Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Some cool parts, but mostly boring. 3 stars
strange ass album makes for interesting vibes
"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.
Hat vielversprechend begonnen (ersten zwei Lieder), aber dann abgeflacht.
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.
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.
Chill, creative electronic music, yet I can’t think of one reason why I’d listen to it again.
Pretty interesting stuff, hard to categorize
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.
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
Surprisingly fun and good sounds. Probably won't repeat a listen but I enjoyed the simple, fun spirit of the album.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
Pretty good background music
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.
Kinda cool, French
Probably not something I will revisit but it was a fun listen.
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.
Just noise
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!
Certainly French and certainly 90’s
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 ☺️
Kinda fun and funky. Just okay.
got a little bit same-y but this was cool
Not bad, it got ponderous
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
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
Weird... I like weird.
This was fun, I especially liked "Slow Fast Hazel"
I detest ketchup
This was fine, no strong feelings. Mostly indistinguishable background music
Actually, quite phenomenal production. Some tracks sound really really good all around. There’s not a lot to hate here other than the fact that it’s just not for me and the vocals are a little meh
Liked the vibe on most tracks, but each was far too long and repetitive.
Some groovy tracks but nothing blew me away.
# Album Name: Emperor Tomato Ketchup # Artist: Stereolab # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. Easy listen. # Top Tunes: Cybele / # Would I listen to it again? Probably not
Some interesting songs. Especially one in 5/4 time and one in 7/8 time.
I got this album years ago after a recommendation but it didn’t hit me right at all. I’m glad I revisited it because there’s something here. I’m not a huge fan of the vocals but a few of the songs really worked for me. I particularly enjoyed The Noise of Carpet and Metronomic Underground. I think this one could grow on me more, but I found it didn’t fully draw me in so it felt repetitive rather than immersive.
Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996) On Day 80, I landed on a 3/5 for Emperor Tomato Ketchup. While the project feels a bit repetitive at times, it definitely has a lot to offer in terms of the overall production and the way the instruments are layered. The vocal performance provides a cool, "noir" vibe that sits well within the dense, experimental arrangements. It’s a technically impressive body of work that shows a lot of range, moving between lounge-jazz and mechanical pop. However, that "metronomic" nature meant it didn't quite hit that "triumphant" soul level for me. It’s a solid, well-crafted record that I can appreciate for its technicality, even if it didn't completely blow me away.
Great sound profile
Поважаю гурт, непоганий альбом. Але є у них які подобаються суттєво більше. Цей десь на 3.5
I should like this more than I do. The instrumentals are great but the vocals don’t work for me.
I enjoyed the sounds of this but it goes on for a bit too long and fades into the background. Mid 3
An album that I’m not totally sure of my thoughts about. The combination of French pop vocals (that seemed to take some inspiration from 60s music from that country) and electronic sound was one I enjoyed more than I expected. But it did drag after a while, becoming a bit samey after the first handful of songs, not helped by the length and repetitive nature of many songs.
Imagine the most annoying music guy you know spending all of 1996 telling you that this is actually the best music ever. It’s fine.
The name is the album really bugs me for some reason, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
Decent enough. Some felt vaguely familiar but weren't quite certain of that.
An interesting album, to say the least. I understand not enjoying this type of music, but I'm here for the mixing of pop sensibilities with ambient/droning electronica. 3.5 / 5
I can appreciate a lot of the intricacies of the musicality and I really enjoyed parts of it. Other times, they felt SO up their own ass that it wasn’t enjoyable. Pretty mixed bag for me. Doesn’t help that some of the most annoying people in college loved this band.
Noise of carpet
I don't know if I was in the right mood for this and it didn't match my vibe. But. I know there would be times that it would match my vibe. Pretty fun.
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. It's a kind of indie rock with female vocals. There's some interesting use of noise which keeps things interesting. I did not find it particularly memorable, however. I wouldn't mind listening again but would not seek it out either.
This was a nice listen very relaxing. Reminds me of late night driving home music or what they call elevstor music. Lead singer has a nice voice.
I like a good drone.
The electronic music didn’t do much for me. As a whole was not a bad listen but ko track was all too memorable.
Loops, post rock Metronomic underground Les yper sound Tomorrow is already here
6/10
Favorite songs: Cybele’s Reverie, Spark Plug, The Noise of Carpet Very repetitive. Sometimes building and layering. Sometimes become endlessly redundant. Metronomic Underground and Olv 26 for example.
This was very very nice. In some parts it kinda reminded me of a more upbeat Mitski, just me?
Pure vibes
I found a lot of elements here very interesting and different, but not enough to really want to engage with this much more.
Listenable. Wish I had the book so I could read on this one.
very interesting sound, sounds a bit futuristic
This is the Walmart version of M83. It's fine, and gets the job done, but I wanted it to be so much more. I will say it was ahead of its time, and it gave me more 2006 vibes instead of 1996. The title track was simultaneously catchy, and annoying, not to mention the title track is named after a completely forgettable documentary. Favorite Track: "Metronomic Underground".
