saint etienne

To the archives!!!

This allows me to mention the Ramones today, as I must.

[in the background Dr.C starts looking cross-eyed, makes smoking gestures]

by the way robin, we miss you on alt.fan.momus!

But if you, like I did, can find _Good Humour_ with that extra disc of b-sides attached, GET IT!

Oh and He's on the phone is the work of God.

Method Of Modern Love - sadly not a Hall & Oates cover more a 'hey Call The Shots was nice maybe we can finally get that top 10 hit?'

also COLA BOY REMIX

This is GREAT.

Is that the thing Richard X was supposed to be producing for them or is that still in the pipeline?

this one is X-produced yeh

wow that's really good

Yep, thirded or fourthed or whatever. Fucking awesome!

: D

I want to believe...but it sounds a bit bland to me.

must be playing a different track for me cause zzzzzz

sarah cracknell brushed past me at a cinema the other day.

Foxbase Beta

Journey through the past, part 5.

Rumours have been flying left right and centre, but we can finally confirm that disco dynamo Richard X has taken Foxbase Alpha and re-arranged it into a brand new beast called FOXBASE BETA. Using the original masters, adding cellos, electrix, choirs, and the spirit of Brian Cant he has created something really special - spruced-up yet reverential, it is essentially a 2009 up-date of Foxbase Alpha, given a shot of vodka and a loving caress. We're chuffed. It feels unnervingly like jumping into a Tardis.

FOXBASE BETA will be issued, via the fan club, as a limited, numbered 2CD set of 3,000 copies, which will also include FOXBASE EXTRA, three unreleased recordings from the original album sessions: a just discovered coda to Girl VII (we'd forgotten it existed), a summery instrumental called Richard III, and the first, very different, take of Kiss And Make Up, which was the very first Saint Etienne recording. We cut it one afternoon in January 1990, and then Only Love Can Break Your Heart in the evening! It was all so simple then. These tracks won't be available anywhere else.

There will also be a 'directors' commentary' on the bonus disc. Informative, yes. Pithy, quite possibly.

An un-numbered, single disc edition will be available at gigs and through Rough Trade. It will also be available for digital download (with the commentary but without the bonus tracks).

For club promo, a 4-track 12" is currently at the pressing plant, including extended Foxbase Beta version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart (plus instrumental mix), the FBB version of Girl VII (grrrreat), and Gothenburg's Balearic princes Air France's mix of Spring. We'll have 200 copies of this available through the fan club. As soon as we have them we'll let you know.

Foxbase Beta will be available to pre-order on Monday 21st of September. More details next week.

England in the World Cup finals, 3 Of A Kind's Babycakes playing on my hi-fi, Foxbase Beta finally put to bed. Late summer, early autumn, and all is good.

love

Bob xx

what is that sound? some kind of metal, spoon-like implement against wood?

It was all so simple then. These tracks won't be available anywhere else.

Ah, but it's not that simple now, Bob.

looking forward to this, i was having a bit of a richard x / girls on top retrospective while i was working the other day.
kiss & make up + only love in one day, thats a pretty productive day imo.

http://assets.umusic.co.uk/saintetienne/FBBCoverMedium.jpg

Bob Stanley interview in The Quietus: http://thequietus.com/articles/02685-saint-etienne-s-bob-stanley-interview-reissues-and-the-problem-with-britpop

ok i think i am in love with that girl.

Samples of the FBB versions of "Girl VIII" and Only Love..." are up on their myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/saintetienne

I think X did a good job on Girl VIII but not on "Only Love...". That bassline is a bit tedious IMO.

Was just listening to "Method of Modern Love" and remembered the little New Order bit:
"There's no sense or reason why we're shot with a bolt of blue..."

who wrote the sleeve notes for the latest batch of deluxe versions?

also coming soon "songs for the dog and duck" ...

free 3 track live ep for signing up for the fan club right now. great 'folk' version of Like A Motorway.

richard x is working with sound of arrows too.

so foxbase beta is going on sale tomorrow, but in the e-mail i received it doesn't say what time it's going on sale, just "tomorrow morning"...

Anyone else going to the Shepherd's Bush Empire show? Annie is supporting, just like she did the last time I saw StEt live in London.

http://www.ekmpowershop8.com/ekmps/shops/saintetienneltd/tracklisting--audio-samples-4-w.asp

It's up now - surprisingly, the site is not dying under the load unlike the last few times they've tried this...

omg the new mix of Only Love Will Break Your Heart that just came out on 12" is KILLING ME - total 105 bpm balearic hotness!

choice

Received Foxbase Beta today ... still making my mind up ... looking forward to So Tougher nevertheless.

are you in the US? i'm yet to receive mine.

I've racked up eighteen plays of that new 12" so far - considering it's eight minutes long, that's a pretty high percentage of my non-sleeping non-working life.

...looking forward to So Tougher nevertheless.

― djh, Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:24 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark

You just made that up, right?

so tough with a vengeance

the 12" is the Richard X "extended Beta" version?

yes

wish they had spread the release dates of deluxe reissues out a little more, i still need the so tough + sound of water dlxes but i'm not in a position to drop $60 on cds right now

Well, they won't run out of them...

this is freaking great! the biggest improvement is that the bottom end is gigantic through the whole thing. "Nothing Can Stop Us" is great, as is "She's the One" and "Spring". "Only Love" is my favorite I think. really pleased with this!

I can't believe what he's done with 'Girl VII' it's just fantastic. Properly amazing warm pop music. The 'commentary' track is priceless! It seems that list of London places on 'Girl VII' had the exact effect on Richard X sitting bored in Blackburn as it had on me, sitting bored in Warrington around the same time.

It's mostly great, though I'd only point to Only Love and She's the One as being actual improvements on the originals. Don't care too much for the reworkings of Nothing Can Stop Us or Like the Swallow (ie the children's mini choir thing).

