Emperor Tomato Ketchup cover

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Released

Stereolab existed in a world without hard and fast rules about what was kitsch or outmoded — a version of VU/Can/Wendy Carlos circa 1969 that led to a permanent revolution in motorik-driven analog synth hooks, pop-art cool, and leftist philosophy alike. Their loop-heavy compositions could be Devo-stiff or Dilla-funky, a previous generation’s avant-garde repurposed into a successive one’s uneasy listening. And the Laetitia Sadier/Mary Hansen harmonies are life-affirming.

Nate Patrin

Recommended by

Suggestions
Strand cover

Strand

The Spinanes
The Great Learning cover

The Great Learning

Cornelius Cardew, The Scratch Orchestra
Either/Or cover

Either/Or

Elliott Smith
Rooting for Love cover

Rooting for Love

Lætitia Sadier
Silence Is Sexy cover

Silence Is Sexy

Einstürzende Neubauten
Bleed Out cover

Bleed Out

The Mountain Goats
Melophobia cover

Melophobia

Cage the Elephant
Dig Me Out cover

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney
The Human Fear cover

The Human Fear

Franz Ferdinand