Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 00:43:41 -0700 
      From: a device for squeezing a calico extract (NMARSHALL@POMONA.EDU) 
      Subject: Just walked by my local indie-friendly record store

Stereolab's _Refried Ectoplasm [Switched On Volume 2]_ is finally out
domestically, on Drag City. The package is a folding, three-part, brown
cardboard thing with teal and peach printing, a pretty package, but a
little hard on the eyes. I like that they print all the info about the
songs, what they were originally on, label, cat. no., quantity made, color
of vinyl, etc. for the curious fanatic in me. I had only heard a couple of
the songs before so most of the 13 tracks are new to me. Compared to their
other releases, RE is more varied, pretty much all over their map
(except maybe _The Amorphous Bod Study_ thing.) The tracks that strike me
on the first couple of listens are: "French Disco" is a great driving, poppy
thing. "Tone Burst [Country]" cracks me up; it's more Western-ridin'-down-
the-Martian-trail than country. "'Animal or Vegetable [A Wonderful Wooden
Reason...]'" the b-side to a collaboration with Nurse with Wound, has a
beautiful beginning, very soothing, then goes into an ~10 min groove-jam,
and ends with some digitally manipulated mayhem that reminds me of some songs
on Skinny Puppy's _Last Rights_. "John Cage Bubble Gum" is just another
classic Stereolab tune that I never had, either on the original 7" or the
recent Slumberland compilation. There are more songs in French than on
other full-lengths -- kind of motivation for me to think more about the
French I should know. Altogether, the CD is a very considerate (and
economically sensible) thing for the groop to do for people like me. Thanks.