[.ca] ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions

We'll miss you Mary Hansen:
This collection comes out around the time Stereolab fans are getting the sad news of Mary Hansen's death. But these cd's serve as a wonderful tribute. Here is a lovely collection of the energy and whimsy that make Stereolab so joyful to listen to. The slightly raw, scaled back sound of the production is great and allows the different elements of the group's sound to be appreciated clearly. Recommended to long time fans who think they have all the Stereolab they need (you don't!) and to newer fans wondering what has kept us so interested these last 10 or so years.

Finally a live CD(sort of...):
It hits me as ironic that this live BBC CD is so "happy" in tone,and yet one of Stereolab's members just passed-away.But that was always the tone of this bands "good time" sort of sound.It is a fitting tribute to them that, even though tragedy has struck,this Cd can still raise a smile(although a forlorne one now). This Cd has the "punchier" guitar sound that we(all of us who had experienced the band live )knew was in the groop's sound and was struggling to be heard. The only thing missing is that "Kraut-Rock" jam that was featured on the Emperor Tomato Catsup tour's finale....DAMN! A nice one here though. God bless 'em!

A very worthwhile compilation of some of Stereolab's best.:
This new double CD sort of functions as both a greatest hits collection and a quasi-live album at the same time. Compiling all of Stereolab's Radio 1 sessions, this set features songs from nearly every phase of the 'Lab's constantly evolving massive body of work. It's amazing to hear, although the more raw qualities of a band performing on the radio are definitely evident here, how polished the band sounds in these recordings. The early, more guitar-centered songs like "Super-Electric" and Laissez Faire" sound great, but it's the songs from the "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" and "Sound-Dust" eras that are most fun and revelatory to hear in this 'live' setting. The inclusion of some very good songs that you probably haven't heard anywhere else before ("Moogie Wonderland" and the awesome "Heavy Denim") makes 'ABC Music' an essential buy for Stereolab fans--even though they'll already have the studio versions of most of these songs. God, I sound like I'm working for Amazon(.com), but it really is worth getting. I have found myself preferring the songs from "Sound-Dust" on this compilation better than the ones on the actual record! We'll miss you, Mary.