Despite Sarah's voice breaking with a cold, I really enjoyed the FBA gig in Shepherd's Bush last Fri night.

the Air France mix of 'Spring' is a bit too over-excited and kinda sloppy

Like The Swallow is my favorite update. Listening to the commentary track is really fun too.

only love KILLS it

word, can't get enough. for me wilson>carn't sleep>girl vii is slaying today! ab so lutely loving this...

was kinda wary of hearing this beta stuff cause FA is like my favorite album ever; thoughts of fantasia 3d, etc.. i am encouraged to check it out, though, due to the endorsements on this thread

must admit i'm not loving it. the sampled dialogue doesn't work for me and the conceptual cab journey seems a bit lame. shame as i love both st et and x.

that said, i do walk to work listening to foxbase alpha everyday.

you are awesome

On first listen, his mix kinda defines OTM.

totally, it is completely in the spirit of the original, he updates it and adds these little touches but retains the integrity of the originals....

so are you all in the fanclub or what? want 2 hear this...

it's pretty epic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnQChL9V88g

Stoned to Say the Least is really great. It's one of my favs on FBA anyway, but this update is sweet. Wish he had made it 8mins instead of 4 but those 4 are pretty perfect.

could handle 8 min of that ^ Only Love youtube tbh

have scored 12" of this. a treat!

the extended mix from the 12" is 8mins.

so are you all in the fanclub or what? want 2 hear this...

I don't think you really need to be in the fanclub. Just ordered mine, no hassle.

Go here: http://www.ekmpowershop8.com/ekmps/shops/saintetienneltd/index.asp

anyone know where one can download the liner notes to boxette?

btw, yeah, the saint etienne fanclub is the only one I have ever belonged to. it is embarrassing, but necessary.

Wish I could get on board with the new "Only Love" but the flat metronomic drum beat sort of ruins it for me.

Really loving the remixed "Like the Swallow." The children's choir is total overkill but it really works.

who has heard Songs For The Dog And Duck?

Wasn't into Songs for the Dog and Duck at all (so much so that I sent it back to Amazon).

But the Deluxe versions of Finisterre and Tiger Bay ... delicious.

Surprised not to hear more love for the re-issues - as a series, probably my favourite "deluxe" editions ever.

i think i have p much all the tracks alreads

i liked that richard x remix of OLCBYH tho

i jam the re-issues reg altho not heard the second discs of Sound Of Water and Finisterre yet - too busy

lol i didn't see the whole things are on spotify

though not apparently the rich-x disc in full

So I'm reading there's a Christmas album coming...and they're covering the Doors on it.

Also available: 150 pound special edition of the Christmas album with bonus disc containing SONG WITH YOUR NAME IN IT!

I would enjoy hearing Sarah Cracknell sing about the girl from Spirea X.

Would you enjoy hearing Sarah Cracknell sings your name....

Was the deluxe "tales from turnpike house" any good?

Very looking forward to hearing studio versions of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ7lSJsu02M
and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFhDIlIq3NQ

7 months later:

http://soundcloud.com/saint-etienne/05-tonight-download-single

I felt a bit emotional listening to that, I've just missed them so much. Great comeback song.

sounds great

outstanding

jesus christ it's been 7 years??? glad to have them back, great song

I'm pretty much playing this on repeat now. Shame the download comes labelled as Sainte Etienne.

Yeah it's crazy that it's been 7 years since the last album. I love Method Of Modern Love but it's not really been enough to keep me going for all that time.

Finally!!! I've been anticipating this for ages now. It doesn't disappoint.

myself and NI's official 'Club Clique' remix of this should be out soon, we like it a lot and it's been a pleasure to work on! 2 Bears are doing one too, Richard X produced the original track.

I thought it was a Tim Powell production (Richard X mixed it?)

StEt's attempts at going for a shrill modern pop sound usually leave me cold, and this doesn't do much to win me over. It's okay.

Didn't sound awesome (on one play).

What a shame their current budget does not seem big enough to pay a band. The couple of times I saw them with a full band behind "Good Humor" were two of the best shows I've seen by anyone. The times I've seen them live since were anticlimactic.

I love this change in direction!

No seriously I'm really glad their back and doing what they do best. I'm still more excited about hearing a studio version of DJ though. I think I can also hear a bit of the influence of their recent ("recent") spate of remixes affecting the construction of this?

I really, really, really miss the Motown + Dub + John Barry Saint Et.

Any idea what is on the second disc of the new album?

Hello everybody

We're doing a few more shows in the UK again just before Christmas, stopping off at five cities we didn't get a chance to visit in May.

We're also pleased to announce some VERY special guests in the form of Scritti Politti - proper heroes of ours - who will be opening up for us every night.

The dates in full are:
December 2012
Mon 10: York Fibbers - tickets
Tue 11: Edinburgh Liquid Room - tickets
Wed 12: Manchester Ritz - tickets
Thu 13: Brighton Concorde2 - tickets
Fri 14: London Shepherds Bush Empire - tickets

Because you are subscribed to the Saint Etienne database the links above give you the chance to grab the best tickets a full 72 hours ahead of the general public.

The database pre-sale starts at 9.00am on 21st August - yes, that's tomorrow morning!

Also, rather excitingly, we'll be playing our first American shows in six years this October and November. We will have full details of those very soon so keep your eyes peeled.

Love Sarah, Bob and Pete xx

Looks like Christmas is coming early, Scritti Politti!!?

american shows!

Just back from the Edinburgh show, thought both bands were grey. What a voice Green Gartside has on him.

"Grey" should have been "great". Both bands were great.

Two weeks ago I got Finisterre on CD and am heartily glad: at least six keepers, the highest average since So Tough.

Wow, Alfred, we hear Good Humor very differently.

