''Commodore Rock'' is the second EP by English

electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...

band

Ladytron Ladytron are a largely British electronic band formed in Liverpool in 1999. The group consists of Helen Marnie (lead vocals, synthesizers), Mira Aroyo (vocals, synthesizers), Daniel Hunt (synthesizers, guitar, vocals), and Reuben Wu (synth ...

. It was released in June 2000 by Invicta Hi-Fi Records (UK) and

Emperor Norton Joshua Abraham Norton (February 4, 1818January 8, 1880), known as Emperor Norton, was a resident of San Francisco, California who, in 1859, proclaimed himself "Norton I., Emperor of the United States". In 1863, after Napoleon III invaded M ...

(US) on CD and 12" formats. A 10" vinyl special edition was released by French label Tricadel in the same year. This edition included Ladytron's debut single "He Took Her To a Movie" remixed by Tricadel's owner

Bertrand Burgalat Bertrand Burgalat Born: July 1963 French musician, composer and producer. Background Bertrand Burgalat was born in the Corsican town of Bastia in 1963. His father, a high-ranking civil servant, was the sub-prefect of the island at the ti ...

and the instrumental "Olivetti Jerk". "Playgirl" was sung by

Helen Marnie Helen Marnie (born 21 February 1978) is a Scottish musician, known as the lead vocalist and one of the keyboardists and songwriters of the electronic band Ladytron. In 2012, she started a solo career as Marnie and released her debut solo album ' ...

. "Commodore Rock" and "Paco!" were sung by

Mira Aroyo Mira Aroyo ( bg, Мира Аройо, ; born 11 July 1977) is a Bulgarian singer, musician, songwriter, DJ, and geneticist. She is best known as the keyboardist, co-lead vocalist, and co-songwriter of the electronic band Ladytron, which she co- ...

. "Miss Black" and "Olivetti Jerk" are instrumentals. "Playgirl", "Commodore Rock" and "Paco!" were later included on the Ladytron's debut album ''

604 __NOTOC__ Year 604 ( DCIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 604 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...

''.

Daniel Hunt Daniel Hunt (born 25 July 1974) is an English musician, songwriter and producer. He is a founding member, principal songwriter and producer of the electronic band Ladytron. Biography Hunt met Reuben Wu in Liverpool in 1995 and formed Ladytr ...

is credited for EP's design,

Reuben Wu Reuben Wu (born 1975) is a British artist, photographer, musician, and industrial designer. He is also known as a keyboardist, songwriter, and producer for the electronic band Ladytron. Biography Reuben Wu was born in Liverpool in 1975, the so ...

for EP's illustration and

for photography.

Reception

''Commodore Rock'' received a 4/5 rating from

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

. According to Allmusic, Ladytron "recall

Devo Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ...

with their quirky structure and heavy

Moog Moog may refer to: Electronics and computing * Moog synthesizer, a synthesizer invented by Robert Moog * Moog Music, a synthesizer manufacturer founded by Robert Moog * Moog (code), astronomical software * Moog Inc., a control-system maker People ...

usage". Exclaim.ca gave a very positive review of this EP: "dance but not too, lounge but not overly, these retro-futurists play their brand of new wave international jet set electronic pop so perfectly cool that it's almost scary. Employing vintage synthesisers, old school beat boxes and crisp, sophisticated female vocals, this British-based quartet recall bands like

Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a re ...

, yet retain their own distinct vibe". According to

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

, "still, though uneven, ''Commodore Rock'' remains a worthwhile listen and should be counted as a promising debut".

Track listing

CD & 12"

Playgirl ''Playgirl'' was an American magazine that featured general interest articles, lifestyle and celebrity news, in addition to nude or semi-nude men. In the 1970s and 1980s, the magazine printed monthly and was marketed mainly to women, although it ...

" – 3:55 #"Commodore Rock" – 4:48 #"Miss Black" – 1:54 #"Paco!" – 2:59

10" (Tricatel edition)

" – 3:52 #"Commodore Rock" – 4:47 #"He Took Her To a Movie" (Bertrand Mix) – 3:48 #"Olivetti Jerk" – 3:25

Credits

*Design:

Danny Danny is a masculine given name. It is related to the male name Daniel. It may refer to: People * Danny Altmann, British immunologist *Danny Antonucci, Canadian animator, director, producer, and writer *Danny Baker (born 1957), English journali ...

*Illustration:

Reuben Reuben or Reuven is a Biblical male first name from Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (Re'uven), meaning "behold, a son". In the Bible, Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob. Variants include Rúben in European Portuguese; Rubens in Brazilian Portug ...

*Photography:

Mira Mira (), designation Omicron Ceti (ο Ceti, abbreviated Omicron Cet, ο Cet), is a red-giant star estimated to be 200–400 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. ο Ceti is a binary stellar system, consisting of a va ...

*Producer: Ladytron, Lance Thomas *Written: Ladytron

References

{{Authority control 2000 EPs Ladytron albums