, one of the crappest Yes albums. Another unfortunate fact is that the year is 2026 and Boards Of Canada have released a new modern classic called Inferno that you should definitely check out over this. This is just really higgedly flotsam and ramshackle 90s indie with a French singer that should be sexy but is super stilted and robotic like a Frankenstein Francophone Hatsune Miku. The movie that the album title references seems like a wrong un and the inclusion of this album on the list seems wrong as well.
it was okay
Essential influence for so much of the music I love today, yet still so peculiar and quirky that it still stands on its own today. One of the weirdo classics. I have to confess that even though I knew it was in French and I can understand a bit of it, I thought that one of the tracks included the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" from "The Day The Earth Stood Still." Nope, just more French.
Unique but irritating. Vocals feel flat. Mostly. Some of it is kinda hypnotic.
strange ass album makes for interesting vibes
Straight to the top. Best album so far
Ended up listening to Stereolab in the background all day. Good work music.
If this was jam, it would not be mine that’s for sure
"Cybele's Reverie" is just a nice, breezy jam, as many of these songs are, bordering on a neo-psychedelia sound, with pleasant vocal delivery and bouncy, rhythmic looping/tape editing. This is yet another album, however, that does not earn the extended length. Cut 20 minutes from this and it's a really, really great record. At 57:15, I tire out about halfway through.
Got old fast.
I tend to start a lot of these 1001 albums reviews with "this isn't my thing" and truly, this isn't. That being said, there are a few parts on here that I truly did enjoy quite a bit. "The Noise of Carpet" and "Tomorrow Is Already Here" are close enough to my wheelhouse that I really enjoyed them. Problem is, I could pass on pretty much the entirety of the rest of the record. I respect what they've done here and it's not a BAD album, it's just not one I want to hear again.
Кайфовый альбом
hm, ne nicht so mein Fall
Hat vielversprechend begonnen (ersten zwei Lieder), aber dann abgeflacht.
Nicht meine Tasse Tee
I was pretty much primed to give this a 4 but truth be told I didn't take all that much joy from it after the first half. It seems I have a limited threshold for this brand of squelchy analogue downtempo chicanery. I mean, it is still very good, just not my exact cup of tea over a full lp. One to check out again I think.
Loved it! Very interesting, sounds great and lots of good French practice.
(3/7) some of it sounded like French
Love the autobahn riff and generally finger snapping is very much a thing I do
Another of my favorites. Easy 5 for me, the whole album front to back is sonically interesting and geeky. Metronomic Underground is one of the best long-form songs I've ever heard, and it has a trance that just connects.
Overall: 7/10 This album opened up with a noise that was so grating to my ears that it took me a couple songs to really get into it. Here's a tip for any aspiring musicians, if you want people to like your album instantly, don't open it with the brown note. Once I got over that little mishap, this ended up being a really cool album! I found myself rocking out quite a bit, and there's some unique and interesting instrumentation here. The female vocals are also very pretty and relaxing. There's a mix of french and english lyrics as well, and I honestly prefered the french stuff. It fit very well with this music. That cover is straight garbage though, I always assumed I would hate this just from looking at that thing. Thankfully I didn't. Fav Song: Tomorrow is Already Here
Could not get into this. 1.7
Eu esperava muito mais de algo chamado "emperor tomato ketchup". Desapontado.
CRAZY STURDY A TOR PEDO 🗣️🔊🔥🔥🔥
понравилось, кое-что сохранил, напомнило alvvays)
Would I listen again: no The French are on thin fucking ice. superrr repetitive and boring
another album I have no words other than "background music"
Def got some Tacocat vibes from some of these songs like The Noise of Carpet, which I liked. Unfortunately a lot of the album was quite different vibes. The few gems bump up the rating though.
Kicking off with a 7min song that is incredibly repetitive is a bold choice. Not for me. That light airy voice is not something I can listen to for a long time.