I really like 'Finisterre' too. I was saying earlier that think 'Good Humour' is a good album without any major standout songs, while i never seem to think of 'Words and Music' as being a great album despite having quite a few really good songs on it.

So many Saint Etienne threads. Not sure which is the right one to bump.

New soundtrack by Pete and Sarah now on sale at the SE web shop: https://saintetienne.greedbag.com

Ordered the vinyl but i have no idea what the music sounds like. There are a ton of tracks on it so I hope it makes for a pleasant listening experience.

He played three tracks on the last Séance radio show. Nice stuff.

https://m.mixcloud.com/jamespapademetrie/the-séance-29th-november-2013/

Sorry, bad link. I'm sure you can work it out.

Yeah, I went ahead and ordered a copy because, hey, Saint Etienne.

Saint Etienne update for anyone not following Bob Stanley on Twitter:

Bob's Waitrose bag ripped causing him to smash a bottle of wine - a bottle of Barefoot Merlot. It's okay, though. Waitrose have got in touch with him.

Don't want to walk around barefoot in those circumstances

I'm afraid there have been no updates on Bob's wine situation, today.

My copy arrived today. Clicked the purchase button with some trepidation as I fully expect the DVD to be released in a few months, packaged with the soundtrack CD.

^ Yes, I know that feeling well.

Almost finished listening through it for the first time and it is really good! The Cracknell solo song sits pretty well in the track listing, I haven't listened to 'Lipslide' enough to have recognised it as being from that, I actually thought it was newly recorded for the soundtrack.

So how is this sounding? Like their soundtracks to other recent films or proper songs? Not that I mind too much. In general I like their instrumentals. Also it makes me a little nervous that Bob isn't on this. I've always assumed (with no reason) his contribution is the most important to the band's sound.

Ready or Not is one of my favourite St Et-related songs. Does anyone know if it's a new version?

At the cinema, I came away with the impression that the soundtrack wasn't as good as previous ones (some of which I adore) but will update if playing the CD makes me change my mind.

Not a new version of "Ready or Not", Re-make. It's well deployed in the film, though.

daavid, it's "soundtrack" rather than proper songs. Good, though. Can't compare it to previous stuff without going back and giving '...Mervyn Day' a listen. Don't think I have any others.

"Mervyn Day" is one of my favourite Saint Etienne releases.

Does Wiggs play much Ghost Box on his Séance show? There's definitely an influence on his soundtrack.

"You Don't Own Me" & "After The Rain", especially composed and performed for the KENZO Paris Fashion Week 2015 show.
https://soundcloud.com/kenzoparis/kenzo-women-fw15-show-soundtrack-by-saint-etienne

air france wouldn't exist without them, so i have much love

Sarah solo LP & single details + pre-order:
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/sarah-cracknell-red-kite-full-album-details-plus-limited-edition-vinyl-pre-orders-available-now/

:)

tasty!

https://www.discogs.com/Unknown-Artist-Decimal-Currency-Training-Package/release/2483230

hmm..

"Would you like some sweets willy?" right?

that's the chap.

"Mr. and Mrs. J Somers..." That too?

that too i'm guessing. would love to hear a copy. the Richard X 'Beta' mix of 'Wilson' has different samples too; "I don't understand dear!" etc

There *was* one for sale.

(burp)

oh you!

haha awesome

ha excellent do please rip it to YouTube or some such..

I am now listening to Foxbase Alpha and it is so delightful. I love this album so much.

I pulled out So Tough this morning. It was so fun. Will probably play side 2 when I get home from work.

foxbase alpha getting what looks to be a nice vinyl reissue (as opposed to the chintzy one that came out a couple years ago on Plain.)

“And now ladies and gentlemen, what you’ve been waiting for!”

Finally we can bring you news on the 25th anniversary re-issues for ‘Foxbase Alpha’.

It’s hard to believe that a quarter of a century has passed since our debut album first appeared in record shops and we hope you’ll like what we we have lined up to celebrate this special anniversary.

First up…..

- a single disc vinyl re-issue -

An exact replica of the original Heavenly pressing from 1991 - resplendent with full colour inner sleeve and a digital download code for the music. Available to purchase from all good record shops and via the Saint Etienne webshop (link below) - for immediate shipping - from 5pm UK time this Thursday 27th October.

- ‘Special Edition’ Box Set -

Limited to just 2000 copies worldwide the box includes:

• The original album remastered and cut onto two twelve inch 45rpm discs for higher fidelity, housed in an exclusive gatefold version of the original sleeve.
• ‘Remains Of The Day’, an exclusive album that gathers together ten rare 'Foxbase Alpha'-era recordings from the period most of which are appearing on vinyl for the first time.
• An exclusive one-sided 7” featuring the original, previously unreleased version of ‘Kiss And Make Up’, featuring ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ singer Moira Lambert.
• A perfect bound, 12" square, 28 page book featuring many unseen photographs and artefacts from the era, plus a new interview with Bob Stanley by the Guardian's Michael Hann.
• Three 10”x 8” black and white portraits of the group.
• A perforated sheet of Foxbase Alpha trading cards.
• Exact reproductions of the original album press release and biography.
• A digital download code for all of the music.

All items included in the box are exclusive and won’t be available elsewhere.

The box set can be pre-ordered at £50 (plus postage) from the Saint Etienne webshop (link below) from 5pm GMT this Thursday 27th October. Please move quickly as we’re expecting these to sell fast*.

Due to lead times we have been advised that this item will not leave the factory until December 14th. We are doing all we can to bring that date forward so we can ship orders in time for Christmas but there is a strong possibility that orders will not ship until the first week or so in January. We’re sorry for this but wanted to ensure the contents of the box were the best quality possible.

buried at the end of the Facebook update:

We’re recording a brand new album at the moment and will be bringing you news on that very soon. We’re also planning a couple of Christmas bashes so stay tuned via all the usual places!!

