Product Description The third in Da Lab's Switched on compilation series of limited single, EP and CDEP released tracks. Twenty-five smoove-groove cuts recorded during the Mars Audiac Quartet and Emperor Tomato Ketchup era spread out across three slabs of wax or two shiny CD's. Both formats packaged in tri-panel, heavy card, gatefold sleeves. .co.uk Given Stereolab's predilection for art-rocky '60s pop ditties and penchant for creating a compelling variety of absurdity, this double-CD B-sides and rarities collection manages to be less a meandering collection than glorious, mix-and-match fluff. Encompassing more of the French language than a 101 college course, Laetitia Sadier's melodic, singsongy vocals entrance the Francophile within and somehow ideally complement the fragmented nature of the typical Stereolab composition. On half-realized wanderings like "Klang Tune" and zippier pieces of melodic debris like "Munich Madness," the album flows by quickly, getting by on speedy and disjointed yet memorable flashes of structure. In fact, given the hodgepodge nature of Stereolab's musical mentality, the record feels like a serendipitous mix of content and format and treats Stereolab fans to perhaps their best album yet because of it. --Matthew Cooke
M**Y
Not as advertised!
The music is excellent as expected but the item was not as advertised - sold as the Duophonic UHF label cardboard issue, but I received the standard Drag City US issue. I wouldn't have bought this if I'd known. Not a slur on Stereolab but this was not worth the outlay. But they have my cash so too late. Buy with caution.
N**R
Solid tunes...
Definitely one of their most solid collections and up there with ETK and DOTS AND LOOPS representing for me the most musically satisfying stage of their career.
J**N
Another essential Stereolab collection
I run out of superlatives to describe Stereolab. They are always brilliant. Even though "Aluminium Tunes", like "Switched On" and "Refried Ectoplasm", is a compilation of diverse recordings rather than a studio album, it sounds just as good as any regular album. Two albums in fact, as it consists of two CDs (one of which includes the whole of the previous mini-album "The Amorphous Body Study Centre", plus several other tracks). A real bargain.In my opinion, "Aluminium Tunes" comes from the period of Stereolab's maximum creativity and originality. These tunes are mellow, but still very catchy and interesting. I wouldn't say there is a duff track among them. There are nice covers of "One-Note Samba" and "Get Carter". I find myself playing these two CDs more frequently than some of Stereolab's other albums. A great addition to anyone's Stereolab collection.
T**N
A very good buy
Despite the 'no image available', this is the proper UK Aluminum Tunes and the slightly better version as it features the semi-classic Seeperbold. This was my introduction to the 'Lab and led to several years of intense joy plundering their back catalogue and everything since. This double CD contains at least a single-album's worth of great tracks, including the whole of the Amorphous Body Study Centre so don't worry if you haven't tracked that down yet, a nice Wagon Christ re-mix of Metronomic Underground, the inspired 'Get Carter' cover, the full version of New Ortophony which, if you've only heard the bit on MAQ is an incredibly pleasant surprise, a very worthwhile alternative You Used To Call Me Sadness, and several beautiful maverick ones, such as One Small Step and the Incredible He-Woman. There are a few turkeys on here as well but they are at least interesting turkeys, and at less than £[...] it really doesn't matter. Get this whether you're in to the 'Lab already or not.
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