Search - Stereolab :: Margerine Eclipse

Full of emotion and check out Simon Johns' bass

Jonathan Fero | Lafayette, Colorado USA | 01/16/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't want to rehash what so many have more eloquently said: this is a wonderful Stereolab album. I especially recommend it over much of the band's other work for two disparate reasons. First, it is overflowing with emotion--presumably over Mary Hansen's death. The song "Feel and Triple" speaks for itself. Indeed, as the upbeat melody and ending lyrics suggest ("You will sing forever"), this is not a mournful, depressing record; rather, I find it very uplifting. Second, the bass playing of Simon Johns is incredible. A lot of it is buried in the mix, so you will hear it best with full range headphones or a subwoofer. Perhaps the best example is the track "Hillbilly Motobike." I didn't hear his impact on the group as much on the earlier record Sound-dust. All in all, this is one of Stereolab's best. I wish more fans of the more popular Dots and Loops would give it a listen."

A little disappointing

Mantis Lake | Detroit, MI USA | 12/09/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"CD

I have been a huge Stereolab fan for a few years now and this album is probably my least favorite. Not that it sucks or anything. The songwriting and sound has progressed (a major criticism of their last couple of albums, and not by me) but it just doesn't effect me the way their other albums do. There are a handful of great tunes on here like "The Man With 100 Cells" and "Margerine Rock", but it doesn't have the flow that previous work does. This is also their first CD without Mary Hansen, who is severely missed.



The changes in their sound are subtle. They add a few more keyboards and synthesized sounds to the authentic instrumentation and dispense with a lot of the horns and percussion of their last several releases. It's almost as if a little Depeche Mode and Cranberries wormed their way into the recording. That's not a criticism. I can't fault the writing or performing in any way, I just plain don't like it as much. Recommended to fans of the groop and progressive pop in general.



2004"

Still important

IRate | 08/19/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"ME was the lab's definitive reply to rising questions of eventual relevance, and that answer sounded still like a resounding yes. Quite a few trademark effortlessly focused compositions borrow from their past while laying groundwork for a future sound without doing anything to potentially offend either camp. It seems to start more convincingly then finish, but the whole thing stays true to their consistent and unique approach."