Lots of love,
Bob, Pete and Sarah xxx

They've also said they're going to be reissuing all their other albums on vinyl too as they weren't happy with those Plain reissues. Looking forward to filling in a few gaps in my collection.

Very excited about a new album! The vinyl box looks nice, but I already have, um... three different editions already.

yeah much as this looks nice etc part of me is already wondering what they might line up for its 30th anniversary

I got more into FBA recently, as I had got on the bus for "So Tough" and found everyone's feelings for FBA were the same as mine for ST/YNAMOHTSA.

I got FBB, and found I liked it more than FBA, I did wonder if they'd do "So Tougher" but I guess not.

that richard x remix of Girl VII is all-time deathless yoga flame 4ever

This didn't seem to be a perfectly planned reissue. I did the interview with Bob on a Monday night at the end of Sept. On the Thursday, their manager emailed me saying they needed to copy by the following Tuesday at the latest. Which, given that I was flying to Georgia and back within that timeframe for work, presented some logistical issues. So it's only a Q&A. However, I am pleased to say that it should be the only ever set of Saint Etienne sleevenotes ever to mention Judas Priest. My payment for it is that Bob and missus will buy me and my wife a curry.

What was wrong with the Plain re-issues?

they were 'virtually bootlegs' that 'did not use the master tapes'

or so they said.

"My payment for it is that Bob and missus will buy me and my wife a curry."

This is the start of a rocky road ...

"yeah much as this looks nice etc part of me is already wondering what they might line up for its 30th anniversary"

I must admit this has set me off wondering if I've ever been pleased with a box set (with novelty things rather than just a handy collection of albums) ... I don't think I have been.

correct me if i'm wrong but i think Plain is one of those vinyl companies that simply takes what is basically the CD version of the original release and presses them to vinyl. also iirc their pressing of Tiger Bay was just the pressing of the U.S. CD release, including the alternate takes of Hug My Soul and Like a Motorway. which i think hints at where they're coming from.

The previous box for the album had that Match Day CDR of football songs on it and I admit I would enjoy giving that an ear...

I think that one was an 'if you're very very lucky' edition.

i.e. Yeah, me neither.

I don't know much Saint Etienne besides Fox-Base Alpha, "Avenue", Good Humor and the sick remix of El Perro Del Mar's "Walk On By". Which album should I go to next?

So Tough
Finisterre
Words and Music

We Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone is pretty strong. I'd pick So Tough, then A Mess of Help.

Can't really go wrong with 'So Tough'.

Parts of all the other records are fine too. 'Tiger Bay' has a couple of Underworld-assisted tracks that are fantastic, especially "Like a Motorway".

Still think one of their finest moments is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pBaIK3EIjk

I assembled a best-of a few days ago.

my first one was Good Humor, which feels like a stylistic outlier in their catalog but at the time was for me very eye-opening, and it remains an important record in my life. It's not necessarily my favorite release of theirs, I'd probably put the first three + Words and Music above it now. But I like its dry-sounding yet warmhearted Euro pop.

Would be fun to poll their b-sides and non-album tracks... so many amazing songs. Archway People, Madeleine, Clark Co. Record Fair, Star, Burnt Out Car, Hate Your Drug...

Controversial (?) :
https://noisey.vice.com/en_ca/article/rank-your-records-saint-etienne-bob-stanley

Not controversial. Just wrong.

good humor is my fav record of theirs also

Surprised "Fox base Alpha"is so low down, but then again I prefer the "Fox base Beta' remix version so hey hey (wtm)..

Foxbase and So Tough being so low is really surprising to see. I'm disappointed he put Sound Of Water so high up, that's their only below average album for me.

his take makes sense, though I disagree.

top tier: foxbase, so tough, tiger bay, good humor, fairfax high, mess of help, continental
middle tier: finisterre, turnpike house, words and music, fairy tales
bottom tier: sound of water

I'd have put Tiger Bay up higher, but reading that I can see why..

Oh, and "I love to paint" has been good to me..

All kinds of wrong. I'd more or less flip his ranking

My order would currently be..

1. So Tough
2. Foxbase Alpha
3. Tales From Turnpike House
4. Words & Music
5. Tiger Bay
6. Good Humor
7. Finisterre
8. Sound Of Water

Foxbase Alpha
So Tough
*you need a mess of help to stand alone*
Tiger Bay
Good Humor
Sound of Water
Words and Music
Finistere
Tales from Turnpike
--

One of the odd things about that was we went to clear the samples we put in between tracks, and it was almost impossible to clear any American samples. The only thing we could was Rush let us use the sample from "The Spirit of Radio." They were very kind and said, "We can't imagine why you'd want to ruin your very beautiful song with a horrible guitar sound."

wow I've been working my way thru their entire discography and "Sound of Water" is GREAT, I think I like it more than "Good Humor"?

also ugh there are so so so many overlapping compilations! At this point the 2nd discs on all the Deluxe Editions are prob the definitive way to go, no?

Good Humour isn't a favorite. I also prefer SOW and – better – Finisterre.

Sound of water is amazing!!