Never heard of this band but enjoyed
This was a lot different than I thought. Definitely can tell it’s from the same fold and time as beck and some of those contemporaries. I liked it as sort of something going on in the background. Not an active listen.
I don't usually go for this style of music, but this album works for me.
An indie rock experience I knew nothing about. Peculiar, alive, electric.
2.5
Not terrible but super repetitive.
Firstly, great album name. I chuckled. Secondly, this record sounded as interesting as the name, in the same weird way. Good weird though. I enjoyed listening to this, even though I don't really like french language in music, and I didn't really like it in the french songs on here either. But the songs were pretty fun and quite distinct from other things on this list.
Un peu chéper mais sympa
J’ai pas compris ce que j’écoutais, c’était toujours différent Il y a des sons sympa : yper sound C’est typiquement des sons qui peuvent passer sur fip À la fin, ça ressemble vraiment à The Beths
Fun and bouncy. Not what I expected, in the vein of flaming lips.
Really new wave/experimental with the layering of sounds, melodies, and vocals. I felt like this really reminded me of the HBO series Painting with John. In the later seasons he makes some interesting music with multi layer vocals and instruments that almost feel overwhelming at times. This really reminds me of that.
tbh I dnfed it but it was funky just not something I’d really go back to
CRAZY STURDY A TOR PEDO ok scho kinda cool za chli angst gha dases chönt nervig gaggi werde. scho uf de repetitive siite bis jetz hahaha seeehr schwierig z fasse bis etz es loopt afoch alles und s isch no cool aber au nöd meeega spannend.
It's ok
It was fine to have on in the background
Krautrock but twee was quite interesting conceptually, and I was giving with it for most of this, but it did start to drag a little at the end
A three star album from the first to the last note. No points awarded for the album title.
Solid
Good! I like a bit of stereolab
in mono
Yeah fun! Can't see myself listening to it regularly but I'm glad I spent this time with it.
That was decent
Think of Sterolab as the slowed down version of the Stone Roses. The bleeps bloops and genre jumping are interesting but it does get a little old by the end of the LP. At length it is a. It tiresome. In chunks it is interesting at times.
I wish I liked it more.
The first 5 or 6 tracks here are some pretty interesting layered electronica, but the second half of the album just sort of fades into forgettable downbeat tracks. For me, the less prominent the vocals, the more interesting the song.
it's as much rock as it's not... it's def good in terms of being an interesting thing to listen to, but not fully enjoyable at the same time? i love the ideas tho
I like the more fast-packed and upbeat songs on this album. It's cool.
French made a great album, which doesn't have much beneath surface and ultimately I won't care if I'll ever listen to it again
Lustig
War echt nice sehr eigener Sound aber würde ich’s nochmal hören , eher nein
Både bra, experimentellt men också väldigt repetitivt. Bra album, inget för mig bara :p
Drivel. Boring. Updated 70s music from the 90s
Zanimljiv i prijatan album u nekom svom fazonu, dosta odskače od praktično svih prethodnih.
Strange and quirky, but it all sounds great. I definitely didn’t take it all in on one listen, but I liked it!
Super fun and unique, haven't heard anything like it. Reminded me if Tomorrowland in Disney had a band.
This was diverse, unique. Sounded fresh and unlike other alt rock of the era. 3*, not every song was great.
Decent enough. Didn't really blow me away, and was just kinda the same sound throughout. Some of it was in French, too, which immediately docks the album a few points due to the concept of French people.
Feels more like background music than anything I would actively listen to
Fascinating and weird. The Apple Music blurb describes it as “music about listening to music,” much like the Avalanches or sample-heavy hip-hop, and I think that’s not a bad description. A sometimes excessive but consistently interesting collage of pop music.
Good vibes for a certain mood.
I liked some of the chiller tracks like "Anonymous Underground," but the vocals on many tracks are jarringly discordant and not very enjoyable. Would have liked this a lot if it was just the music only.
this is the kind of thing I wouldn't reach for on my own, but I'd enjoy it if I'm out and I hear it.
But why did I think they were from Denmark or something?
Pretty chill and good background music to vibe to at work or reading.
This had some great songs near the end, but unfortunately the beginning was a bit weak.
Har nu lyssnat svinmycket på denna skiva utan att bli klokare. Älskar första låten, och kände första gången, najs! Men sen höll inte riktigt resten samma nivå. Gillar soundet, men det saknas något extra, vet inte vad. Nu är det småputtrande najs.
