Margerine Eclipse

Margerine Eclipse is the eighth studio album by English-French avant-pop 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.

Margerine Eclipse
Studio album by Stereolab
Released	27 January 2004 (2004-01-27)
Recorded	2003
Studio	Instant 0 (France)
Genre	Experimental rock indietronica krautrock alternative dance
Length	53:41
Label	Duophonic Elektra
Stereolab chronology
Instant 0 in the Universe (2003) Margerine Eclipse (2004) Oscillons from the Anti-Sun (2005)
Stereolab studio album chronology
Sound-Dust (2001) Margerine Eclipse (2004) Chemical Chords (2008)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	77/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Alternative Press	4/5[3]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[4]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[5]
Mojo	[6]
The Observer	[7]
Pitchfork	7.6/10[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Spin	B−[10]
Uncut	[11]

By June 2004, the album had sold over 40,000 copies in United States.[12]

Background

Margerine Eclipse was mixed with full stereo separation (or as the band called it, "dual mono"),[13] meaning that each instrumental or vocal part is hard-panned to appear in either the left or right channel only, much like early stereo albums by The Beatles. This technique was also used on its preceding EP Instant 0 in the Universe.

Margerine Eclipse was the first Stereolab album to be recorded following the death of band member Mary Hansen in a cycling accident in December 2002.[13][14] The lyrics of the song "Feel and Triple" pay tribute to Hansen.[2][13] Stereolab members Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier ended their romantic relationship shortly before work commenced on the album, and their breakup is alluded to in the song "Hillbilly Motobike".[13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier.

No.	Title	Length
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.	Title	Length
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

Personnel

Credits for Margerine Eclipse adapted from album liner notes.[15]

Stereolab Lætitia Sadier – vocals, trombone on "Margerine Melodie" Tim Gane – electric guitar, electronics, Occ. organ Dominic Jeffery – organ, electric piano, harpsichord, celeste Simon Johns – bass, drums on "Margerine Rock" Andy Ramsay – drums, drum machine

Additional musicians Fulton Dingley – drum machine, synthesiser, percussion Sean O'Hagan – keyboards, acoustic and electric guitar, "maybe other things" Jan St. Werner – insect orchestra on "Vonal Declosion" and "Feel and Triple" Production Fulton Dingley – engineering, mixing Stereolab (as "The Groop") – mixing Management Martin Pike (as "Pikey") – management

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16]	86
UK Albums (OCC)[17]	108
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18]	11
US Billboard 200[19]	174
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[20]	6

References

1. "Reviews for Margerine Eclipse by Stereolab". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
2. Phares, Heather. "Margerine Eclipse – Stereolab". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
3. "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Alternative Press. No. 188. March 2004. p. 94.
4. Robbins, Andy (22 January 2004). "Album Review: Stereolab – Margerine Eclipse". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
5. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (26 January 2004). "Margerine Eclipse". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
6. "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Mojo. No. 124. March 2004. p. 90.
7. Woodcraft, Molloy (1 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". The Observer. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
8. Leone, Dominique (15 January 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
9. Sanneh, Kelefa (5 February 2004). "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
10. "Breakdown". Spin. Vol. 20 no. 30. March 2004. p. 96. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
11. "Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse". Uncut. No. 82. March 2004. p. 90.
12. Eliscu, Jenny (3 June 2004). "Warner to Ax Eighty Artists". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
13. Wolk, Douglas (31 March 2004). "Living in Dual Mono". Seattle Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 June 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
14. Himes, Geoffrey (16 April 2004). "Stereolab 'Margerine Eclipse' Elektra". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
15. Margerine Eclipse (liner notes). Stereolab. Duophonic Records. 2004. D-UHF-CD29.CS1 maint: others (link)
16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
17. "Chart Log UK: DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
18. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
19. "Stereolab Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
20. "Stereolab Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2017.

External links

• Margerine Eclipse at official Stereolab website
• Margerine Eclipse at Discogs (list of releases)
• Margerine Eclipse at MusicBrainz (list of releases)