Yeah Stevie, the deluxe editions mop everything up pretty nicely

I don't think fan club discs "I love to paint" and "built on sand" were incorporated, though

looks like they're about to re-release all the deluxe editions, too. which is good because they're getting expensive in the secondhand market.

oh thank god

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jun/07/saint-etienne-10-of-the-best

the first 3 major fan club comps were re-released in their "boxette" set a few years back. i think their xmas songs were all compiled too, in 'a glimpse of stocking'.

i want to fill in the gaps on my deluxe sets. i've got foxes alpha/so tough/tiger bay/finisterre. the good humor one, not sure if i need that...i have the original 2-cd release w/fairfax high, iirc the deluxe is the same?

shit, i need to sell my duplicates real quick then

v strange that the deluxe Tiger Bay edition doesn't have "He's On The Phone" or "Grovely Road" from the superior 1996 Creation Records rerelease

Yeah last year I decided I finally need to get those deluxes (and everything else) and realized a number of them only go for crazy money. (Thankfully I had the cash; yay freelance work.)

deluxe edition of good humor has 4 or 5 more tracks beyond what's on fairfax high, yeah.

v strange that the deluxe Tiger Bay edition doesn't have "He's On The Phone" or "Grovely Road" from the superior 1996 Creation Records rerelease

― he not like the banana (Stevie D(eux)), Wednesday, June 7, 2017 9:04 AM (three minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

well idk how much the band had to do with that configuration so it makes sense to me; it makes an already-disjointed record way more disjointed, much as it's my preferred sequence

v strange that the deluxe Tiger Bay edition doesn't have "He's On The Phone" or "Grovely Road" from the superior 1996 Creation Records rerelease

They're on the Continental deluxe edition.

oh you meant it's weird that they're not on the bonus disc, sorry steve

ahhhh I see, it's "Groveley" on Continental and "Grovely" on Tiger Bay and it looked like it was literally only available on 1996 Tiger Bay and on no other compilation or deluxe ed

tbh with 2-3 versions of each album I like the idea of the deluxe eds presenting a "canonical" sequence on disc 1 and putting all of the other additional songs from other territories on disc 2

i guess i missed the US tour announcement

https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/03/saint-etienne-announce-first-us-tour-in-five-years/

still tix for NYC

why u hate third coast saint etienne, houston and new orleans want to love you

ugh I'm just going to delete everything I have when I get home and slsk all of the deluxe editions, Boxette, and A Glimpse of Stocking

WAIT HOLY SHIT HOME COUNTIES IS OUT ALREADY!??!?!?!

don't forget foxbase beta it's beautiful

Does anyone else have the urge to buy certain already-owned discs when seen used, to somehow correct the crime that these discs have been given up for cheap? The rarer Blue Nile singles and AMC (Johnny Mathis' Feet single w/ bonus live disc) cause this itch. Pertinent here, since as a Seattle resident, I regularly see the 2cd Sub Pop version of Good Humor with the Fairfax High bonus cd. Saw one last week at Easy Street for $4. Oh, the humanity.

don't forget foxbase beta it's beautiful

Yup. And if you can, find the 2-disc version of that too!

WAIT HOLY SHIT HOME COUNTIES IS OUT ALREADY!??!?!?!

Dude you missed the thread!

Saint Etienne -- Home Counties

There's some good stuff on the deluxe editions but they're boomy and over-compressed; Sound of Water particularly suffers, a lot of the subtle layered sounds get hammered into mush. "Dilworth's Theme" at the end of F.A. has lost its pleasantly ghostly "recorded surreptitiously on a Dictaphone outside the rehearsal room" quality.

"Blofeld Buildings" on disc 2 of S.O.W. has the music starting about a minute earlier in one channel, turning it into an overlapping mess. You'll need Boxette for the proper version (unless they correct it on the re-release). If you're a completist (bit of a futile but fun endeavor), the U.S.-only tracks from Turnpike didn't turn up on the deluxe version, nor did the Wooden Hills bonus disc songs.

Easy Street has to sell them for cheap because who in their right mind goes to West Seattle? I can get music shipped to my house with less stress and effort than driving to West Seattle demands. I think I also bought my 2CD copy very cheap second hand. Also picked up the Sub Pop 2LP best of compilation that came out a while back. Shame about the art on that one though. It's pretty shit.

Do we have a source on the deluxe ed rereleases?

https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Water-Saint-Etienne/dp/B06XSYJ35F/

Some available June 23rd, some June 30th. I can see Amazon getting one wrong, but not seven or eight... everything from Foxbase through Turnpike is listed.

don't forget the two disc deluxe editions of Words and Music, nor the tour only edition of Words and Music.

also Nice Price, their rarities fanclub comp that is not included in Boxette.

christ i keep forgetting about the U.S. release version of Turnpike House...so the two disc deluxe version doesn't have the songs from that? i'm totally okay with spending more money on them, I want them to have chill and moneyed existences.

Nice Price is just a bunch of demos and alternate versions, not essential unless you're a devoted fan.

But the Misadventures of Saint Etienne, their soundtrack album to the Misadventures of Margaret from 1999... none of that appears on any deluxe editions. Well maybe Jack Lemmon? Anyway some great songs.

And that flexi of The Fall's "Chock Stock"

Not even kidding..

I've got that somewhere.

Apparently it appeared on a comp, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P7drvy1U5E

Did it? Never seen that..

Ah, massive clue there..

£3.26 at Discogs ...

https://www.discogs.com/Various-Trademark-Of-Quality/release/1580744

Plus whoa! Postage..

shipping from the mid-90s is expensive

Playing Sound of Water again for the first time in a long time, and so far, Side 1 has been perfect. Very lovely on a dreary day.

I think I've always found 'Sound of Water' difficult to love because nothing really lives up to the downbeat stomp of 'Heart Failed,' which may be my fav Saint Et track. 'Downey, CA' and 'Don't Back Down' are gorgeous, though.

PS Home Counties is stunning

Yeah, I played Home Counties on a loop Saturday. Doors and windows open, album blaring. It does get better with repeat plays.

Sound of Water is really great, esp "Boy is Crying" and "How We Used To Live"

Deluxe editions are now all available again! I finally have Sound of Water with the crucial four bonus tracks I hadn't heard before.

