First of the Microbe Hunters (Limited Ed

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Japanese version of the influential alternative act's 2000 mini EP, limited edition packaged in a 7x7x1.5 inch red and blue nylon case with shoulder strap, two inner compartments, two outside pockets, zippered top, Stereolab patch. It appears to be for a discman. The disc itself is the standard issue release with individual artwork and packaged in a standard jewel case. Tracks, 'Outer Bongolia', 'Intervals', 'Barock-Plastik', 'Nomus et Pusis', 'I Feel The Air (Of Another Planet)', 'Household Names' and 'Retrograde Mirror Form'.

Tracks:

Outer Bongolia
Intervals
Barock-Plastik
Nomus Et Phusis
I Feel The Air (of Another Planet)
Household Names
Retrograde Mirror Forms

Amazon.com

Few bands have come to single-handedly rule a genre as well as Stereolab. The only question remaining is which genre. The band's machine-funky grooves, oddball synthetic washes, and disturbingly flat vocals suggest a futuristic disco where the survivors of nuclear war have settled for alienation anthems that recall the "space-age bachelor pad" music of the distant innocent past. But this is all conjecture. No one knows what the music of the future will sound like. (Heck, we once thought by the year 2000 we'd all be walking around in Lost in Space outfits.) Stereolab, however, are certainly what we think of.

Microbe Hunters is both compact and expansive: only seven cuts but taken over 40 minutes. It begins with the lengthy Can-inspired instrumental "Outer Bongolia," which uses a circular rhythm and hook to layer the special effects. "Intervals" is the ballad form delivered in icy female tones to rob it of all sentiment. "Retrograde Mirror Form" ends things with a trippy tape loop. Beginners should start with Emperor Tomato Ketchup as Microbe Hunters works best as an addition to the Stereolab catalog and not as an introduction. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

BEST THING S"LAB EVER DID: spacelab lullaby lounge music.......2004-03-18

perhaps greater songs scattered thruOUT there cosmosii but this is too perfect...especially songs 2-thru-6: the nuclear core of this incredible ep. too many bad reviews of this, too many crusty old lab fans (i WAS one)...but this slicks out past the future and the present...ya know, i think the best song ever done is certainly from COBRA: permutations........but this is the ep that interfaces with IT and makes the whole gel slide whole and edgy and groovy without nary a hipster in the room. if you are a hipster, you will painfully atomize. "become one...hold your thoughts to the Present".........ETC.

blah blah blah..........2003-08-27

i read above somewhere that this is more of an addition to a stereolab collection rather than an introduction. i, however, stumbled upon this album with no previous knowledge of stereolab and fell in love. but i guess everyone is entitled...

One of the Groop's best.......2003-08-12

I should begin by saying that I've been a huge Stereolab fan since 1992; I own nearly all of their releases (with the exception of some of the vinyl-only releases).

The funny thing is, I usually don't care that much for a new Stereolab release the first few listens. They reinvent themselves a bit on each release, so I suppose I need a few listens to get "oriented." First of the Microbe Hunters was no exception. I didn't get into much at first, but it's become one of my favorites. About half of the tracks on this would be candidates for a personal best-of compilation ("Household Names" would be a shoo-in).

Is this the best CD to start with if you're new to Stereolab? Probably not. Go for Mars Audiac Quintet or Emporer Tomato Ketchup.

Awwww...poor little stereolab fans.......2003-04-08

I have listened to a lot of moaning about this CD. "...Not as inspired," "...not a progression," "...the same album as (fill-in-the-blank with any recent stereolab release here.)"

I have enjoyed stereolab in all of their many sound-guises and found their musicality peerless.

"Barock-Plastik" is one of the great funk grooves of our time. And "Household Names" would be the lead-off track if I made a Stereolab best-of mix.

After seeing stereolab live (touring for this EP and "Cobra Phases") with sonic youth a couple summers ago, THIS is the CD of theirs that I most often put in my stereo. Detractors should be ignored. Let your ears be the judge.

A Nice Little EP........2001-11-03

A nice EP from Stereolab to keep us pacified till Sound Dust. I like how it begins with a nice cocktail instrumental. The EP is a nice collection of songs, granted it's not their best work, but it is far from their worst.

Tracks:

Outer Bongolia
Intervals
Barock - Plastik
Nomus Et Phusis
I Feel The Air (Of Another Planet)
Household Names
Retrograde Mirror Forms

Album Description

Japanese version of the influential alternative act's 2000 mini EP, limited edition packaged in a 7x7x1.5 inch red and blue nylon case with shoulder strap, two inner compartments, two outside pockets, zippered top, Stereolab patch. It appears to be for a discman. The disc itself is the standard issue release with individual artwork and packaged in a standard jewel case. Tracks, 'Outer Bongolia', 'Intervals', 'Barock-Plastik', 'Nomus et Pusis', 'I Feel The Air (Of Another Planet)', 'Household Names' and 'Retrograde Mirror Form'.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition featuring a CD Player Carrying Case. Limited to 4000 Copies.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not their best. So What........2001-06-14

This album begins with Outer Bongolia. Hm, no connotations there. It is a very long, and possibly protracted track, but under the influence of certain substances, it might take on whole new meaning. It's a grooving little piece with nice momentum. Intervals begins with the sweetest melody, provided by Mrs. Sadier, and breaks into standard Stereolab fare, complete with marimba, and other assorted goodies. Barock-Plastik moves along much of the chord, letting us in on some more French lyrics. Mon Dieur! Je ne parle pas francais. A good, if not ineffective track. Nomus Et Phusis starts off with a haunting melody, complimented nicely with Sadiers' lovely voice, then breaks into a completely different tune that has nothing in common with it's origins. As if two random tracks were fused together. Do not worry; this is well within standard operating procedure for SL. I Feel The Air (of another planet) is another typical track, meaning that the entire song is driven by Sadiers' voice, and the instrumentation merely provides background scenery. Standard for Stereolab anyways, which is great because her voice really is that good. Household Names is the albums strong point. Great song writing, reminding you why you love this band so much. Sadiers voice, and the music provided accentuate each other, rather than one the other. It's a great lounge song. Retrograde Mirror Form is pure French pop. All the elements are there. Vocalizing sounds rather than words melding into the music, each member playing more for them selves, than for the sake of the tune, which in the end, makes the track somewhat mediocre among their other work.

Stereolab has always been great for background music for small, intement get togethers with good friends. That is how I was acquainted with the group anyways. This album carries on well that tradition, and after over ten years of making music, I am grateful that they're still around. With a band as prolific as this, you just can't expect them to turn out Emperor Tomato Ketchup every single time. Fans will enjoy this disk; new comers are warned to look elsewhere for their baptism. Try the afore mentioned album, and Dot's and Loops for your introduction.

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