What am I listening to?? Ist wirklich schwer zu sagen, jedes Lied komplett unterschiedlich und ich Bingo den meisten nicht wirklich begeistert
Chill, creative electronic music, yet I can’t think of one reason why I’d listen to it again.
Revisiting this album confirms it is a banger. I do prefer Nars Audiac Quintet, but happy to see Stereolab on here.
Pretty interesting stuff, hard to categorize
Great album: love the sound, love the grooves
This played heavily in my late 90’s playlist. It brings back Portland Or. memories…. Their style, stunning vocals, the name - an album I’m happy to revisit.
I remember listening to this album on a school trip to Paris in 98, it’s a good album, when it hits it really hits, a couple of the tracks are a little flat and long for me but overall it’s interesting, in parts groovy and pretty unique. 3.6
I didn't really like this. It's weird and unusual, which is fine. But too often the same phrase or riff was just repeated for far too long and it got annoying. The vocals were not my cup of tea either
love these guys, love this album it's groovy, ambient sound is perfect background chill
This sucked. 3 songs in and I turned it off. I’ve come to the conclusion that this project really should be 500 albums to listen to before you die.
This album resonates like a skydive. Intensity and tension, which rarely let up, surrounding a spiritual awe.
Bringing the sexy back...to socialism. Blips bleeps and beats accompany anti capitalist screeds. More fun that it sounds because of perfectly matched intention and execution.
Electro buena onda
Super fun listen that was never on my radar. I knew the name of the band but was not familiar with their stuff.
300/1001 Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I was very late to discover Stereolab, so hadn't got to this album of theirs yet. It's as I expected from the band. The combination of psych and a chilled out delivery works well. It's perhaps not as muscular as their most recent output, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Meh
Overall it’s not bad. Not a whole lot is grabbing me - it’s kind of like riot grrrl music mixed with punk and indie pop. The songs can be fairly monotonous, but they jam pretty good. With some highlights I could see myself adding a couple tracks to specific playlists but overall it’s fairly forgettable.
This is great! never heard before
3.5 stars. Pretty cool electronic experimental rock/pop. Catchy beats. French lyrics. Cool bassline in "Percolator" but gets repetitive.
I mean, for some reason I didn’t hate it
Utter Genius
meh
I had a lot more fun than I was expecting with this album. From the opening track alone, I thought I was in for quite a long and not too exciting ride, but then, as repetitive as it is, I started to actually really like 'Metronomic Underground'. Something about the soothing vocal lines and almost hallucinogenic backing track really started to pull me in. It was once this track was over and the others started to play that I was really invested. Although I think it's hard to connect to music that isn't in a language you understand, this was somehow an exception. I really liked the switches between French and English throughout the album; it gave you something new to listen to each time. I really enjoyed a lot of the tracks, but my favourite track is my number one by a mile. It is just so beautifully made from the first note. Favourites (in order): Cybele's Reverie Percolator Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Surprisingly fun and good sounds. Probably won't repeat a listen but I enjoyed the simple, fun spirit of the album.
Didn't care for it
sort of clownish
This has an enjoyable and unusual retro-futurist sound, but most of the tracks start well before settling into an overly repetitive groove with a lack of variation or melody
No to be confuessed with Stereo Mc whoch sucks. Although not my type of music, I can feel the vibe like a modernday hippie indie electronica. Something not common so pretty original and unpredictable. Really good album
Not for me. I just didn’t get it, I guess.
I love the Krautrock influenced monotonic driving music. Sterolab do it with the best of them. I find that the album drags a bit in the back half but still a great listen whenever I return to it.
computronic funky, so futuristic to be an old songs
Love Sterolab and this album, they really put out a challange on the first track. Thin the crowd about, but greatness follows. Was so unique at the time,forward looking yet rooted in the past. 4.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 69/279 (24%) Will I get: Already have
Favorite Track: Cybele’s Reverie
Caveat: I am listening to this on narcotics following an oral surgery. So I may enjoy this more or less than expected. I never got into Stereolab or their ilk. The closest I came was probably my enjoyment of Beck. I did like the one Stereolab song on the High Fidelity soundtrack ("Lo Boob Oscillator") but I think part of that was just the context and how it fit in with the other songs. I never thought I needed to check out more of their stuff. But here I am... I liked some of this. The music is fine but the language was a barrier for me in the French songs. I really liked "The Noise of Carpet." As the album went along, I liked it more. It may be the drugs, but I'm feeling generous.