Feel like even the regular editions of many albums were missing when I checked a few weeks ago

i'm tempted by the Tales from Turnpike House deluxe as well. the bonus disc appears to not feature anything from the Up the Wooden Hills EP, nor does it have the two songs on the U.S. release on Savoy.

definitely pulling the trigger on Continental and Sound of Water. Maybe Good Humor, though I already own the original two-disc w/Fairfax High. already have Foxbase Alpha/So Tough/Tiger Bay/Finisterre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7CIiAP3C24

sounding great! 'Dive' and 'Sylvie' are especially great with the full band. Kind of bummed they haven't been giving any of the 2nd half of 'Home Counties' much setlist love yet, though.

lol at 4min54 you can see me in that video, on the right hand side in a stripey top. In the video the Quay Sessions uploaded of them doing Sylvie, you can see me very drunkenly dancing while spilling a pint of wine everywhere. Great night!

https://saintetienne.greedbag.com/

Love to Paint and Nice Price are on sale on LP right now. 1000 copies each, so be quick!

anyone have any favorite slammin saint etienne remixes? i play the 2 bears remix of tonight a lot.

^ saint etienne remix of el perro del mars walk on by

ty

MAW did a great mix of Only Love Can Break Your Heart.

I hope Nice Price is good. Just picked that one up! A better version of Heart Failed? C'mon now.

That reminds me, the Two Lone Swordsmen / Weatherall mix of Heart Failed is pretty damn good.

Love the remix disc of Words and Music - the first 7 or 8 tracks are all great.

Older remixes I like:
Cool Kids of Death (Underworld mix)
The Sea (PFM mix)
Angel (Broadcast mix)
He's on the Phone (Motiv-8 mix)

received the Nice Price/I Love To Paint twofer in the mail yesterday. I suppose I'll have to pull the trigger on any other future fanclub vinyl reissues as well...

So, coming through on an American tour celebrating Good Humour, could be fun:

https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/34365441_10155352266206536_7864344702504402944_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeEkYNYdYolVN8pwBjVMhN8NgOaPBTJ1AjNF8B-EpbOS-JPTb-IS0gyBxznAah1D6F48L5QnCifSPBt4YMvCISSG2SpoClmHN0FB9GPpWRaj3g&oh=043698626198847f343d4f047ed051c7&oe=5BC4ECE3

oh hell yes

wasn't that the time of their lowest American profile? If so, sweet irony.

Yes and no -- this came out on Sub Pop and I think there are a lot of American lifers who got on board then specifically.

Too bad no Seattle stop. We got shows for Good Humour and the Places to Visit EP back in the day (not counting later tours). Like Ned says, was aware of them prior, but jumped aboard fully with GH.

i missed them last time they were here and i love good humor so i guess it's time

I do remember Rob Sheffield's contemporaneous RS review of the album.

I got onboard w/Good Humor, that's an album that has a great deal of meaning to me. when i first heard it, it changed my life w/r/t the music i would seek out in the future.

this is like my least fav album but I still bought presale tickets and am going to have an incredible time

Mine too yet I may fly to DC or NYC.

that is a tiny room for them in SF. amazing. can't wait.

Good Humour is when they first started to get boring to me. Album is decent but it could be anyone. At the time it seemed like an attempt to sell-out that didn’t work.

that is a tiny room for them in SF. amazing. can't wait.

Tiny but the turnout at the Fillmore was far from a sellout. Still, it would be a bit crowded maybe; I could have easily seen them playing August Hall (saw Marr there a couple of nights ago, good venue).

Are they bringing along a full band for this? Not that I’ll get to see them.

sarah cracknell: “I’m so looking forwarded to touring Good Humor this autumn with our fabulous live band! I think it’s the best live line up we’ve ever had. Drummer Mike, the amazing Bennett brothers, Gerard Johnson and of course Debsey will really bring the album to life and add a certain je ne sais quoi!”

a weekend in SF to see them at the Chapel would be pretty good... hmm

new 5-track EP entitled 'Surrey' incoming.

https://bit.ly/2Lmzqg4

EP cover typeface is in the 'Home Counties' style, which makes me a lil nervous bc I'm sorta over this 'era' lol

Anyone been to the American shows so far? Wondering if I'll be able to pick up more than two copies of the American-only CDs...

Speaking of, here's the tracklisting for Mondo Casino:

Disc One

01. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Kenny Dope and Louie Vega
02. Sylvie - Bronx Dogs
03. Nothing Can Stop us - Masters At Work
04. Magpie Eyes - Kane West
05. Like A Motorway - David Holmes (full length 13.00 version)
06. Soft Like Me - Mr Joshua
07. Like A Motorway - Chemical Brothers (vocal version)
08. Lose That Girl - Trouser Enthusiast
09. He’s On The Phone - Motiv 8
10. Action - DJ Tiesto (instrumental version)

Disc Two
01. Spring - Air France
02. Mr Donut - Kid Loco
03. Heart Failed - Two Lone Swordsmen (Dub)
04. Magpie Eyes - Confidence Man
05. Cool Kids Of Death - Underworld (full length 14.18 version)
06. How We Used To Live - Dot Allison
07. Avenue - A.R. Kane (Martial Mix)
08. Sylvie - Faze Action (Bonus Tickle mix)
09. I’ve Got Your Music - Leo Zero
10. Saturday - Fugu

Among other things that means a formal release of some of these tracks:

https://www.discogs.com/St-Etienne-Casino-Classics-Bonus-Downloads/release/7634591

Though not all. Still, won't say no!

I went to the NY show and it was great

I'm guessing they'll be on the webshop eventually

Mondo Casino isn't being sold at the US shows, it apparently didn't get pressed in time. Instead, you can pick up a certificate that you can use to purchase through the mail.

huh, dot allison, there's a name I haven't heard in ages

that's the one track on there I really wanna hear!

dot allison never really took off as a top level domain.

