by Heather Phares
Released in 1993, Space Age Bachelor Pad Music refined Stereolab's sound further and also showcased the increasingly experimental focus of the band's music. Split into two sides -- the gentle, intricate &Easy Listening& and the more upbeat &New Wave& -- this eight-song EP ranges from the bubbly keyboard piece &Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (Foamy)& to the defiant, driving groove of &We're Not Adult Orientated.& The sweet, close harmonies on &Ronco Symphony& and &The Groop Play Chord X& edge closer to the sophisticated, lounge pop-inspired sound explored during the rest of Stereolab's career, while the vibes of &Avant Garde M.O.R.& and the fizzy keyboards of &Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (Mellow)& spotlight the band's more texturally complex arrangements. However, the immediacy of &We're Not Adult Orientated (Neu Wave Live)& and the hypnotic, fuzzy guitars on &U.H.F. - MFP& prove that while Stereolab gained more polish and ambition on Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, the band didn't lose any of its kinetic edge.