Solid zone out / background music. Low four stars, but there's a high four stars 40 minute cut in there.
kinda boring. i feel like it doesnt really go anywhere. fine music to study to though.
Another band I was due to listen to, and patiently waited for its selection on this list to do it. And yeah it's really good, especially for a synth weirdo like me. Looks like they have a fun discography to get into if you like this stuff. CAUTION: French
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE
66/100. The instrumentation on this record is great especially with the way it blends traditional rock elements with interesting electronics and analog synths. The French singing adds a really stylish and unique layer. However as a whole project I just think it is okay.
quite interesting, i c the concept n the vision n i like the sounds n melodies BUT they were way 2 repetititititititive. sum of them (like monstre sacre n emperor tomato ketchup) were less repetitive than others, but enuf were repetitive enuf 4 me 2 not rly enjoy it that much. maybe if the songs were alot shorter, or maybe 2 songs mixed in2 1 so it wouldnt b as repetitititive.
Great album for desk work/studying! Not quite lofi but very easy listening- the kind of thing I want on at a coffee shop or maybe a club when it’s closing.
kind of fun! wasnt expecting french so thought my auditory processing was going craaazy but enjoyed it nonetheless. it’s hard to put albums like these up against seriously meaningful ones though, like it was fun but did it really say anything? apparently it’s based on a movie/experimental short film but the movie sounds awful
Maybe a bit too indie for me
Jazz and Funk infused progressive rock. Thoroughly enjoyed this album.
The sound of a French primary school teacher warbling over someone blowing a kazoo into a biscuit tin.
I think I like the band a lot just not all the songs are special 3
I'm pretty much a sucker for anything with French lyrics so this, with its Foux du fafa vibe, was all right with me.
Love whatever incomprehensible alien language they're speaking
Pretty good background music
Too many noises. They hurt my ears
Stereolab are a one-of-a-kind band — their music is very distinct. They expertly stack layers of rhythm and melodies on top of each other, sometimes even one layer at a time so that you can really hear how the song was built. And when it all comes together, it's like a symphony. Their style is so cool. It's whimsical and strange, with a rock edge at times and a light air at other times. They can get pretty spacey and psychedelic but they always stay locked into a rhythm like a well-oiled machine. They make pop music that doesn't always follow a pop structure. It has more in common with electronica in terms of how it's structured and paced. They take their time, looping rhythms over and over, and building on top of them. I listened to a bunch of Stereolab in college and whenever I'm reminded about them, I realize I don't listen to them enough. This album is the big one. Every song has a memorable hook or melody. It's complex and detailed, but also really accessible. Great album (with a great title too).
This is a really cool sound. I feel like I've heard this band before but not too deeply so I'm happy to get to listen to them with some focus now. That intro song "Metronomic Underground" is really tight and a great groove to sit and lean into for a nice eight minutes. I also love how the second track starts with that nice orchestral string sequence. It shows off the band's production chops a bit. Sometimes this feels like a pop rock version of Steve Reich music; with textural layers that blend and drone and repeat in a round, and it's all very cool and distinct from most modern popular song structures. I also like how they have such a cohesive sound when it comes to instrumentation but they aren't afraid to reach for something weird, like synths that sound like toy sounds. It's a 3.4/5 for me, but with more listens could definitely be a 4.
I dig it. I think I've heard a few of these before but definitely not the whole album. Added cybelles reverie
Really fun album, I'm interested in hearing what else these guys have done
8/10… indietronica / avant pop / *1996 👂
C'était très sympa Belle musique d'ambiance J'adore
Je ne connaissais pas Stereolab J'étais un être incomplet sans le savoir
That was pretty fun
Kinda cool, French
Probably not something I will revisit but it was a fun listen.