.allison

akm, you going to be at the show Saturday?

my first post on ILX was on Dot Allison - sigh, those were the days

dot comedy

once dot Allison dropped the beats and went acoustic on '7 1/2' album I lost interest, I played the album a couple of times, but it was not for me.

ah, it was just a matter of time..

Morning Dove White was such a great album though, and Afterglow and We Are Science I listened to a lot, those years ago. The Arab Strap remix of Message Personnel still sounds fantastic!

yes I'll be at the show Saturday

Cool, will drop a line.

Morning Dove White was such a great album though, and Afterglow and We Are Science I listened to a lot, those years ago

I still listen to these album, they are all absolutely fantastic.

now back to the thread ..

I couldn't get into Home Counties really

I thought that. But then I put the album on a playlist I listen to when I'm cooking and every time one of those tunes comes on I'm surprised how good they are. There's a lot there.

It's no Words & Music but I'm enjoying it more now.

The Ewan Pearson remix of "Visions" by Slam feat. Dot Allison is one of my favorite tracks ever

i am finally getting into this band after so long (had a weird amount of trouble tracking down their albums last time i tried) and those first three albums are so so good and feel like they sorta anticipated things like Since I Left You. really adore Hug My Soul. looking forward to exploring the following albums

also really enjoying Words And Music which is a perfect Kylie album about growing up being a fan of pop. sort of weird that they made their most Pop album at that point in their career but i love it

a few things i'm curious about though are that they seem to have a lot of essential non-album material especially around those first three albums, are there any compilations that collect all or most of this? and those first three albums also come in so many different tracklists with reissues and US releases etc., i've just stuck to the original UK tracklists so far but are any of the alternate ones worth checking out? the european edition of Tiger Bay seems the most promising and I'll probably check it out soon

Oh lord where to begin with extra tracks. The reissue series alone from a few years back added a bonus disc to each album, then there’s fan club comps, the remix collections...

Get You Need A Mess of Help to Stand Alone and the bonus tracks from the Foxbase Alpha box set to start with. Then when you are ready for more, buy Boxsette

Boxette is expensive, I'd stick to the deluxe cd sets - So Tough was always my fav, mainly because it was the first one I bought.

so anyone know what happened to bob stanley? he wasn't at the SF show and I assume wasn't at the others on this tour.

SF show was excellent btw regardless.

Yes, very great. First half was all of Good Humor, then a break and a second half with all sorts of good things, including some Home Counties cuts and “Camel Coat” from the new EP, but the concluding four song run of “Like a Motorway,” “Tonight,” “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” and “Nothing Can Stop Us” saved souls. And then they came back for an encore starting with “Hobart Paving,” with live violin and flute both, then “You’re In a Bad Wayl and “He’s on the Phone” to see it out. Fun bonus; Sarah tells us before “Tonight” that she wrote the song about remembering when she would get herself ready to go out and see a slew of shows by a band she liked when younger. She said the band was Felt; the crowd cheered very loudly. Sarah: “So Lawrence has a fan base here. I’ll have to tell him!”

SF gig was amazing! Such a good crowd, and Sarah’s voice was so on point.

Hoping the new EP pops up on Spotify at some point...the other ‘limited edition’ Dive EP is streamable, so I’m crossing my fingers.

SE is an expensive band to be into. Did anyone see the $70 t-shirts for sale at the merch booth???!

$70? $20 I thought.

saw them last night in L.A., fantastic show. that band is *great*, and very very tight. I am always amazed at how packed their shows are and how enthusiastic the crowd always is, without fail.

Yeah I was just thinking something similar this morning -- for a band that has never once truly broken through on any meaningful level over here beyond the randomly subcultural, hopping labels like crazy etc, they not only have a dedicated fanbase but almost a kinda crazy one, and the SF area definitely has a vocal and loud 'middle-aged bald/balding gay dudes with beards' contingent out in full force based on last year's show and this year's. The amount of homemade shirts and things at the Saturday show was notable -- one guy came dressed in a formal suit with _Home Counties_-style stickers and patches on him, someone else had "Saint Etienne/Home Counties" in the font stitched up on the back of his denim jacket etc. And the merch line was *insane* -- stretched back into the venue and then curled around again on the floor. Rather glad I got there before most, didn't have to wait long (and I rather assume they sold out fully of the 150 allotted vouchers for that night).

at the LA show i spotted a guy with Home Counties-font patches sewed into his vest bearing the names of other SE songs, like PALE MOVIE

the band was absolutely wonderful and yeah, super-tight. debsey got a huge reaction at this show too, the crowd actually started chanting DEB-SEY! DEB-SEY! after sarah introduced her. ‘good humor’ isn’t really my fave SE but it was still a treat to hear that material live - “been so long” sounded really fabulous, and i was psyched to hear them play “goodnight jack” and “mr. donut” (the latter of which made me tear up a bit). and as ever, i loved that a sizable contingent of the audience was 40-something-ish gays

didn’t get the pre-release voucher, and i guess they must have run out of shirts after the last gig because i didn’t see any at the merch stand, sadly

merch stand was all vouchers and $1 buttons. I had heard from a source that the show was definitely not selling out, but the place was pretty packed in the end. Coincidentally my companion was a middle aged bald bearded gay dude, since my w1fe had to bail on account of a cold.

I told Ned that he and I had too much hair for that show. He said we had both too much and too little, given that we were beardless.

the band was absolutely wonderful and yeah, super-tight. debsey got a huge reaction at this show too, the crowd actually started chanting DEB-SEY! DEB-SEY! after sarah introduced her.

Yeah huge loud cheers for her as well. She really is the not-so-secret weapon and the polite frugs she does are amazing.

I told Ned that he and I had too much hair for that show. He said we had both too much and too little, given that we were beardless.

Yeah I was definitely...atypical.

