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HEAR IT: Parsec Stereolab from "Dots and Loops"
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BY JOSHUA KLEIN | if there's a lesson to be learned from Stereolab's perennial status as hipster paragons, it's to never throw anything out. Sifting through the garage sale refuse of the late 20th century, England's prolific smart-poppers have found use for things long ago dismissed or discounted as outmoded: antiquated analog synthesizers, cheesy cocktail jazz, crusty Krautrock, even hand-me-down Marxist ideology. Stereolab are a second-hand band -- they epitomize thrift-store chic, exuding cool like a pair of old-school Pumas. Such a dedication to cultural leftovers could have become Stereolab's crutch. But 1994's fitfully funky "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" was far more diverse than any of the band's previous releases, deftly fusing the Teutonic drones of Stereolab's past with '60s Europop and a modern, experimental bent. As Stereolab continue to grow in popularity, it's easy to forget just how weird an amalgam the band's music really is. Much like other Stereolab discs, "Dots and Loops," the band's sixth LP, sounds like what would happen were Burt Bacharach commissioned to score the Mars landing, only to have the signal scrambled by interfering radio broadcasts ricocheting through space. For "Dots and Loops," Stereolab once again utilized the skills of Chicago producer/multi-instrumentalist/chief signal scrambler John McEntire (Tortoise, Sea and Cake), who recorded much of "Emperor Tomato Ketchup." McEntire, with his furrowed-brow seriousness, and the band, sometimes all-too-aware of its goofy postmodernism, make a great team. So far, the fruits of this collaboration have seen Stereolab stretch into new, ambitious territory. Though "Dots and Loops" retains the precious "ba-ba-ba, la-la-la" choruses, Farfisa fingerings and French vocals that mark all of the band's albums, founder Tim Gane's strummed guitar has become less and less of a presence, replaced by horn charts, strings, programmed rhythms and vibes. Guests like frequent collaborator Sean O'Hagan (of the High Llamas) and Cologne duo Mouse on Mars (partially responsible for the odd jazz/disco hybrid that closes the disc) add an additional element of surprise to already unpredictable songs. If "Dots and Loops" drags a little and lacks the immediate fan-accumulating appeal of "Emperor Tomato Ketchup," consider that the album is about as far removed from rock 'n' roll as a record can be; the absence of rock conventions like big beats and brevity can be forgiven.
Almost sedate in its smart simplicity, "Dots and Loops" is a much more abstract, near-cinematic affair than its predecessor, though no less distinctive and equally captivating. Rather than replay their past successes for similar accolades, Stereolab have chosen instead to execute
further refinements on their familiar sound, recycling their finest features to elicit new and challenging configurations.
Josh Klein is a regular contributor to Salon. |