Interesting musically and conceptually, I did end up finding the vocal grating after a while. 3/5
I’d listen again
It's ok. Nothing incredible, but an ok listen. They blend a few genres, but every song is based on a repetitive beat. 3/5
I’m familiar with Dots and Loops, so this about matches my expectations. Fantastic arrangements and mixing, each instrument sounding superb. Songwriting is a good mix of slow build, Krautrock vibe that draws you in gradually, and straightforward hooks. But the way each song progresses is still compelling and engaging. Some songs, like Cybele’s Reverie, hit hard emotionally. Others fall a bit flat. This is the kind of music where I hope to eventually have a more profound emotional impact—it’s just not something I listen to often, but I do want to return to it. 3.5/5
I've listened through this before - very French, which makes sense, I guess, what else would it be. There's electronic music I enjoy more than this.
Not bad. A good mix of indie rock with eletronic music.
This was really quite good. Reminded me a lot of the Trainspotting soundtrack.
It’s good but it’s too like Continental or something for me. I see why people like em so much, and I bet a lot of bands I do like, liked them.
listened to this whole album and don’t remember a thing… but I don’t mind the vibe and there are other artists w a similar sound that I have been known to enjoy. 2.5
Completely unaware of this one. It's alright, but just kinda meh.
Just not much there to catch my interest. No bad but nothing to want me to really listen to it again.
It's fun, kind of quirky, and experimental as hell. While I don't think many tracks really stick with you here, if you're willing to go along for the ride, Stereolab has some new sounds to show you.
This was an interesting album; prof rock electronic trance music?
Quite nice
I didn’t like the first song at all and I thought ‘oh no I’m in for a bad time here’ but then as the album continued I found I was having a really good time, especially with the French tracks! Favourites were Cybele’s Reverie, Les Yper Sound and The Noise of Carpet. Not something I’ll revisit ultimately and I also didn’t like the titular track and and a few other really repetitive moments but yeah, a pleasant surprise. (3.5 stars)
Estranho e gostoso. Ouvi na primeira vez e odiei, acho que na segunda entendi, talvez na terceira vez escutando odeie novamente. Talvez o bom seja isso, mostra que opiniões são mutáveis.
A pretty lackluster and plain album. Pleasant enough while it's on but few tracks to keep me engaged nor coming back. 2.5/5 -> 3/5
That's not my taste in music - But some pleasant songs
Totally fine album. Sounded good. Grooved good. Nothing jumped out, but it wasn't even close to unbearable. Wouldn't mind giving it another listen.
More enjoyable than expected. More than just background music. It has some life to it.
I don't really know enough about Stereolab to say if world domination was ever their goal, or whether they were alway quite happy chugging away in the quirky little European electronic indie niche they carved for themselves. The fact is, they occupy that niche so well. I'm not sure if this is their best work - there are some repetitive moments, and I feel it's only fair to mention this having only just taken a swipe at Les Rythmes Digitales for that very crime. The second track sounds like the melody was lifted straight from The Jam's No One In The World too. In general though, Emperor Tomato Ketchup presses all the right buttons - it's experimental, unique, and full of personality and charm, if a little over-long.
Музыка: 7/10 Разнообразие: 7/10 Тематика и вайб: 7/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 6/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 7/10 Итог: 6.8
Motivating.
It's alright 3/5
did this feel like i was listening to the same thing after a while yes but did i enjoy it? also yes. imagine how i felt saying "this is so french" while listening to this and then googling and finding out i was 100% correct, my parisian version of gaydar NEVER fails me
at first i was like what the actual fuck is this and then it got good and now i'm like twirls~ i love this~ it's so french and chic~ but then some songs are dumb LMFAO
Cool sounds!
A few highlights but it didn't really capture me. The music was decent but didn't really stand out. The vocals were excellent, though.
Once again we plunge headfirst into the icy depths of avant-garde electronic music. I’m never so unhappy as when I undergo an assault of the senses at the hands of robot music, especially when it’s basically the Beatles’ ¨Revolution 9¨ made into eight minutes of pure hell. That was my impression upon hearing the opening track ¨Metronomic Underground.¨ Of course, first impressions are often wrong or unfounded, and ¨Cybele’s Reverie¨ is much more enjoyable. There is still electronic elements but it sounds more like a real song, and a big plus that it’s in French. Everything sounds better in French, especially when one is hungover. The third track, ¨Percolater,¨ is even better than the track before, with a killer bassline, keys and more French chanson vocals. ¨The Noise of Carpet¨ sounds like the Buzzcocks being assaulted by Devo fronted by the woman from Elastica. This album did what I guess most great art is supposed to do: it challenged me, then took me on a journey. I can’t say I enjoyed all of it, and I probably wouldn’t go again, but I’m glad I went. Best songs: ¨Cybele’s Reverie,¨ ¨Percolater,¨ ¨The Noise of Carpet¨
Nice mix of french and English lyrics with a lovely clean voice - pretty abstract structures, quite doors-like with a hypnotic touch to it. Overall easy indie listening with a touch of psychadelica
3,2
I listened the opening track many times when I was younger. I like the cool 90s vibe, the exotic French singing, the quite experimental post-rock/electronica sound, but after listening to this for almost an hour, it does feel a but too repetitive and overall, it's just without much substance.