Definitely heavy use of loops and digital sounds but that is right up my alley. ITs the kind of album I would like to have as a local band at a cafe that I can just hang out with and always enjoy. The French aspects of the songs are clear and not bad either. Overall glad to have discovered the band.
(2.75)
I don't hate French music or electronica, and this was a pleasant listen. There's just no variance between songs. The album sounds like one very mediocre, long song. Influence 4. Hits 2. Quality 3. Intangibles 3. Meh 3.
There are moments where this sounds like modern, electronic, (French?) Bossa Nova and it's absolutely brilliant... and then there are other moments I can't remember at all. But nothing I totally hated. On balance, I think that means this is a solid 3.5 for me and since their catalog seems to lean into Bossa Nova adjacent vibes, I'm willing to round up.
Just noise
As an electronica fan, this album disappointed me. It wasn't bad, but I didn't enjoy it well enough to cement any desire to play it again.
Points for the album name, obviously. Unfortunately I also need to subtract points for the vocals that are actively annoying. The music is...well, it was fine for a while, but then it wore on me after a while. What I'm saying is that the album name might be the only good thing about this album. In the band's defense: I'm not in a great mood today, so that's probably affecting how I feel about the album...but this is just striking me as more annoying the longer it goes on. 2.0 (I'd be tempted to give it a 1 if it were named "Noises" or "Stereolab" or something, but "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" is simply fantastic)
This was irritating. It started ok, fair, but not too interesting. Then it became tedious.
went for a bit long but it had its moments
Man come on
Wow, this was fabulous! I love the layered/looping vocals and lyrics sung in French and English. The melodies are captivating and pulled me into the music, which is lush, rich and textured. There are grooves to be found here, but also slower moments where the vocals have an almost choral feel - such as Monstre Sacre which sounds almost sacred. The music is weird, psychedelic and beautiful, which means it’s fully in my wheelhouse and was immediately added to my library.
I just listened to this and already I’ve forgotten what it sounds like
Usually when you come up on the words "experimental" and "post rock" and such on this list, you know you're in the world of boring slow shit. Thankfully, this is one of those rare cases when an album doesn't sound like that at all.
It felt like an entire album when different beats, rhythms and synth were being played behind the same lyrics.
This didn't necessarily grab me, but it was nice to drift in and out to. Some songs sounded familiar, like they were from a movie soundtrack. I don't think they were, but I like that effect!
I think this genre is just not for me. It was fine, I guess? I got pretty sick of the mumbled lyrics and repetitive music.
This music is giddy and infectious. It's a whole vibe, as the kids say.
had zero clue what this was going to be from the title or cover but I loved every minute of it
Colorful but not for me. Recommend listening to it outdoors in the sun. I listened indoors after sundown.
8/10
When the first song was already repetitive 3 minutes in, I checked, and there were 5 minutes left, I knew this would be a rough one. This was...weird. I don't think I enjoyed the style, and I was ready for it to be done.
Tinnitus rock.
Two bangers in a row. This was awesome. -.25 for the album name; +.26 for the album cover.
The singer's voice really grated on me. The music wasn't any better.
Certainly French and certainly 90’s
Just not a fan of electronics.
Interesting album. Sounds great in headphones. I enjoyed it
Good zone out music but I couldn’t tell you if it were good or not
Feels like a spiritual precursor to STRFKR. Very spacey, ephemeral, and vibe-y.
Enjoyed this. Another example of radio failing me; should have heard these songs on the alternative station when it came out!
Me gustaron los sonidos que tiene, es música que pondría de fondo ☺️
Stereolab are able to blend genres in a way that nobody else really can. The electronic style is definitely dominant, but they do such a good job at keeping their sound so interesting with many rock and indie elements too. It's hard to even tell exactly which instrument is making which sound, which to be clear is very much a good thing in this case, and small things like that are really what help to make this such a unique and unpredictable listen.
