Name: Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Expanded Edition)
Brand: Stereolab

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

D-UHF-D11R

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

[r14122108]

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: Yes

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Vinyl comes in bespoke Gatefold sleeve housed inside a heavyweight clear PVC wallet 

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2019-09-13

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

PIAS

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5060384616070

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Total Cap

3 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Stereolab

Genre GB

Indie Pop / Shoegaze

Label GB

Duophonic

Duophonic is a full-service media provider based in Augsburg, Germany. Established as Duophonic GmbH on May 29th, 2015, the label offers a diverse range of music formats including CDs and vinyl records.

When credited as DUOPHONIC.DE or www.duophonic.de in the CD matrix or vinyl runout, please credit Duophonic GmbH instead of this page. Vinyl releases may have "duo200YXXXX" in the runouts, with the first four numbers indicating the year starting from 2005.

Lacquer cutting for Duophonic releases is done by Duophonic GbR, identified by the initials "MI" appearing in the matrix on both sides. These initials can be easily mistaken as "MD".

Our curated collection of essential albums on vinyl, CD, and tape at Rough Trade.

Rough Trade Essential

Stereolab formed in London in 1990 by record collector Tim Gane and French chanteuse Laetitia Sadier. They were active between 1990 and 2009, when the band took a 10-year hiatus. In 2019 they reunited for live performances to promote a year-long seven album reissue campaign. Sean O'Hagan was a member from 1993 to 1994 and he continued appearing on later records for occasional guest appearances.

The band consists of Tim Gane on guitar, Laetitia Sadier on vocals, Gina Morris (1991) on vocals, Mary Hansen (1992-2002) (died 2002) on vocals, Martin Kean (1990-1993) on bass, Duncan Brown (1993-1996) on bass, Richard Harrison (1996-1998) on bass, Simon Johns (1998-2009) on bass, Joe Dilworth (1990-1992) on drums, Andy Ramsay (1992-2009, 2019-) on drums, Sean O'Hagan (1993-94), Katharine Gifford(1934–1945), Morgane Lhote(1967–1971), Dominic Jeffery(1957–1967), Joe Watson(1965–1981), Joe Walters(1926–1935).

Throughout their career Stereolab has

Remastered from original tapes. Comes with a Bonus album of unreleased demos, outtakes and alternate mixes. 

Fold-out poster insert with lyrics and sleeve-notes from Laetitia Sadier and Tim Gane. 

Stereolab's fourth full-length, Emperor Tomato Ketchup marked the point where the band evolved from a purely underground phenomenon to an important pop group capable of selling albums while keeping their hipness and integrity intact.

At the time of its release, it was simultaneously their most experimental and most accessible release, with the deliberate raw textures of earlier works replaced by a more polished vibe. The album was also their greatest success to date both commercially and critically, and remains a consensus favourite even now. 

Continuing to mine the music of the '60s and early '70s, Stereolab employs Farfisas and Moogs, melodies from Bacharach and Hardy, soft-rock, bubblegum, dub and hip-hop sounds to augment their core influences of krautrock, punk, jazz and space rock. Odd time-signatures and deft layering techniques are more crucial to the arrangements, and the grooves on tracks like Metronomic Underground and Les Yper-Sound add a level of funk to the mix, while the album also includes clear and catchy pop songs like Cybele's Reverie and The Noise of Carpet.

Emperor Tomato Ketchup brings many elements to the table, but Stereolab puts them all together into a coherent vision. For a group that revealed in resurrecting continental obscurity, from Neu! to Krzysztof Komeda, Emperor Tomato Ketchup sounded wholly futuristic and alien.

Co-released by band’s own label Duophonic UHF Disks and Warp Records.