A cool album. Experimental I'd say, not a clearly defined sound, tho very reminiscing of 70/80's pop-rock. I'm biased because I like French.
“Soundscapes” 😒. They’re like songs but they go on forever and don’t really go anywhere and aren’t as good. But if you’re doing something that looks cool and not really paying attention to them then they are kind of okay to have in the background, to the extent you are paying attention to them, which is not really that much. https://tenor.com/3oON.gif
Better than MasterFoods; not as good as Rosella
3/5 pitää kuunnella uusiks paremmalla akustiikalla. Ihan mielenkiintoinen
Liian jumi, tekijöillä on liian kivaa, voisi tiivistää kolmiminuuttisiksi. Sinänsä äänimaailma on miellyttävä. Siksi en oikein kehtaisi kakkoseksi panna, mutta kun oli sen verran tylsää…!
quite good, would have probably liked it more if i'd heard it at time. 3.5
Surely something else, but really enjoyed some of it
Aight
It’s good! It has the “everybody must be good at something, for me it’s cooking crumble” vibe. The intro of cybele’s Reverie is very nice. Almost tricked by it. I thought it’d be a serious song but no. Very lighthearted. Singing is a bit meh. But it suits the album. The only problem is too long. The album is somehow diverse, but it doesn’t need an hour.. make it 30 minutes it’d be a good four star for me!
listened to it on Friday, don't really remember anything about it. i threw on a few songs this morning to review, and it was fine. probably the most indifferent ive been about an album.
I liked the style. It wasn’t what I expected at all, but was a chill vibe while still maintaining a good amount of energy. I would listen again, but not with much urgency.
This is a fun listen, not my usual genre but really enjoyed most of it, great catchy pop mixed with electronica and rock and more. Some of the tracks on the back half of the album get a bit tedious and repetitive for me, but overall really good and will definitely return to hear this again.
Propulsive electronic updating on Kraftwerk. Worth more listens.
This one took me a bit to get into but once I did I enjoyed it without being blown away by it. Top Track - Les Yper Sound
This was really well executed but the style is not really for me. In the background it’s good and I can see why someone would like this a lot. Tomorrow is Already Here was my fave. High 3.
Mostly background music but I did like some of the vocals.
I wouldn't say this album is underwhelming, but it is unimpressive. I liked most songs here, but none of them I felt were special or memorable. This album kind of fell into the background for me pretty quickly, but it's not like it's bad background. This is only the second Stereolab album I've heard, and the other one (Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements) was wildly different (and I liked it a fair bit more), so I can't really draw conclusions about them as a band yet. Their music seems to be pretty unique, but in this album in particular, I don't think it resulted in anything particularly great. I really like her voice and delivery, through. I don't usually pay a lot of attention to it that much, but her voice is so pleasant and soothing. Unfortunately, it's Fr*nch... 7/10
Really different, i enjoyed it and ill come back to check it out again but for now i would say its a 3
8/1/25. Interesting listen, first time diving into Stereolab. Might require a few more listens, but always enjoy a unique take on pop music. Didn't expect what sound I would hear in each upcoming track.
I had no idea what to expect from this album. I’m pleasantly surprised. It’s so unique and creative. This is the kind of album I wished to discover via this project. I’m looking forward to hearing more of their work.
Kind of funky and fun reminds me of the late 90's early 2000's
I was a bit worried about this album in the beginning. But it turned out not bad. Lots of fun noises and looping to make a creative sound and album. Pretty decent!
A case of my personal rating being lower than the rating I’ll give it. I recognize the appeal and I really want to like it more than I do, but it doesn’t hit AS hard as I know Stereolab hits for some. I do love their messaging and hear how well everything’s performed. Just a little bit in a middle ground sonically, not quite total lounge music, not quite pop, a little bit electronica. I’m SOOOO happy there’s some non-English on here though, we need more of that. I liked the horns in “Percolator” towards the end of its runtime. I really liked the message of “The Noise Of Carpet”, it’s a rallying cry to not be so cynical going through life. The best bit of lyricism though is in “Motoroller Scalatron”, for that call and response of ‘what’s society built on?’ lyric. Soft soft soft 3 for me
So grabbed by the first track and surprised myself. Just felt very engaged and lost in it and the length became insignificant. Heard the band name before, but not really purposely listened to anything, although recognise the sound and vocals. Really enjoyable listen. Feels a playful sound, with the electronic elements, vocals and tone. Art rock. Ready for a second listen and then decide rating. (3.5)
This was interesting, but probably wouldn’t listen to again
A really chill album with no major standouts for me other than maybe the first track, but still a great vibe that I will likely revisit.
Yawn. Still.
3.5 Really enjoyed the first half of the album. Second half just so-so.
Interesting album. A specific sound for sure, but not enough verity.
