Stereolab – Not Music 8.6

Coming from the same sessions as “Chemical Chords” but with better album artwork, this will be your last Stereolab fix for quite some time. Lætitia Sadier has “The Trip” out, so that might allow feeling like they have a prolific post-existence output. 

You can tell this is the same session as “Chemical Chords” due to the similar feel of the music. Like that release, it has a jaunty, upbeat vibe behind it. I know, it is ironic since this is their last official release for a while. “Everybody’s Weird except me” is pretty much what you’d want from a Stereolab opener: clear, repetitive, with those little 60s flourishes they do so well. “Super Jaianto” sort of surprises me, it could have easily made the cut onto Chemical Chords, and I’m a bit shocked it didn’t. All these interlocking pieces come together in such a clever way before it dissolves right in the middle of things.

There are a few bits on here which allude to a certain melancholy, like the center of “Leleklato Sugar” which touches on a humanity that they usually gel over. “Silver Sands Mix” is a bit strange; it is like a weird attempt at a dance song, which does a ‘meh’ job. There’s a bit more synthesizer-worship on this track than I’d like.  Since it is right in the middle of the album, it doesn’t exactly make the flow drag, but it feels a bit out of place. Don’t worry, the beautiful duo of “Laserblast” and “Sun Demon” make up for this failed experiment.

Brad Cox’s mix on here, “Neon Beanbag [Atlas Sound Mix]” sounds a bit denser than what surrounds it, but it is a nice final conclusion to the record (Pop Molecules has a snotty abrupt end to things). 

Overall, this feels like an appropriate way to say goodbye to the fans.

Laetitia Sadier – The Trip 8.5

Alright, I’m a sucker for her voice. It sounds pure sweetness to me, and her ability to switch from French to English whenever she feels like it rocks my little world. Plus, for this particular project her vocals are prominently placed up front.

If you liked Stereolab’s last effort “Chemical Chords” then there’s a more than likely chance that you’re adore this. All the breezy sounds Stereolab is loved for are here: jazz references, French singing, and 60s and 70s pop. 

Vibraphone on “Fluid Sand” introduces you to the rest of the album. It is an easy beginning, which morphs into “One Million Year Trip”. “One Million Year Trip” brings a motorik beat on top of soaring electronic synthesizer. That energy is found on “By the Sea”, which possesses the heart of the very best Stereolab tracks: an urgent guitar, a tight beat, and great vocal delivery. 

My favorite out of all these gems has to be the off “Un Soir, Un Chien”.  Each time I listen to it I’m reminded of 80s style Jane Birkin. Obviously there are the French lyrics, which no doubt conjure those images in my mind, but there’s also that comfortable bass line and bloopy electronic noises. Oh, this works for me so well.

Perhaps we’ll continue to hear more from her. An expectation that she’ll have the same prolific output as Stereolab is absurd, but I’d be content with another album or two. Love it.

Stereolab – Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements 9.4

Oh dear, it is my favorite Stereolab. They did so much, spanning from Krautrock to French pop, all the while keeping up their obsession with heavily socialist lyrics. While it is a shame that they ultimately broke up in the good music starved year of 2008, they are still releasing new things under new names (like Laetita Sadier has under her own name).

But out of their extraordinarily prolific career, I’ve reserved a soft spot for this album. Part of it is due to their heavy involvement with Krautrock at this time. Later on, they’d become completely obsessed with 60s French pop, but their live shows usually displayed something of this nature. Loud guitars with the vocals mixed somewhat low. Yes, I realize that I just described Steve Albini’s approach to every band ever, but this is dramatically different than any of his projects.

For one, the sheer amount of happy energy would instantly repel him. “Tone Burst” ranks as one of my favorite openers to any album. It completely sets the mood for what you’re about to experience. Even glimpses of their future French pop selves appear on the excellent “Pack Yr Romantic Mind”. 

Oddly, there’s also a great deal of their experimental efforts on here, with the masterpiece “Jenny Ondioline” clocking in at over 18 glorious minutes. To see this piece performed live is truly a beautiful thing to behold. “Lock-Groove Lullaby” neatly closes the record.

Sadly, Stereolab are no more, on indefinite hiatus. That means most likely we’ll have to make do with the last bits of leftovers called “Not Music”, which is due out on November 10^th of this year. Or you could check out Laetitia Sadier’s self-named solo project, which should be more than enough to help you with your fix.