| Mars Audiac Quintet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 August 1994 | |||
| Recorded | March – April 1994 | |||
| Studio | Blackwing (London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 66:57 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Stereolab chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Mars Audiac Quintet | ||||
| ||||
Mars Audiac Quintet is the third studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 2 August 1994 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records.
Stereolab recorded Mars Audiac Quartet in March and April 1994. [4] Keyboardist Katharine Gifford joined the band for the recording of the album. During recording, guitarist Sean O'Hagan left as a full-time member in order to focus on his band the High Llamas, but continued to be a session musician for the band ever since. [5]
AllMusic critic Heather Phares characterised Mars Audiac Quintet as a more pop-oriented affair than previous Stereolab albums, noting that it largely highlights the band's brand of space age pop. [2]
The song "International Colouring Contest" is a tribute to Lucia Pamela and opens with a sample of her voice. [6]
Mars Audiac Quartet was released on 2 August 1994 in the United States by Elektra Records, [7] and on 8 August 1994 in the United Kingdom by Duophonic Records. [8] [9] It peaked at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. [10] The tracks "Ping Pong" and "Wow and Flutter" were released as singles on 18 July 1994 and 17 October 1994, respectively. [8]
A remastered and expanded edition of Mars Audiac Quintet was released by Duophonic and Warp on 3 May 2019. [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [12] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+ [13] |
| Pitchfork | 9.1/10 [14] |
| Q | [15] |
| Record Collector | [16] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [17] |
| Select | 4/5 [18] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10 [19] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [20] |
Richard Fontenoy, writing in The Rough Guide to Rock , said that Mars Audiac Quintet elevated Stereolab "firmly into the higher stratum of indie pop". [1] In 2003, Pitchfork ranked Mars Audiac Quintet as the 78th best album of the 1990s. [21]
The American indie rock band Transona Five took their name from the title of the third track on the album. [22]
All tracks are written by Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Three-Dee Melodie" | 5:02 | |
| 2. | "Wow and Flutter" | 3:08 | |
| 3. | "Transona Five" | 5:32 | |
| 4. | "Des étoiles électroniques" | 3:20 | |
| 5. | "Ping Pong" | 3:02 | |
| 6. | "Anamorphose" | 7:33 | |
| 7. | "Three Longers Later" | 3:28 | |
| 8. | "Nihilist Assault Group" | 6:55 | |
| 9. | "International Colouring Contest" | 3:47 | |
| 10. | "The Stars Our Destination" | 2:58 | |
| 11. | "Transporté sans bouger" | 4:20 | |
| 12. | "L'enfer des formes" | 3:53 | |
| 13. | "Outer Accelerator" | 5:21 | |
| 14. | "New Orthophony" | 4:34 | |
| 15. | "Fiery Yellow" |
| 4:04 |
| Total length: | 66:57 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Moogie Wonderland" | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 70:32 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Klang Tone" | 5:36 |
| 2. | "Ulan Bator" | 3:14 |
| Total length: | 8:50 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ulan Bator" | 2:20 |
| 2. | "Klang Tone" | 5:38 |
| 3. | "Melochord Seventy-Five" (original Pulse version) | 5:32 |
| 4. | "Outer Accelerator" (original mix) | 6:05 |
| 5. | "Nihilist Assault Group – Part 6" | 2:13 |
| 6. | "Wow and Flutter" (7"/EP version – alternative mix) | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Des étoiles électroniques" (demo) | 1:25 |
| 8. | "Ping Pong" (demo) | 2:55 |
| 9. | "The Stars Our Destination" (demo) | 1:19 |
| 10. | "Three Longers Later" (demo) | 2:05 |
| 11. | "Transona Five" (demo) | 1:30 |
| 12. | "Transporté sans bouger" (demo) | 2:09 |
| Total length: | 36:17 | |
Sample credits [24]
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [25]
Stereolab
Additional musicians
Production
Design
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| European Top 100 Albums ( Music & Media ) [26] | 76 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [27] | 33 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [10] | 16 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [28] | 2 |
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Album Sales ( Billboard ) [29] | 92 |
Stereolab are an Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's sound features influences from krautrock and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetitive motorik beat with the use of vintage electronic keyboards and female vocals sung in English and French. Their lyrics have political and philosophical themes influenced by the Surrealist and Situationist movements. On stage, they play in a more feedback-driven and guitar-oriented style. The band also draw from funk, jazz and Brazilian music, and were one of the first bands to be dubbed "post-rock".
Dots and Loops is the fifth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 22 September 1997 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records. The band co-produced the album with John McEntire and Andi Toma, and recording took place at their respective studios in Chicago and Düsseldorf. It was their first album to be recorded straight to Digital Audio Tape and produced with Pro Tools. The album explores jazz and electronic sounds, and is influenced by bossa nova and 1960s pop music. Its lyrics address matters such as consumerism, the "spectacle", materialism, and human interaction.