Kinda fun and funky. Just okay.
Really not my style, so I don't have much to say. It was just meh.
Very cool
got a little bit same-y but this was cool
Layers of electronic sounds and repeated vocal samples, very entrancing. Metronomic Underground lays down a groove that builds over 8 minutes, different instruments and melodies filtering in and out. I'm digging it. Cybele's Reverie is different, brighter, uplifting at first with strings and female vocals - it's another good one. Percolator is deeper and darker, rumbling bass and chimes. There's tons of great moments later on. I love the acid sounds on Spark Plug and the deep bass of Olv 26, to name a couple. Tomorrow Is Already Here has a slightly awkward stop-start rhythm that somehow works really well. Back to back, the childlike nostalgia of the title track and the stripped back, ominous Monstre Sacre is a great juxtaposition. It's a fairly long listen, and I can see how this won't appeal to everyone. But it needs to be rated highly.
#900. Weird repetitive French nonsense. 2/5: meh
A French- influenced take on Krautrock - cool! This would be perfect in a cafe, or a brasserie, as well as being something I would love to see played live - lots going on, with driving rhythms and cool vocals
Not bad, it got ponderous
As background music it's quite alright, but for normal listening I found it very annoying.
The first half absolutely bangs. The loop based songs lead to a really cool feel throughout the album. The second half didn't live up to the first, but it was still pretty good
This is the future we were promised.
funky funky
On the surface I should love this album, it's weird, whimsical and experimental. I just found that it went nowhere and nothing really stood out as something I'd want to listen to again. 3 stars due to it being experimental, and reasonably enjoyable.
Not for me
This sounds like a nice warm spring breeze
No sé por qué pateé escuchar este álbum siendo que es una maravilla. Me gustó muchísimo y es un álbum que escucharía habitualmente. Esa vibra francesa combinada con ese sonido extravagante me encantaron.
I don't know, I want to like this more than I do. The music is honestly mostly pretty cool. Sometimes it gets a little bit too repetitive. The vocals are not really working for me. Can't really put my finger on why, but I just don't really enjoy them. If it was instrumental I'd probably like it a lot more. Olv 26 is probably the best song on the album.
Mixed feelings. Addictive background, and horrible vocals. Unfortunately I can't split those two apart and listen just to the background.
First time with Stereolab. The music was interesting as an indie sound with maybe some prog influence. Singing was sometimes great and sometimes a bit distracting, but interesting overall.
Kinda vibey as background music lowkey
I’ve heard of Stereolab, I think. I believe they are an indie rock band from the 90s? Maybe started in the late 80s? I need a little rock and roll to fire me up going into today’s NCAA tournament because I got up too early. Uh-oh….Lots of keyboards and weird sounds start track 1, Metronomic Underground. My good buddy Wikipedia tells me they’re French, ugh, and avant-garde. Oh, Lord. This was a single off the album, too. This is their fourth album, so maybe this is either the experimental stage or the “Let’s see if we can write a commercial record” stage. I will say, the song is nonsense, but it’s got a groove. I’m slowly buying in. The song is very repetitive, but, again, it has a groove. I didn’t mind it, but there has to be more than this, or we’re in trouble. Track 2, Cybel’s Reverie, is a nice little pop song. It’s got strings in it that sound like they’re sampled, but there is probably just an effect used on it. Otherwise is a nice little indie pop song. Oh, here’s the breakdown with some organs and strings making things sound a bit ominous, though still poppy. This is a really nice song. I can see why it was the first of the two singles off the album. It has a bit of that freewheeling French pop sound to it from the 60s. Track 3 is another French 60s sounding pop song called Percolator and I love this song. Again, it sounds like this would be in a movie from the French New Wave in the 60s. But still a very fun pop song. The lyrics are sung in French, but that doesn’t bother me. It goes well with what the music is putting out there. I’m adding this to my single songs playlist. This song sounds to me like what the Doors would sound like if they weren’t a rock band, but were French and wanted to write pop songs. Track 5 is a really funky song called Spark Plug. It has funky guitar riffs with a great bass line under it. It’s a really fun song. After consulting my friend Wiki, it seems Steroelab used looped sounds to compose songs, which was different from their previous albums. So this was an experimental album. Track 7, The Noise of Carpet is the first true rock song on the album thus far. The lead singer, a woman, is singing in English, and the guitars sound like real guitars, nice and crunchy. I really like this song. It’s a bit refreshing after the old 60s Euro pop that led up to it. However, the song still has a pop sheen. The vocals are very poppy, as well. