YELLOW
EMPEROR TOMATO KETCHUP STEREOLAB
Stereolab is just one of those bands: good luck finding all their albums, but damn if you do. Emperor Tomato Ketchup isn’t a specially difficult album to find, however, and that’s a fantastic thing. Why? It’s the best in their discography thus far, and that’s due in no small part to Jim O’ Rourke’s (Wilco, Sonic Youth) and John McEntire’s (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) involvement. Varied, dense, eclectic - ETK is Stereolab’s most accessible and worthwhile album.
Chemical Chords challenges my thesis. Though not their most worthwhile album, their 2008 effort is bold enough to be accessible, but ETK is still the best place to start. The album opens with 7 minute funk/krautrock/electronica epic Metronomic Underground. Though 7 minutes doesn’t necessarily embody accessibility, consider the aforementioned sounds. Couple the repeating rhythms with repeating vocal phrases and you’ve got a song with so much atmosphere you can almost picture the titular Metronomic Underground, wherever that is. From there, the album jumps all over the place, incorporating and coupling so many disparate genres it’s almost overwhelming. You’ll go from French pop to Post-Rock, Krautrock, Punk - you name it. And it’s always engrossing. There’s definitely filler (Monstre Sacre is frustrating to listen to), but there’s too much quality throughout to miss.
Stereolab may be one of those bands, but Emperor Tomato Ketchup is definitely one of those albums: Underground enough for you to make it your own, but great enough to become a favourite. Don’t miss it.
9.6