01) Metronomic Underground - 7,0 02) Cybele's Reverie - 7,5 03) Percolator - 7,0 04) Les Yper-Sound - 7,5 05) Spark Plug - 7,0 06) OLV 26 - 7,0 07) The Noise of Carpet - 7,0 08) Tomorrow Is Already Here - 6,5 09) Emperor Tomato Ketchup - 7,0 10) Monstre Sacre - 6,5 11) Motoroller Scalatron - 7,0 12) Slow Fast Hazel - 7,0 13) Anonymous Collective - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,96 (70/100)
Lite tidigt alternativt, vissa grejer som låter helt okej, men inget jag älskar
This is pretty decent, crosses some genres at times. I had a French album yesterday too which was an ear opener. Besides my lack of understanding of the French tracks I liked it. Musically it's good, vocals are very well done. Enjoyable, different and pleasant but not something I would go back to again I doubt. There are some mediocre tracks and some great tracks. "The Noise of Carpet" is good. 3.5, but not a 4.
Un grupo muy reputado, con cierto éxito de público y la crítica rendida a sus pies. No es fácil de escuchar aunque en apariencia los temas entran fácilmente. es una extraña y funcional mezcla de indie-pop, sesentas, funk y krautrock. Cybele´s reverie fue su mayor éxito, una odisea donde todas las piezas encajan y deseas que no termine. Slow fast Hazel con ese regusto a Pet Sounds... Este disco condensa su esencia aunque yo prefiero Doots and Loops.
Started slow, got into the groove but by song 8/13 I felt like I heard enough to get it; every song started sounding the same. I could totally enjoy 1-2 songs at a time in a chill playlist but not the whole album at once.
Very interasting and weird, but also empathetic and emotional. It feels like a bipolar and quirky friend telling me about their life
Buen album pero no mucho mas que ofrecer
nice sound - but seems very like background music 3/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge
Didn’t totally click but pretty solid. Fuck kinda album name though…….
Interesting album. It is a step up from typical EDM, but can still be boring and repetitive at times. To be fair, it will need additional listening time, but for now I give it a 3.
Fun stuff, gets a bit ‘early Goldfrapp’ at times.
Might be good in a party setting, but not great for morning focus
Okay, good.
Pleasant enough. Dreamy vocals over motorik beats.
Nice, chilled out tunes! Enjoyed this one!
The two singles released from this album, Cybele’s Reverie and Metronomic Underground, which are also the openers are to me the least interesting tracks on the album, both archetypal mid ‘90s drone. Once you get past them, things perk up a lot. This isn’t exactly lo-fi but there is a charming and often joyful naïveté about much of this album which make it hard not to like. There is still that experimental rock feel of Stereolab, exactly what their name suggests, sonic magpies picking up whatever strikes them as interesting from the whole world of music and seeing what they can make of it.
One of the minor irritant of musical culture in UK is that it's predominantly English Language based, so I do like to force myself to try other cultures. And France rarely crops up. So, it was with enthusiasm I tried this LP. Alas, it just seemed so insipid. Rather whimsical, twee and ... lukewarm. Nowt offensive, but no reason to click on the repeat button.
Crazy Sturdy A tor Pedo
So this turned out to be exactly what I expected from the album name, aside from the French. Euro alt pop isn’t my genre of choice, but it’s not terrible for one listen through.
It's...ok? Some songs can jam, others, meh. The French intertwined is a bit pretentious, but what would you expect from a 90's indie band?
This was pleasant enough, essentially scraps and samples put together to create new tracks, electronic with a 1960s feel and French-pop female vocals which are nice. It's not earth-shattering and I have heard similar done better. Not sure why it made it to this list but it is good background music.
Coincidence will have it that I recently listened to the newly released 11th album from Stereolab. I could not help feeling that I was too dumb to “get it”. It's the same with this album. 'Metronomic Underground' is a great pulsating opener, but the rest of the record seems much less focused. Some catchy melodies all around, but that's sorta it.
I like how some beats/sounds just repeat themselves in this album it feels comforting but by the end of the album I was getting a bit burned out, but I liked the album overall.
Frenchy Dandy Warhols I feel like I would have been into this if I'd heard it back in the 90s, it was an ok listen, but probably won't get another spin from me.
