Margerine Eclipse

Margerine Eclipse
Studio album by
Stereolab
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
Metacritic77/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Alternative Press4/5[6]
Drowned in Sound8/10[7]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[8]
Mojo[9]
The Observer[1]
Pitchfork7.6/10[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
SpinB−[12]
Uncut[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.

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

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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

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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

[edit]

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

Stereolab

Additional musicians

  • Fulton Dingley – drum machine, synthesizer, MIDI, percussion
  • Sean O'Hagan – keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, other instruments
  • Jan St. Werner – electronics on "Vonal Declosion" and "Feel and Triple"

Production

  • Fulton Dingley – engineering, mixing
  • Stereolab (credited as "The Groop") – mixing

Charts

[edit]
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

References

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  1. ^ a b c Woodcraft, Molloy (1 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". The Observer. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  2. ^ Cairns, Dan (1 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  3. ^ Korenkiewicz, Jason (10 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". PopMatters. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Margerine Eclipse by Stereolab Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Margerine Eclipse – Stereolab". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Alternative Press. No. 188. March 2004. p. 94.
  7. ^ Robbins, Andy (22 January 2004). "Album Review: Stereolab – Margerine Eclipse". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  8. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (26 January 2004). "Margerine Eclipse". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  9. ^ Barnes, Mike (March 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Mojo. No. 124. p. 90.
  10. ^ Leone, Dominique (15 January 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  11. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (5 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  12. ^ Beaujon, Andrew; Brod, Doug; Chow, Alexander; Day, Adrienne; Greenwald, Andy; Gross, Joe; Hermes, Will; Matos, Michaelangelo (March 2004). "Breakdown". Spin. Vol. 20, no. 3. p. 96. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Uncut. No. 82. March 2004. p. 90.
  14. ^ a b Pike, Martin (10 October 2003). "News". stereolab.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 December 2003. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Stereolab Peers At The 'Eclipse'". Billboard. 2 December 2003. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b McNair, James (30 January 2004). "Stereolab: Total eclipse of the heart". The Independent. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  17. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (3 June 2004). "Warner to Ax Eighty Artists". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  18. ^ Strauss, Matthew (8 October 2019). "Stereolab Announce Sound-Dust and Margerine Eclipse Reissues". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  19. ^ a b Himes, Geoffrey (16 April 2004). "Stereolab 'Margerine Eclipse' Elektra". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  20. ^ Brasor, Philip (11 April 2004). "Stereolab". The Japan Times. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  21. ^ a b c d e Wolk, Douglas (31 March 2004). "Living in Dual Mono". Seattle Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 June 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Stereolab – Margerine Eclipse (Expanded Edition)". Duophonic Ultra High Frequency Disks. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  23. ^ Margerine Eclipse (liner notes). Stereolab. Duophonic Records. 2004. D-UHF-CD29.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  25. ^ "Chart Log UK: DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  26. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  27. ^ "Stereolab Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  28. ^ "Stereolab Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
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