Stereo Total is the decadent-pop brainchild of Berlin based musicians Françoise Cactus & Brezel Göring. The French and German duo make the ultimate dinnertime Euro melting-pot music. The group"s recorded songs in at least six languages, and they just as easily mix and match from all manner of mannered, smartypants rock pop genres from the last forty years. Chiefly, though, they stick to an affable fusion of synth-pop, French chanson, and garage rock. Stereo Total was briefly affiliated with the ill-fated mini-movement "electroclash," but thankfully they had the pop smarts and sense of humor to escape that tag. On Paris-Berlin, "the lyrics are all about love, rebellion and nostalgia," according to the group themselves, while musically Stereo Total has expanded their stripped-down sound to adopt some of the hi-fi sounds of classic "60s cocktail pop. Paris-Berlin is smart as hell and very likely their best album yet. It"s recommended for all people who like fun--especially adult, Continental-type fun. --Mike McGonigal