I've always wanted to check these guys out, but whenever I did I was generally not too impressed. I always found their more popular stuff a bit unremarkable. Hoping to have my mind changed by this, really liking the album name at least. I'm a bit worried though as to the length of it, especially if I'm gonna be bored. Though an hour isn't actually that long, it can take a while if you're pausing a lot to take notes. Hoping to be surprised, going in with mixed expectations. Metronomic Underground Those are some strange electronics. Love the sound of that bassline. The way it builds up while taking its time is pretty cool. It's interesting if not a bit repetitive. The slight instrumental changeup comes at an opportune time. Great distortion, gibes the track some dynamism. The ending is very satisfying. Good. 4/5 Cybele's Reverie Pretty cool violin intro. Sounds pretty sweet, love the lushness of the instrumental. Has a nice vocal melody on the chorus. Very pleasant and catchy. Love the vocal layering. Great climax. Great. 4.5/5 Percolator Fantastic synth sound, really fun bassline. Strange instrumental. The horns(?) are pretty bad, don't like. It's a bit of a strange track that starts out feeling like it doesn't go anywhere. When it finally does I don't really like the direction it takes. I think the base concept of the song is good enough to warrant praise, but it repeats itself a bit too much. The ending is chaotic and messy to my ears. Average. 2.5/5 Les-Yper Sound Fun groove, feels like it moves very freely. I like the synths a lot. The vocals have a care free nature to them which works pretty well with this sound. Kinda fun, but not exactly life changing. Fine. 3/5 Spark Plug Feels a bit more straight forward than previous tracks. Really like the funkiness of the instrumental. Has a great synergy between main and backing vocals. Works for what it is, but doesn't exactly stand out. Wish there was a bit more of a kick to it. Fine. 3/5 Olv 26 I like how it's almost mechanical in its composition. There's some nice crunchiness to the instrumental that I quite enjoy. I don't really get anything out of the vocals. The instrumental bride at the end is very nice. Has a bit of psychedelic energy to it with the subtle panning and the bubbly background effects. Decent. 3.5/5 The Noise Of Carpet Wasn't expecting to hear such a garagey instrumental. I find how awkwardly the vocals fit kinda charming. Great solo. Has some cool layering. Decent. 3.5/5 Tomorrow Is Already Here Don't really like the intro that much, feels a bit jagged. I think the song greatly improves as soon as the vocals come in, drastically smoothens the track's rough edges. The vibraphone is really pleasant, adds a lot to the rhythmic elements of the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Emperor Tomato Ketchup Bouncy, sharp and fun. Kinda more of the same really. Has it's charms with a decently fun instrumental and a melodic and free sounding vocal performance. It's however nothing too remarkable. Fine. 3/5 Monstre Sacre I like the total change in atmosphere. Feels a bit darker with a hint of mystery. I don't care much for the lyrics as they feel a bit underdeveloped. The vocal melody is too repetitive, lacks any sort of dynamism or variety. A bit boring. Average. 2.5/5 Motoroller Scalatron Really like how colourful this is. Feels really positive and sweet. Don't have much else to say. Kinda like it. Decent. 3.5/5 Slow Fast Hazel Don't like how loud the vocals are here. I quite enjoyed the wobbly guitar. The bassline sorta grew on me, started out finding it kinda unremarkable, but ended up really enjoying how well it works with the rest of the track. The faster part of the track is honestly quite cool. Fantastic long organ notes. The higher vocals are however a bit rough. Decent. 3.5/5 Anonymous Collective It's moody and slow, and also kinda hypnotic. Love the instrumental, has some really subtle depth to it. Perfectly acceptable closer. Decent. 3.5/5 A very consistent album, but never really mindblowing in anyway. Each song felt decently creative, was generally pleasant to listen to, never straying outside of a well established comfort zone. The instrumentals, while not awe inspiring kept bringing out some fresh ideas. These ideas paired well up with some sweet and warm sounding vocals to create moments of cute and understated musicality which was generally easy to listen to. Love the diverse array of sounds and decent instrumental variety. But that's about it, there's just not a lot to talk about here. It's generally inoffensive and kinda edgeless, feeling a bit too smooth at times. My only real critisism of the album is that it has a lot of tracks that feel a bit too repetitive, where the base idea is pretty good, but it never really goes anywhere from there. It's generally just a pretty good album, though nothing that's too outstanding in the grand scheme of things. The most 7/10 thing I've heard in a while. 3.5/5, leaning more towards a 3/5 Fave track. Cybele's Reverie Least fave track. Percolator
I think if they weren’t French I probably wouldn’t have liked this as much as I did. Was bit long.
Nothing I'd choose to play in the car, but nice soundscape for background music while I work. 3/5.
very odd album but also surprisingly enjoyable with pop sensibilities
I'd heard of this and I think that - as a diehard 90s alternative music snob - I'm supposed to like this, but I don't. I wasn't at all surprised when I checked Wikipedia and discovered one of them was French.
This was different for different’s sake. I’ll give a whole point extra for novelty.
Not too exciting
Unique sound needs a relisten or two
Some of this was too odd for me. Other parts felt like a peppier Belle and Sebastian. Did not completely dislike this.
I did not hate this but it wasn't all the way there for me.
I liked it, but droned on a bit and I felt like I was losing internest
Fuzzy and computery. Nice combination of sounds.
Didn't love, didn't dislike. Pretty okay
This record invokes anxiety, but it’s still nice to listen to.
This really reminds me of Astrud Gilberto vocally throughout the record, which was cool to hear, since I love her voice and singing style. It was a super goofy listen, they don't sound like they're taking themselves too seriously throughout it, and they have a heavy ass 90's tone. Not all of those are positives. Outside of the first couple of songs, nothing here really 'grabbed' me, and I can't in good conscience give this more than a 3 for that. There's not a lot of substance. Maybe because I kept thinking she was singing in French so I paid no attention to the lyrics. Still, a fun listen, and not Britpop for once. Which is surprising for an album from 1996.
