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Rating:
They can be - in fact, they are - excellent and terribly boring in the short span of a track change.
In fact, this is considered one of the best albums by Stereolab, and it contains its two main souls.
The first is made of unmistakable melodies that evoke the best transalpine pop tradition - if only for the authenticity of mademoiselle Sadier - which mix with typically lounge atmospheres, in the sense of the '50s-'60s, not Balearic.
The other is composed of simplified experiments which, in my opinion, are a bit pretentious: nothing atonal or dissonant, here they play with repetitions.
If it wasn't clear, it is when they hit on the first that they become truly enviable, while they result rather dull when they venture along the latter.
Here we have shining examples of pop songs à la Stereolab, some of which have become standards in the band's repertoire, such as the notable Wow and Flutter and Ping Pong.
Other highlights are reached with the electronic ballad Des étoiles électroniques - excuse the repetition -, International Colouring Contest and the opening Three-Dee Melodie.
Other things are listened to with pleasure and curiosity - for example, the very lounge-like closing of Fiery Yellow - while there are no lack of neglectable episodes, if not evidently tedious such as "Anamorphose".
Take it or leave it?
Better a preliminary listen, if possible, with a consequent best playlist on iPod or, alternatively, space carved out on the shelf between Stairs and Sting.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Wow and Flutter (03:08)
I didn't question I didn't know
As far as I'd seen life was endless
When I realised I had to let go
We are mere mortals
As to the rest
It's not eternal, imperishable
While on the move
It's not eternal, interminable
Progress is the clue
I though IBM was born with the world
The US flag would float forever
The cold opponent did pack away
The capital will have to follow
It's not eternal, imperishable
Oh yes it will go
It's not eternal, imperishable
The dinosaur law
Look at the symbols, they are alive
They move evolve and then they die
05 Ping Pong (03:02)
it's alright 'cos the historical pattern has shown
how the economical cycle tends to revolve
in a round of decades three stages stand out in a loop
a slump and war then peel back to square one and back for more
bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery
you see the recovery always comes 'round again
there's nothing to worry for things will look after themselves
it's alright recovery always comes 'round again
there's nothing to worry if things can only get better
there's only millions that lose their jobs and homes and sometimes accents
there's only millions that die in their bloody wars, it's alright
it's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing
it's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing
it's alright 'cos the historical pattern has shown
how the economical cycle tends to revolve
in a round of decades three stages stand out in a loop
a slump and war then peel back to square one and back for more
bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery
don't worry be happy things will get better naturally
don't worry shut up sit down go with it and be happy
dum, dum, dum, de dum dum, de duh de duh de dum dum dum... ah ah
dum, dum, dum, de dum dum, de duh de duh de dum dum dum... ah ah
06 Anamorphose (07:33)
Il n�y a rien de
De plus vrai que
De plus vrai que le
Plus vrai que le souffle
Il n�y a rien de
Plus vrai que le souffle
Anamorphose
There is nothing
More real than
More real than the
More real than the breathing
There is nothing
More real than the breathing
09 International Colouring Contest (03:47)
Into outer space with Lucia Pamela
The moon is the place where there's space for Lucia
Into outer space with Lucia Pamela
The moon is the place where there's place for Lucia
Before armstrong took his steps
She'd been there with friends
They took all instruments and
Recorded on the moon
Gathered variety of sound
From where the air is different
I'm so full of ideas
And here is a good one
Lucia has a dream
A dream that comes in colour of
International colouring
For your entry she's waiting
Into outer space with Lucia Pamela
The moon is the place where there's space for Lucia
Into outer space with Lucia Pamela
The moon is the place where there's space for Lucia
12 L'Enfer des formes (03:53)
De la m阭e mani鑢e,
Que des filles un peu na飗es,
On se laisse faire,
Par la t阾e du pays,
On s'en va comme des poltrons,
Vivant mal leur �?art鑜ement,
Entre 閙otion et indiff閞ence,
Entre r関olte et d閞ision,
On a le d閟ir, on se dit il faut agir,
Mais cette l鈉het⌦ㄲ㬸 inavouable,
Nous rend bien trop gouvernables,
On s'en va comme des poltrons,
Vivant mal leur �?art鑜ement,
Entre 閙otion et indiff閞ence,
Entre r関olte et d閞ision.
(Whispered at the end of the song...)
on s'en va...
Hell Of Forms
In the same manner,
As girls a bit naive,
We are manipulated,
By the head of the(our)country,
We're behaving like cowards,
Ill at ease because of the separation,
Between emotion and indifference,
Between revolt and derision,
We feel the desire, we tell ourselves we must react,
But this shameful cowardness,
Makes us too easy to be controlled,
We're behaving like cowards,
Ill at ease because of the separation,
Between emotion and indifference,
Between revolt and derision.
(Whispered at the end of the song...)
we're going away...
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