Stereolab

Pity the cerebral technicians of Stereolab, whose coolly subversive fusion of Muzak and
kraut rock has for too long condemned them to the critics'-darling ghetto. Perfect
postmodern-pop group though Stereolab may be, I'll wager that they would trade a
smidgen of street cred for a moment in the bigger spotlight. If Dots and Loops doesn't raise
Stereolab's profile, it won't be because the album is an unworthy follow-up to la... More >

From folkie soprano to synthesizer tweedle, many young people are down with their validation of high and clean--"Let There Be Flutes," as Bentley Rhythm Ace put it. And on a pretty good track, too, just like Emperor Tomato Ketchup is a fine album. Where us down and dirty types say sayonara is after the high artist peaks. Exploring rather than apotheosizing personal secrets, the high artist is like any other formalist, especially since he, she, or they probably suffered from formalist tendencies to begin with. On this album the tunes fall off and the wacky smarts lose the charm of surprise. There's still plenty of agile bass and clever sonic garbage. But only the high and clean will notice. (Grade: B)