Strong start that tapers off around the halfway to three quarter runtime. I enjoyed it but found it overstayed its welcome. The album title sounds funny and I have nothing else to say about this.
positiv overraskelse, gode vibes
Happy music!
Estuvo bien. Más largo de lo que debería o, en realidad, de lo que mantuvo mi atención.
Some good and some eh.
Thoughts before listening: This album got a lot of press in the music magazines I grew up reading, but its not something I have ever listened to. I feel like this is indie rock with techno beats...maybe something like that? I don't really know. Review: So I wasn't far off on my guess for this one, but its not really "techno". This is poppy indie rock with a lot of varying influences thrown into the mix and quite a bit of experimental krautrock-style sounds. Some songs are in French and give off a bit of a Serge Gainsbourg style vibe. I prefer the more straightforward alt/indie rock songs like "Metronomic Underground" and "The Noise of Carpet". This is a 3-star album.
After a first listen, I'm not super impressed by this, but I do see the appeal. Somehow, I'm not too interested in all those rock pop albums that use a bit of electronica to spice things up. What was nice in the 1990s didn't stand the test of time that much.
Well, I don’t know what to do with that. Consistently interesting, and all over the place.
Even though every streaming platform thinks I should love Stereolab, I find them irritating despite how accomplished and dedicated they are. Their Mid Century Modern aesthetic I find cold and their political stance feels bookish.
Pretty damn good. Definitely likely a grower. On the higher end of a 3
Not very catchy, but not very generic either, songs were far too long though.
I started off being into this album, enjoying the beat-building rides of both Metronomic Underground and Cybele's Reverie. Then I found myself getting bored with the middle songs. And in the back third there wasn't really song that grabbed my attention other than the title track. Even on a second listen, it didn't improve much in my eyes. Probably would score this one as a low 3. Just wasn't totally feeling it.
not bad but not for me
Well i guessed it was french
This album has an incredibly solid first half that sort of loses its way a bit towards the end before the final two songs really pick things back up again. Definitely enjoyed it, will likely enjoy it even more upon repeated listens.
I quite liked this. Indie vibes, quite chill, not as electronic as you might think from other reviews with strings, drums and guitars in the mix. This will not change your life, but could be some ok background lazing by the pool. I give it a three.
I wasn't really actively listening but... nothing really jumped out at me. I remember like these guys a lot. Maybe I'll give it another listen
Lite flummigt men helt ok
Better on speakers than headphones. Better when it's discordant than when it's tuneful. Singer kind of annoys me. Right album for the right time, but not sure when that would be. Absentmindedly woodworking? Maybe I'm a grinch.
Ok. Favourite track is Metronomic Underground 3/5
this was ok . didn't dazzle me in any way but i did enjoy having it on while i do some work.
3 stars
Ok but inconsistent. The band needed to settle on a sound and go with it. There's potential here but it just misses the mark. Decent. I'll give it a passing grade but nothing higher.
A bit too Bestival-core for my tastes. Nice vibe but not much that really stuck with me either.
Good
Nice, chill album. Kräver noggrannare bekantskap
A very pleasant listening experience driven by looped samples, this album provides a modern take on lounge music. Favorite track: Metronomic Underground
I'd like it if I was in a different mood
I had a couple of Stereolab singles in the 1990s, but had never listened to a full album before. I don’t feel like I was missing out - I liked this but nothing really grabbed me like French Disko.
Slow Fast Hazel // 2.5/5
This was fun but I'm not sure I will come back to it l. Not super compelling but fun.
Alright alright.
low exciting
Good listen. Great background music at work
11/01/25 This was not what I was expecting when I saw the album. Pleasantly surprised.
This is quite original and I bit odd. It sounds like they are singing in French which I don't mind. Feels like 60s mod stuff. But just a little to regimented and predictable. I'll give it 3 stars
Well produced but I find the use of looped tracks a tad bit repetitive.
A mate of mine used to play these all the time back in the day but to be honest it was just background to us getting stoned and play FIFA on the x Box! I still think it sounds more like background music than something that really grabs your attention, very pleasant all the same.
fine. enjoyed it somewhat but not too memorable
Pretty solid "meh" from me. Not unpleasant, but I don't get along with the vocals. I hate that (mostly french) style of singing.
I've never listened to anything by this band, though they come up in conversation and in articles from time to time. I expected I'd like it, but surprisingly didn't find it all that interesting. Unique for sure, in terms of the mix of elements and ratios therein... also competent musically. That said, I didn't find it especially moving.
Starts off strong and fades quickly over its 57 minute runtime. An interesting sound that is intriguing at first and just lingers. Not bad and definitely a must listen, but about 10-15 minutes too long. 3/5
Enjoyed it more as it went on, some good grooves made it decent to listen to.
