Chemical Chords

Stereolab | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 19, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: 4AD
• ASIN: B0019UUPI2
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,125 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #29 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Ambient Pop
  • #69 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Electronic Pop
  • #71 in Music > Indie Music > Dance & DJ > Electronica

Editorial Reviews

Being released by the iconic legendary label 4AD, Chemical Chords is a collection of purposefully short, dense, fast pop songs, according to Gane, brimming with Motown-like drums, O'Hagan's finest baroque-pop brass and string arrangements and etched with some of Sadier's most eloquent, mellifluous vocal performances to date, it is, nonetheless, classic Stereolab; like all their best work, a perfect equipoise between an implausibly cool past and a shamelessly exotic future. The eleventh album in an illustrious career, Chemical Chords began life in early-2007 when Tim Gane started messing with a series of about seventy tiny drum loops on top of improvised chord sequences using piano and vibraphone. Building them up from there later slowing the tracks down or speeding them up a totally new way of doing songs for us With typical prolificacy, the band laboured over the summer at their studio, Instant Zero (in Bordeaux, France), helping transform these blueprints into 32 luminous new songs, with keyboardist/technician Joe Watson manning the mixing desk. Half the new repertoire was selected for this album, which, for all the breathless spontaneity of its invention, is arguably the band's tautest, most highly focused work this century. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars much much better, August 31, 2008

By 

father o "father o" (armpitsville, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chemical Chords (Audio CD)

something has been off for me with stereolab since marys death. i dont know why. i didnt know her, so it wasnt anything on a personal level. it was a certain charm, maybe?
after listening to this album multiple times, i do believe that the charm is back, there are still cerebral, challenging songs here, yes, but they are crisp, tight, short and amazing. yes, amazing. this is by FAR the most enjoyable stereolab release in years.
the strings, the hooks (all songs have at least one), the amazing sound, its all here. its all sterolab. this is a great album. i have been a fan for over a decade, and i do believe that this is the cd that i would recommend to beginners, and in time, might fall into my top choice myself. thanks, guys. love the cd.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let the chemical chords penetrate your electric brain, August 22, 2008

By 

Piers Moktan "Piers Moktan" (Khorsor Elephant Stable, Nepal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chemical Chords (Audio CD)

I have been eagerly anticipating the new Stereolab album for some time, intrigued by Tim Gane's tantalising account of the creative process that led to 'Chemical Chords'- of a batch of his own musical doodles from which the groop developed the final, fleshed out tracks in the studio. So yes, as one would expect from Stereolab, 'Chemical Chords' is a lushly orchestrated album (Sean O'Hagan's arrangements add wonderful texture, especially the strings on 'Cellulose Sinshine' and 'Self Portrait With Electric Brain'), but each track bears the succinct imprint of a singular idea perfectly realised, unlike previous albums where some tracks feel like two or three condensed into one. The synergy between the musical elements makes this another Stereolab album that will continue to reward repeated listens. It's really only just beginning to sink in for me, and so far 'Daisy Click Clack','Self Portrait With Electric Brain' and 'Cellulose Sunshine' have particularly infected my musical consciousness.

The Stereolab formula is evident, but sufficiently tweaked to engage the fans- I can't imagine they will be disappointed. This is a great album, and it's certainly not bereft of candidates to add to your selection of favourite Stereolab songs. It also has an infectiously cheerful quality that might just dispel some mental rainclouds- even those with that mood of restless yearning don't stray too far towards melancholy.

N.B I highly recommend getting the version with extra tracks- 'The Nth Degree' and 'Magne-Music' are both awesome, the former with its insistent bass and crackling electronic inflections, the latter with its rhythmic electronic bubble sounds. The US version provides 17 tracks with 'Spool of Confusion' whereas the UK extended version only has 16 (but isn't much more expensive)

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Same Old, Same Old, August 22, 2008

By 

Bryan M. MCNEELY (Fort Wayne, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chemical Chords (Audio CD)

As a fan of "the Groop" for, oh, eleven years now, I firmly believe now, after listening to "Chemical Chords" multiple times, that it's time for the gang to hang it up. ..or at least do SOMETHING different.

Those like myself who have been growing increasingly tired of the formula that used to be interesting may have been having trouble completely accepting "Margarine Eclipse" and "Fab Four Suture" as true Stereolab albums. Yes, they're just like anything else they've done, but at one time, this was a band of seemingly endless possibilities. "Emperor..." was considered a modern classic and "Dots..." improved on the sound. They took chances, they wanted us to be impressed. I don't feel that anymore.

Popping "...Chords" into the CD player initially, it took exactly seven seconds for me to yawn and think maybe it's "Margarine Eclipse" all over again. ..and really, I wasn't far off. It took four tracks for me to really become interested, as the title track is gorgeous.

"Chemical Chords," the song, is gentle, free of any discerning beat, yet is a glimmer of hope that was desperately needed. The strings are simply beautiful and flashes of old-time sophistication return, but only temporarily. Immediately afterwards comes "The Ecstatic Static," apparently the prior track's little sister.

The rest of the tracks have very small factors that make them unique, but any long-time fan of the group should be able to tell that they're neither improving their sound nor being adventurous with it. In fact, even Amazon's description mentions thirty-some-odd tracks being made with half of them or so being placed on this album. If it had read that these were leftovers from the "Margarine Eclipse" sessions, it would have made more sense. At least "Fab Four Suture" was downright weird in places, though still typical Mary-less Stereolab.

The album is a solid three, though maybe a half star should be granted further because it's hard not to like this group, even when they're being lazy.

Oh, 4AD is involved with Stereolab now. Just mentioning because it's true, though it probably would mean more if the album were released fifteen years ago.