Stereo * Type A


Stereo ★ Type A is the second studio album by Cibo Matto released in 1999. As the group disbanded in 2001, it was their last studio album prior to their 2011 reunion.

Background

While having a strong focus on atmospheric and ambient sounds and melody, Stereo ★ Type A also contains a broad range of styles, reaching into hip hop territory in "Sci-Fi Wasabi", and heavy metal in "Blue Train". Furthermore, "Clouds" and "Mortming" contain heavily vocoded vocals.
In their interview with the band, Barnes & Noble noted the band moving away from writing songs about food, opining the album is a "diverse collection of tracks that includes metal-edged rockers, lounge-influenced pop, pithy hip-hop -- and only one song about culinary delicacies." In the same interview, Yuka spoke about the album's title:
When we decided to make this record, Miho and I talked about a lot of things that were on our minds: what was happening around us and how we felt about what happened with VIVA! LA WOMAN. For three days we were just sitting around talking and talking instead of writing music. And we kept bumping into that subject a lot: how we have to deal with stereotypes so much, and how it can be very hard, because the people who have these stereotypes aren't even aware of it.

Reception

Several critics noted the album's difference from the group's debut, regarding it positively as a progression of style and a maturation. The album received positive reviews upon its release, with Melody Maker calling it "album of the year so far. Purely joyous pop." Time Out magazine also named it "pure pop LP of the year so far." Despite managing to peak at just number 171 on the Billboard 200, the album did reach the top spot of CMJs College charts.
Heather Phrase of AllMusic says of the album: "Relying less on samples and more on their latent funk and jazz elements, Stereo ★ Type A sounds like summer in New York -- eclectic, hot, and funky....Stereo ★ Type As overall sound is more direct and less fanciful than of their debut album Viva! La Woman." Independent publication SOMA Magazine stated: "Stereo ★ Type A confirms that the best way to make pop music is by combining multiple styles... Combined with Yuka Honda's style for sampling and Miho's sensual vocals, Stereo ★ Type A is a complete success."
Duke University's student newspaper The Chronicle summarized: "It's a funky alternative to G-105 and definitely a sign that all pop music hasn't gone to hell yet. Here's to hoping Honda and Hatori can bring it back."

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Cibo Matto, unless otherwise specified.
  1. "Working for Vacation" – 3:15
  2. "Spoon" – 4:06
  3. "Flowers" – 2:59
  4. "Lint of Love" – 6:10
  5. "Moonchild" – 5:13
  6. "Sci-Fi Wasabi" – 3:43
  7. "Clouds" – 3:27
  8. "Speechless" – 4:32
  9. "King of Silence" – 4:55
  10. "Blue Train" – 5:21
  11. "Sunday Part I" – 3:19
  12. "Sunday Part II" – 3:38
  13. "Stone" – 3:17
  14. "Mortming" – 3:09
The Japanese release includes the bonus tracks "Backseat" and "Country".

Personnel

From the liner notes of Stereo ★ Type A:
Additional musicians
Recording personnel
Additional personnel