Stereolab Sound-Dust CD

How much is too much of a good thing? Depends where you stand on the thing to begin with. Such is the case with Stereolab. Detractors who were never moved by the group's sound to begin with will lament the fact that little new ground is broken on SOUND-DUST, especially after hints at new directions were dropped on 1999's COBRA PHASES album. It's true that this Gallic/British/American collective sticks to their usual blend of bubbling analog synthesizers, interlocking marimba and vibraphone ostinatos, odd-metered, cyclical rhythms, and Brigitte Bardot-with-a-Master's-Degree vocals.

However, anyone who's attracted to the band's still-distinctive (despite leagues of imitators), retro-futuristic electro-lounge sound will be pleased that the group stood it's ground, dispensing large dollops of frothy joy on their first official long-player of the 21st century they've spent so much time foreshadowing. Besides, in the long view, the horn charts and sophisticated arrangements do show marked evolution from the group's Velvet Underground-reverent beginnings. To borrow the title of another British band's album, "enjoy the melodic sunshine."

Live Recording

Recorded at Soma Electronic Music Studio, Chicago, Illinois between October 2000 & February 2001.

Personnel: Laetitia Sadier, Mary Hansen (vocals, percussion, sound effects); Tim Gane (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, clarinet, piano, celesta, electric piano, electric harpsichord, Farfisa, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, electronics); Sean O'Hagan (guitar, keyboards); Jim O'Rourke (guitar, electronics); Jeb Bishop (trombone, brass); C. Taylor (electric harpsichord, cymbals); John McEntire (keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, percussion, sound effects); Andy Ramsay (drums).

Audio Mixers: Stereolab; The Groop; John McEntire; Jim O'Rourke.

Recording information: Soma Electric Music Studio, Chicago, IL (02/2000-??/2001).

Arranger: Sean O'Hagan.

Personnel includes: Laetitia Sadier, Mary Hansen (vocals, whistle, percussion); Jim O'Rourke (acoustic & electric guitars, piano, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, Clavinet, Farfisa organ, keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, tapes); Tim Gane, Sean O'Hagan (acoustic & electric guitars, piano, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, Clavinet, Farfisa organ, keyboards); John McEntire (whistle, piano, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, Clavinet, Farfisa organ, keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, percussion, tapes, sound effects); Jeb Bishop (trombone); G. Kotache (marimba); Simon Johns (6-string bass); C. Taylor, Andy Ramsay (drums); T. Barnes (bongos).

Producers: John McEntire, Jim O'Rourke, Stereolab.

Rolling Stone (9/13/01, pp.106,108) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Achieves a new peak in lush lounge-friendliness..."
Spin (10/01, p.126) - 6 out of 10 - "...Luxuriant highbrow froth...These airy confections are a status report from space-age bachelor pad Vanaheim..."
Q (9/01, p.120) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Their best yet."
Alternative Press (10/01, p.100) - 7 out of 10 - "...A return to form for the Groop, a return that's been 2 albums coming."
CMJ (8/4/01, p.4) - "...Stereolab lets the thing that makes sound, or dust such as us, come alive..."
Mojo (Publisher) (10/01, p.116) - "...The loveliest UK music of 2001..."