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop/ Track 8, Tomorrow Is Already Here, starts out with a guitar riff and then an organ. This sounds almost bluesy. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t expand much past the opening riff and beats. It’s a slower song, and it sounds like the whole band is singing vocals. Now here comes a xylophone? This certainly brightens the song a bit, but not enough for me. Track 9, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, sounds like the song the Blue Brothers band would play over and over while Jake and Elwood Blues were being introduced, or maybe James Brown. It’s the same upbeat riff over and over. You keep waiting for it to go somewhere, and it doesn’t. There are a bunch of sounds flying around in the background, but it’s not registering. Finally, the vocals come in, in French, but the music stays the same. Very basic, uninteresting song for me. Track 10, Monstre Sacre, is a very interesting song. It’s very simple, but the chord changes add intrigue to it. It sounds like a song that could be in a movie as our hero is close to figuring out all the clues, and it is playing over a certain scene in his, or her, or their mind. The strings add a bit of creepiness to the song. I really enjoyed it. Track 11, Motoroller Scalatron, is a nice little pop song with sounds buzzing around it throughout. It’s nothing incredible, it has guitar, organ, drums, bass, and these random noises. All the songs have kind of the same elements to them. Track 12 is Slow Fast Hazel, and it’s really nice. It starts slow with beautiful strings and then builds up into this very dreamy guitar solo accented by an organ. Stereolab can do 60s pop very well. If it weren’t so easy to hear the loops or sounds, you might not know this was an album from 1996. Speaking of 1996, the album finished at #67 on the US Billboard sales chart. That’s pretty good, I’d think. Especially since it seems the singles didn’t chart at all here. They must have done something right, as I know I’ve heard about them for years and years. The album started off a little shaky, but once I kind of got the idea of what they were trying to do, I ended up enjoying it for the most part. Is this going in my rotation any time soon? No. I think one and done is it for now. If you like a bit of electronic sounds mixed with your pop music, or you like 60s European pop music, then I think you’d enjoy this. It’s old school done in a new style.
Weird... I like weird.
No thank you.
Just noise but some is bice
I really liked this one. It reminded me of the Velvet Underground but more sugary and dance able. Very cool stuff
Trying to not hold it against this album that Dots & Loops is not on this list and this one is instead. It's a good album and I enjoy it, but I didn't imprint on it and listen to it hundreds of times.
would you like to hear the same four to eight bars in french for 4-7 minutes at a time? then have i got a band for you
This was fun, I especially liked "Slow Fast Hazel"
A revelation, but in a bad way. This is electro-pop that very much branches off of the Kraftwerk tree, and as already established, I'm not a huge fan of their oeuvre. The music just chugs along relentlessly in a way with variations that stack like square blocks, every piece fitting so rigidly it feels like this music was punched out by a machine tool. It's like listening to the electro-pop version of a piano roll. Even the singing follows this aspect, flat and unemotional, just sticking the notes where they belong. The affect on me was one of mounting irritation as each song went on, but more than that, some of these songs actually had a physiological impact on me, and it felt like I was getting a sinus headache listening to it. I knew of Stereolab, but hadn't heard anything of them prior to this. I didn't go in expecting to hate this album. I rarely give out one-star ratings, but Emperor Tomato Ketchup definitely earned it.
I detest ketchup
Haven’t listened much yet, but I wasn’t vibing with it from what I did. Il have to swing back at some point.
This was fine, no strong feelings. Mostly indistinguishable background music