The 1001 list scores again! Emperor Tomato Ketchup makes the too long album list and is also a worthy entry on the 1001 Must Hear list. Freestyle Dumpling leads this Eurofeel album to (3.4*s)
Actually better than a remember. Decent album
I’ve said this before, it’s really ballsy to have the first song on the album be a long one. I guess my mind wandered off because I didn’t clue in until the song ended. I thought Stereolab was a poor man’s poor man’s oasis. Get it? No, they are like the British version of Ween with a little Zappa. I’m also not sure they sing in English on every song. This album is serviceable but weird.
A fun album that becomes a bit too much of a good thing in the end but absolutely worth a listen.
Starts off with two really good songs. Rest of the album is good but doesn't keep up the quality of those two.
Very repetetive..droning at times. Probably not in the right head space for this but I do not see how this got 4 and 5 star reviews.
This album reminded me of Fun Lovin’ Criminals. It makes me think of a movie about criminals, but the criminals are cool while doing the crimes. On the other hand, it reminded my partner of Katamari Damashi, which is a little bit different. The opening track was really cool, but before googling the lyrics it sounded like a repeating “Crazy, daddy, I talk, paedo.” Apparently it doesn’t actually say that though, so that’s good. Anyway, I like this album, but I’m unsure if it’s one that took me in enough to warrant more listens.
An okay album, I liked Cybele's Reverie
Enjoyed it
There's nothing interesting about this album. I think it's overrated compared to other electronic albums. At least I liked it quite a bit. The synths makes it a more tolerable listen. I just like synths an awful lot. 3 stars for "Emperor Tomato Ketchup".
This is a weird one. It doesn’t strike me as the kind of album that I would sit down and put on for the sake of enjoying the music. It also doesn’t strike me as an album that I’d put on in the car. I’m not sure I would ever actually intentionally play this record again. But there is something to it. It almost feels more like a soundtrack than it does anything else. It’s poppy and definitely well produced, it certainly is capable of conveying and inspiring certain feelings, but the almost ambient soundscape of it feels better suited for scoring an indie film. Lots of fun instrumentation, excellent vocals, and they clearly had a lot of fun making it. My biggest gripe is the reliance on a loop pedal, and the seemingly endless repetition therein. I think it’s mostly just not for me. I want so badly to rate this album 5/10, but I guess I will continue to round up. 3*
Saucy 🍅
Interesting album.
Started off quite shaky but got good. Honestly these guys should've stuck to the rock side of the album and less on the experimental electronica. 5/10.
I honestly didn't think I'd like this, but I actually did. I got quite into the groove of it. Would I pull this one out to listen to again sometime, probably not, but I wouldn't object if I was in the vicinity of it being played.
This album is great in concept - bringing together a truly cosmopolitan mixture of 60s French chanson, 70s Kraut-rock and 90s British indie - but in execution it falters from time to time. I already knew the album fairly well, especially being a fan of Tim Gane's first band McCarthy (well worth a listen), but Stereolab only ever periodically tickled my fancy. Incidentally, I went to see them live in 2022 and it's still one of the worst gigs I have ever been to. But while their aloof, slightly over-indulgent, and deceptively rudimentary instrumental pieces don't really work in a live context, they're pretty good on record. "Cybele's Reverie" has a bit of McCarthy's pop melodicism, but, as the title suggests, with added whimsy. Does it all fade into the background on occasion? Yes. But that's not to say it doesn't also demand your attention on occasion. On the whole, it's an album I would support with more than a hint of contradiction.
This was a bit of an odd one. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me to an extent. The enjoyable part is the soundscapes that they created. It's great as background music but doesn't really stand up to active listening.
6.5/10
Hieman turhan kokeellista ja hidasta omaan makuun. 3/5 kumminkin.
This was all right. It could serve a purpose as background music while cleaning the house.
Best oké. Soms een beetje te zweverig ofzo. 2.7
Not at all what I expected this to be. Felt like it was from the 70s, but also felt repetitive.
interesting album, very nice start falls a bit flat passed the halfway mark but never gets dull
This is like a more accessible, friendlier Velvet Underground & Nico (in French). I like it! The album name is revolting, though.
Opener 'Metronomic Underground' stared well but dragged on without much interest, 'Cybele's Reverie' is a good song and arrangement spoiled by an awful lead vocal, 'Percolator' is snappy and upbeat pop with a cool bass line and 'Les Yper Sound' is groovy electronica. All in all, it's a decent album of electronica pop, with some good ideas, I need of bit more arrangement flair and better lead vocals.
I knew of a few Stereolab tunes before, but hadn't listened to any of their albums. I liked it, it's great for background music, but nothing that really jumped out at me with a wow.
As eclectic as the film for which it was named, Emperor Tomato Ketchup paints vivid soundscapes over an electronic background. The demos on the expanded edition are worth exploring.
meh.