- Audio CD (4 July 2005)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Too Pure
- ASIN: B00000I8Q8
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 73,534 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Mary Hansen and Lętitia Sadier can do things with the human voice that have to be heard to believed. Although this collection of very early singles (now unavailable elsewhere) predates Mary Hansen's entry to The Groop, it is nevertheless shows that Stereolab knew what they wanted to do from the start. The deadpan vocals flutter all over the place AND provide the rhythm, deep underneath guitars and analogue synths that pound away so monotonously that a chord change (if you get one) sounds like an oasis. This album includes the track Super-Electric, possibly their finest moment aside from French Disco. If you don't appreciate subtleties in music, then you won't like this. If you're a Stereolab fan anyway, just buy it, because it will not disappoint.
Format:Audio CD
Seeing as this is the Stereolab album that started it all, it seems surprising that there aren't more reviews. I have fond memories of buying this when it first came out in 1992 - my first exposure to Stereolab! - and think it is still just as great after all these years.
Since then Stereolab have produced dozens of recordings, and even die-hard fans have a tendency to overlook the earliest ones, giving their acclaim to classics such as "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" and "Dots and Loops". But despite their musical progression, Stereolab have remained consistent with their basic sound: hypnotic back-and-forth female vocals on a swirling sea of mesmerising synthesiser. If you like their subsequent albums there's a very good chance you'll like this.
Compared with their later albums, "Switched On" is more energetic and exhilarating. The surging guitars on some of these tracks recall the likes of My Bloody Valentine or Spacemen 3. But this perhaps makes "Switched On" more accessible than Stereolab's more recent, low-key albums. I especially love the powerfully hypnotic "Contact", and the emotive final track, "Changer".
The follow-up album, "Peng!", is fairly similar in style and quality. Get them both. Heck, get every Stereolab album!
Since then Stereolab have produced dozens of recordings, and even die-hard fans have a tendency to overlook the earliest ones, giving their acclaim to classics such as "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" and "Dots and Loops". But despite their musical progression, Stereolab have remained consistent with their basic sound: hypnotic back-and-forth female vocals on a swirling sea of mesmerising synthesiser. If you like their subsequent albums there's a very good chance you'll like this.
Compared with their later albums, "Switched On" is more energetic and exhilarating. The surging guitars on some of these tracks recall the likes of My Bloody Valentine or Spacemen 3. But this perhaps makes "Switched On" more accessible than Stereolab's more recent, low-key albums. I especially love the powerfully hypnotic "Contact", and the emotive final track, "Changer".
The follow-up album, "Peng!", is fairly similar in style and quality. Get them both. Heck, get every Stereolab album!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
It Rocks!
18 Sep 2000
Format:Audio CD
I just want to get to the point. This album rocks. I'm sure anyone who has come into stereolab after this album might be scratching their heads, but damn if this album doesn't reach near orgasmic head bobbing. The final two songs just make you want to get up and dance around in your underwear. An amazing, uplifting album, that's sure to even make your brightest days shine brighter.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
first and foremost?
24 Mar 2001
Format:Audio CD
A good introduction to Stereolab. This is one of their most consistent albums, many of the songs following the extremely basic Stereolab formulae for songs: a guitar strumming one or two chords, a simple drumbeat, organ interference, and beautiful vocals (sometimes complete with la-las, etc.) While many of the songs on the album follow this formulae, they do so in a more compact, muffled way compared to their following albums. Standouts include "Super Electric" and "The light that will cease to fail."
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
great tunes
23 Jan 2001
Format:Audio CD
This is a really useful collection of early stereolab singles/b-sides. The songs here are a perfect example of how stereolab sounded when they first started as a band. From listening to this release you can see how the band have progressed. However, the songs here are classics, they may not be the better of stereolab songs written but they do have lovely tunes. I think for stereolab fans there are quite a deal of emotion attached to these recordings and that's why we love them so much. 'Brittle' 'Super electric' 'The light that will cease to fail' and 'Changer' are all adoreable songs. My only critcial point of the album is the 80's snare sound of 'the light that will cease to fail'! Get this collection if you are intrested in how stereolab once sounded, it's great stuff.
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