Stereolab had already well started in on their seemingly unstoppable flow of albums and singles by the time Transient made its bow in late 1993, but such was the shimmering power of the fusions the band made its own by that point that it instantly was celebrated as a high water mark. Rightly so: the indebtedness to Marxist critiques, Velvet Underground-derived drones and chugs, French chansons and more were evident, but the results on songs like “Pack Yr Romantic Mind” and “Crest” were unique results.

– Ned Raggett