"It's the ""total"" in Stereo Total's name that describes the band best. They really tend to sound like--well, everything, from '60s pop to modern electronica and punk.* The band is actually German, though it's members hail from across Europe--Francois Cactus (vocals, guitar and drums) is French, while Brezel Goring (vocals, guitar and keyboard) is German. Other members have come from as far away as Italy and Scotland.Stereo Total often takes a carefree, whimsical approach to their music. This is silly, fun garage pop with a strong European touch. Every Stereo Total song is a little startling--though how could they not be? The samples they use included everything from bird tweets to motorcycle roars, and a few samples will leave you guessing as to exactly what they are.The group released their debut album, Oh Ah!, in 1995. Since then, they've preserved a solid cult following amongst fans of French pop (they consider Serge Gainsbourg their hero, and have covered several of his songs) and earned respect from lovers of electro, as well. If you like Stereolab, another band full of European electronic knob-twiddlers, there's a good chance Stereo Total is in your music collection as well. The band has released eight albums to date, and continues to evolve their bizarre but fascinating sound. Their most recent was 2007's Paris-Berlin--a fitting title for a group whose core members are familiar with both those major cities.*The band's site has a precise breakdown. According to them, their sound is 40 percent Yeyetronic, 20 percent rock 'n' roll, 10 percent punk, 3 percent electronic effects, 4 percent French '60s beat, 7 percent ""genious dilettantism,"" 1.5 percent Cosmonaute, 10 percent really old synthesizers, 10 percent 8-bit Amiga sampling, 10 percent transistor amplifier and 1 percent really expansive and advanced instruments. Incidentally, this adds up to 116.5 percent."