Jackson Free Press

Since their inception in 1991, Stereolab have taken a rather simple formula for making music and have polished it to such a degree that they are almost as influential as the artists to which they initially paid homage; e.g. Can, Neu, Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, my bloody valentine, Serge Gainsbourg, Brigitte Fontaine, et al. In their 14 years as a band, they have released 12 albums, 8 EP's and 10 singles. Essentially, this is the 4-th installment of the "Switched on" series, which compiles various rarities, singles, b-sides and live tracks. Included in this 3 disc + 1 DVD set are the unreleased LP version of "Ping Pong," original single versions of "French Disco" and "Jenny Ondioline," as well as numerous rare tracks. For the long time fan and completist, it is an essential addition to the collection. For newbies, it is a great place to become familiar with their stylish and loungy trademark sound; one that incorporates retro analog instrumentation, like moog and farfisa keyboards, with digital production and is capped by maternally soothing francophile vocals, lush guitar work and precise ["persuasive"] percussion. Either way, this is a remarkable compilation and yet another worthy addition to Stereolab's prolific discography. --Alex Slawson and Herman Snell

Previous Comments

ID

63734

Comment

I got this for my birthday this summer! It rocks for any stereolab fans out there go get this quick! There is even some live tracks and for fans of Mary Hanson who miss her beautiful voice this is a great reminder! God rest her soul! Stereolab rules!

Author

tortoise

Date

2005-08-04T09:28:04-06:00