Switched On is a compilation of Stereolab's first three releases, and was originally released in 1992. The album's name is in tribute to Switched-On Bach and other similar titles from the late 1960s to 1970s that feature Moog synthesizers as the primary instrument. Switched On was later licensed to Slumberland Records for a US release, and Rough Trade Germany, for that country, both in 1992.
Peng! is the debut studio album by English-French band Stereolab. It was released on 26 May 1992 by Too Pure in the United Kingdom. The album was issued in the United States on 13 June 1995 by Too Pure and American Recordings. A remastered edition of the album was released on 9 November 2018 by Too Pure and Beggars Arkive.
Lætitia Sadier, sometimes known as Seaya Sadier, is a French musician best known as a founding member of the London-based avant-pop band Stereolab. She was born in the east of Paris and spent time in the US as a child. In 1996, while Stereolab was still active, she formed the side project Monade. In 2009 – the same year Stereolab became inactive – she ended the Monade project and began to perform solo work under her own name; her current band is known as the Lætitia Sadier Source Ensemble. She has frequently performed guest vocals and collaborations with other artists.
Emperor Tomato Ketchup is the fourth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 18 March 1996 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records.
Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night is the sixth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 21 September 1999 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records. The album was largely co-produced by Stereolab, John McEntire, and Jim O'Rourke.
Sound-Dust is the seventh studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 28 August 2001 in North America by Elektra Records and on 3 September 2001 internationally by Duophonic Records. The album was produced by John McEntire and Jim O'Rourke and recorded at McEntire's Chicago studio Soma. It was Stereolab's last album to feature singer and guitarist Mary Hansen, who died in a biking accident the following year.
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 and on 2 February 2004 in the United Kingdom by Duophonic Records. The album is in large part a eulogy to former band member Mary Hansen, who died in 2002.
The First of the Microbe Hunters is the fifth EP by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 16 May 2000 in the United Kingdom by Duophonic Records and in the United States by Elektra Records. Its title makes reference to the book Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif, in which the first chapter is dedicated to Dutch scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek, named "the first of the microbe hunters". Its tracks were re-released in the band's 2021 compilation Electrically Possessed.
The High Llamas are an Anglo-Irish avant-pop band formed in London circa 1991. They were founded by singer-songwriter Sean O'Hagan, formerly of Microdisney, with drummer Rob Allum and ex-Microdisney bassist Jon Fell. O'Hagan has led the group since its formation. Their music is often compared to the Beach Boys, a band he acknowledges as an influence, although more prominent influences were drawn from bossa nova and European film soundtracks.
Serene Velocity is a compilation album by Stereolab, released in late 2006. It focuses on material released during the band's Elektra years.
Wow and Flutter is an EP by the post-rock band Stereolab, which served as the second single from their 1994 album Mars Audiac Quintet. A limited edition of 3,000 7" copies was released with hand-painted covers. The EP was also released on CD and 10" vinyl.
Ping Pong is a 1994 EP by the English-French avant-pop band Stereolab. It served as the lead single from their third full-length album Mars Audiac Quintet. Three limited 7" runs were released in green, black, and pink colors. It was also released on CD and 10" vinyl.
Chemical Chords is the ninth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab, released on 18 August 2008 by 4AD and Duophonic Records.
Transona Five are a Dallas, Texas-based American space rock or indie rock band that began playing together in 1995, and named after a song on the Mars Audiac Quintet album by Stereolab.
Not Music is the tenth and most recent studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab, released on 16 November 2010 by Drag City and Duophonic Records. The album is a collection of unreleased material recorded at the same time as their previous album, Chemical Chords (2008).
Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements is the second studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab, released on 10 August 1993 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records. It was recorded with an expanded line-up, and is generally considered to be the band's noisiest release due to its emphasis on distorted guitars and keyboard sounds.
Electrically Possessed is a compilation album by the English-French band Stereolab, released on 26 February 2021 under Duophonic Records and Warp Records. It collects the band's rarities, and is the fourth of their "Switched-On" compilation series. The track "Dimension M2" was released following the compilation's announcement, followed by "Household Names", taken from the mini album The First of the Microbe Hunters.
Pulse of the Early Brain is a compilation album by the English-French avant-pop band Stereolab, released on 2 September 2022 under Duophonic Records and Warp Records. It is the fifth installment of the band's "Switched-On" series which collects the band's rarities, such as the EPs Simple Headphone Mind (1997) and Low Fi (1992); bonus and exclusive tracks from Chemical Chords (2008); and individual tracks from other albums, split singles and flexi discs. Unlike previous "Switched-On" releases, which compiled each of the band's eras in chronological order, Pulse of the Early Brain covers rarities from all over their career.
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