Margerine Eclipse

Last updated

Margerine Eclipse
Margerineeclipse.png
Studio album by
Released27 January 2004 (2004-01-27)
Recorded2003
StudioInstant Zero (France)
Genre
Length53:41
Label
Stereolab chronology
Instant 0 in the Universe
(2003)
Margerine Eclipse
(2004)
Oscillons from the Anti-Sun
(2005)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 77/100 [4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Alternative Press 4/5 [6]
Drowned in Sound 8/10 [7]
Entertainment Weekly A− [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Pitchfork 7.6/10 [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Spin B− [12]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]

Margerine Eclipse is the eighth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 27 January 2004 in the United States by Elektra Records [14] [15] and on 2 February 2004 in the United Kingdom by Duophonic Records. [14] [16] The album is in large part a eulogy to former band member Mary Hansen, who died in 2002.

Contents

By June 2004, Margerine Eclipse had sold over 40,000 copies in the USA. [17] A remastered and expanded edition of the album was released by Duophonic and Warp on 29 November 2019. [18]

Background

In December 2002, Stereolab member Mary Hansen was killed in a cycling accident. [19] The band subsequently dedicated Margerine Eclipse to Hansen, [20] with the lyrics of the song "Feel and Triple" making specific reference to her. [5] [16] [21] Shortly before work commenced on the album, band members Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier ended their romantic relationship. [19] [21] Their breakup is alluded to in Sadier's lyrics for the song "Hillbilly Motobike". [21]

Margerine Eclipse was mixed with full stereo separation – or as Stereolab termed it, in "dual mono". [21] For every song, the band made two recordings – each with a different arrangement – then created a final mix by synchronising both recordings together, with one on the left channel and the other on the right channel. [21] The technique was also used on the band's 2003 EP Instant 0 in the Universe .

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier

No.TitleLength
1."Vonal Declosion"3:34
2."Need to Be"4:50
3."'...Sudden Stars'"4:41
4."Cosmic Country Noir"4:47
5."La Demeure"4:36
6."Margerine Rock"2:56
7."The Man with 100 Cells"3:47
8."Margerine Melodie"6:19
9."Hillbilly Motobike"2:23
10."Feel and Triple"4:53
11."Bop Scotch"3:59
12."Dear Marge"6:56
Total length:53:41
Japanese edition
No.TitleLength
1."Vonal Declosion"3:34
2."Need to Be"4:50
3."'...Sudden Stars'"4:41
4."Cosmic Country Noir"4:47
5."La Demeure"4:36
6."Margerine Rock"2:56
7."The Man with 100 Cells"3:47
8."Margerine Melodie"6:19
9."Hillbilly Motobike"2:23
10."La Spirale"2:24
11."Feel and Triple"4:53
12."Bop Scotch"3:59
13."Dear Marge"6:56
Total length:56:05
2019 expanded edition bonus disc [22]
No.TitleLength
1."Mass Riff"6:30
2."Good Is Me"5:27
3."Microclimate"4:39
4."Mass Riff" (instrumental intro)1:13
5."Jaunty Monty and the Bubbles of Silence"4:30
6."Banana Monster ne répond plus"4:28
7."University Microfilms International"4:01
8."Rose, My Rocket-Brain! (Rose, le cerveau electronique de ma fusée!)"5:26
Total length:36:14

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [23]

Stereolab

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Chart (2004)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [24] 86
UK Albums (OCC) [25] 108
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [26] 11
US Billboard 200 [27] 174
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [28] 6

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References

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