They were founded in 1990 by songwriters Tim Gane (guitar, keyboards), formerly of the band McCarthy, and Laetitia Sadier (sometimes credited as Seaya Sadier; vocals, keyboards, trombone, guitar), who is from France and sings in both English and French.
Over the years, Gane and Sadier have enlisted a large number of other musicians to accompany them on stage and on record. The initial line-up featured Martin Kean, formerly of The Chills, on bass, and Joe Dilworth (from their Too Pure label-mates Th’ Faith Healers) on drums, with Russell Yates (of Moose) and Mick Conroy (ex-Modern English) also appearing at early live shows. In 1993 they recruited Andy Ramsay (drums), who has remained in the group line-up ever since, and Mary Hansen (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion). Hansen’s distinctive backing vocals became an important aspect of the Stereolab sound, and she remained a regular feature of the line-up until her death in a cycling accident on December 9, 2002. Multi-instrumentalist Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas has also been a frequent contributor, particularly with string, brass and keyboard arrangements to the band’s studio albums. John McEntire (Tortoise) has also contributed keyboard, electronic effects and studio help over the years. Other members have come and (in some cases) gone over the years, including Duncan Brown, Dave Pajo (from Tortoise), Richard Harrison and Simon Johns (all bass); Gina Morris (vocals); and Katharine Gifford and Morgane Lhote (both on keyboards).
Early Stereolab material displayed a heavy influence of krautrock sounds, particularly Neu! and Faust, characteristically relying on droning, repetitive guitar or keyboard riffs, with or without vocals. Early heavy use of distorted Farfisa combo-organ sounds were also reminiscent of early recordings by The Modern Lovers. As the band developed, they incorporated new instrumentation, and an increasingly complex sense of rhythm and structure, frequently making use of irregular time signatures as well as unorthodox chord progressions and melodic intervals. The band has often made copious use of female backing vocal lines.
Lyrically, Stereolab’s music is quirky (song titles evoke memories of 1950s science fiction stories, and are often borrowed directly from old films and records of the period, but have nothing to do with the song’s content), but highly politically and philosophically charged, sometimes with a decidedly Surrealist or Situationist bent. (Sadier notes the libertarian Marxist theoretician Cornelius Castoriadis as a particular inspiration.) Sadier’s lyrics, in both French and English, often read like highly condensed sociological texts, standing in deliberate and distinct counterpoint to the lush hedonic pop sound of the band. A prime example would be “Ping Pong” from Mars Audiac Quintet, which is an explicit restating of Marxist theory concerning the relationship between economic cycles and war cycles.
Stereolab earned a minor place in the Britpop movement, with their sound proving influential to bands like Blur: occasional keyboard-driven b-sides and singer Damon Albarn’s love of retro keyboards showed the influence, and in recognition Laetitia Sadier was invited to provide vocals on “To The End” from Parklife.
Despite the band’s fan base and critical acclaim, Stereolab has not achieved high levels of financial or popular success. On June 7, 2004, suits at the Warner Music label (to whom the band was signed in the U.S.) announced they were dropping Stereolab in response to the poor sales (40,000 to that date) of Margerine Eclipse. This was part of an ongoing effort by Warner to cut costs; The Breeders and Third Eye Blind were also dropped from the label for this reason. Laetitia Sadier is now also a member of Monade, which is essentially expressive of her own singular musical goals.
...Sudden Stars
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Essences
Hugs and smiles
Sweet kisses
Movements
Towards me
Embrace
Reverie
Velvet skin
Treasured dreams
Intimate
Silk and gold
Nuit d'amour
Naked soul
After such distance
Come to me, precious being, come to me
After such ennui
Come to me, delicious, enfold me
After such a long drought
Here a place for flowers to flourish
But if you must,
And if you must,
If you must go, go
The wind will take you
It will lift you
Across the ocean
Into the sky
Towards the sun
It will take you, high
So if you must,
And if you must,
If you must go, go
Sweet smelling wind
Announcing
L'amour de ma vie
When you're ready
Mon bel amour
Simply come to me.
In Stereolab's song "...Sudden Stars," the lyrics describe a longing for intimacy and tenderness. The song describes the sensation of feeling a loved one's essence and being enveloped in their embrace, experiencing a reverie that touches the very soul. The lyrics suggest an intimate connection between two people, wherein they share tender moments with each other like kisses on velvet skin that initiates treasured dreams. The phrase "nuit d'amour" (night of love) alludes to the notion of experiencing intimacy that touches the soul and envelops one's being.
The lyrics also express the idea of distance between two people, and the sense of "ennui" (boredom or dissatisfaction) that a person might feel when they are not in the company of their loved one. The sentiment expressed is that even after such distance and ennui, the longing for the loved one only grows stronger. The song encourages the loved one to come closer, to bring color to the dullness of life and create a place for flowers to flourish.
Ultimately, the song conveys the idea of the wind taking a person away if they must go. However, the lyrics suggest that if the person must go, they should follow their dreams, go towards the sun and reach for the sky, but remember to come back to their lover when they're ready.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet smelling
Aromatic and pleasant, referring to an enjoyable scent
Essences
Fragrances or substances with a distinct odor
Hugs and smiles
Physical and emotional signs of affection
Sweet kisses
Expressions of romantic attraction
Movements
Gestures or actions that convey emotion or intention
Towards me
Directed or aimed at the singer
Embrace
A loving or comforting hug
Reverie
A daydream or state of pleasant contemplation
Tenderness
Gentleness and kindness in behavior or attitude
Velvet skin
Soft and smooth skin, like velvet fabric
Treasured dreams
Valued or cherished aspirations or goals
Intimate
Closely personal or private, often relating to romantic relationships
Silk and gold
Luxurious and precious, often symbolizing wealth or beauty
Nuit d'amour
French for 'night of love,' often used in romantic contexts
Naked soul
Vulnerable and exposed inner self
After such distance
Following a long period of separation or physical distance
Come to me, precious being, come to me
A yearning desire for a loved one to return
After such ennui
Following a period of boredom or dissatisfaction
Come to me, delicious, enfold me
A passionate request for a lover's embrace
After such a long drought
Following a prolonged lack of something, often referring to emotional or physical sustenance
Here a place for flowers to flourish
An inviting and nurturing environment for growth and beauty
But if you must,
Acknowledging the possibility of having to part ways
And if you must,
Reiterating the probability of separation
If you must go, go
Accepting the inevitability of leaving
The wind will take you
An assurance that the person leaving will be safe and guided
It will lift you
The wind will elevate the person above the earthly realm
Across the ocean
Imagery of traveling far and wide
Into the sky
Ascending to higher planes of existence
Towards the sun
Reaching for enlightenment and positivity
It will take you, high
Assurance that the journey will lead to great heights and accomplishments
Sweet smelling wind
Echoing earlier scents of sweetness and fragrance, symbolizing hope and new beginnings
Announcing
Making known, introducing
L'amour de ma vie
French for 'the love of my life,' expressing deep affection and commitment
When you're ready
Allowing the other person to take their time and come to a decision
Mon bel amour
French for 'my beautiful love,' expressing admiration and devotion
Simply come to me.
A final plea for a return to love and intimacy
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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