So, Bob isn't with them? I saw him posting on Twitter about some movie that was on 'Talking Pictures' so..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L04zUYuBuh8

https://wiaiwya.bandcamp.com/album/camel-coat-little-chef

20th anniversary of Good Humor show at the British Library on Sunday was amazing! A few people were slagging off the sound quality afterwards, but seemed fine to me (although was right at front by the speaker stack). Not a space designed to ever have gigs anyway. Genuinely surprised not to see any [at least former] ilxors among the crowd (maybe some went on Saturday).

Great dj set from Lawrence to kick things off - does he only have one set of clothes? Maybe he has lots of those blue & white caps.
Delightfully obscure naturally - the three most recognisable tracks he played were Sheena Easton's Machinery, Argent's Hold Your Head Up and Trainspotters' High Rise.

Current band are awesome. Drummer (whose name I didn't catch) and Gerard Johnson on keys dressed like Austin Powers. Bennett brothers were good, Debsey astounding - provided triangle, shaker, cowbell and melodica as well as backing vox.

Setlist:

Good Humor:
Woodcabin
Sylvie
Split Screen
Mr. Donut
Goodnight Jack
Lose That Girl
The Bad Photographer
Been So Long
Postman
Erica America
Dutch TV

Hit List:

Hill Street Connection
Hug My Soul
Take It All In
Magpie Eyes
Camel Coat
Like a Motorway
Tonight
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Nothing Can Stop Us

Encore:
Hobart Paving
You're in a Bad Way
He's on the Phone

And my copies of Mondo Casino and Surrey in hand. A fine thing!

How is 'Surrey?'

Asleep At the Wheels of Steel and Foxbase Beta are the next vinyl editions being released.

I have lots of spare St Etienne ltd editions, looking for the Tonight 12" if anyone has one and wants to trade for something else.

Hey that is the one with our (Club Clique’s) remix on the B-side. It’s one of the better things we did I think, if I do say so myself.

Asleep At the Wheels of Steel and Foxbase Beta are the next vinyl editions being released.

― omar little,

That's great news about Foxbase Beta. I was hoping they'd do that one. Any idea when it's supposed to be coming out?

Ok, it looks like the pre-order is going up next Wednesday. Cool!

Reminder - preordering now

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyKBVeyXQAEa9t5.jpg

holy SHIT

The RSD2019 single is now on Spotify and I assume other streaming services:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2LhbBZHNtRb8lDynsqAS72?si=QLq61U6YS-OhnOoL-9HU-w

New vinyl pressing of Misadventures Of Saint Etienne with free signed Christmas card and CD available to pre-order from Friday here…https://t.co/vs8sc8177b pic.twitter.com/aGi2FA23iB

— Saint Etienne (@bobpetesarah) November 19, 2019

The cd is two new tracks

no Christmas gigs then?

Misadventures is the last of the vinyl LPs I need from Saint Etienne, so i'm so happy this was announced. I didn't want to pay $$$ for a copy on Discogs.

Available to order now. Their Greedbag site is being a bit buggy this morning (extra traffic?) so you may need to refresh a few times before you can bag stuff.

Woke up super early, just in time for them to pause the sale for US folks like me to have a chance to buy. Doh! Oh well, hopefully it doesn't go live during my commute to work.

Part of a new song on their Instagram, seemingly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hau8CF-jzs

I've Been Trying To Tell You out 10 september

Music Again
Pond House
Fonteyn
Little K
Blue Kite
I Remember It Well
Penlop
Broad River

they've described it as their first sample-based album since So Tough

One longs for Sound of Water/Places to Visit part 2 and maybe this will be it, approx? Lush textures and wordless cooing is the most gratifying StEt mode and it did feel like they had decisively stepped away from this sort of thing over the past 3 albums, so, fingers crossed

Imagery and video is very Dazed magazine 🤔

Their website has details of the various versions. The 2cd Good Humor was easy to find as a Seattle fan, but missed out on the original Words & Music 2cd drop. Hoping for a similar 2cd version with outtakes, but pre-ordered the DVD/CD version. Hearing Jane Weaver's "Solarised" has me stoked for new St. E.

Waaaahh...so much good stuff on their website sold out/out of stock...it's not fair!

Fell off the wagon after Finisterre (which I really liked) but the teasing of this new one has me intrigued.

omg

yes

new song sounds great! new album cover with shirtless dude putting girl in a headlock is less awesome

he's putting his arm around her...?

pond house sounds goood, perfect vibes technopolis otm

Headlock wtf

I don't care for it

Oh, it's a Dualdisc!

So, CD on one side, DVD on the other...

how did they find these 20 year old models lmao

Although the pictures don't suggest that... (re: DualDisc)

haha, Dualdisc™️ releases ended in 2009 nobody manufactures them anymore

That's what I thought, but you wouldn't put it past them..

(it says "dual disc" format, but)

I'm not totally sold on these new songs. The opener really feels like a slog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWs4uXfI8KE

How dare you (have a perfectly fine and valid individual opinion that might still be wrong somehow but anyway :-D ).

Is there a remix disc? That was the best part of the last one.

St Etienne without bangers seems wrong.

The deluxe CD version has a DVD with the film, but I think that's it.

good for a b-side, terrible for an album opener

Is it just me or is there a weird trebly compression thing on Pond House? If it’s on purpose it kinda ruins this otherwise lush song for me

Oh, I like "Music Again".

that was really boring!

Pond Life is better, but the repetition of the Natalie Imbruglia sample gets a bit annoying towards the end.

Interview about the new album in today's Observer:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/05/saint-etienne-ive-been-trying-to-tell-you-interview-bfi-season

The original version of that Guardian photo is here:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2021/sep/04/original-observer-photography

I must admit, I thought "Pete looks healthy!"

I’ve been a fan for over 25 years and only recently realised I’d spent that whole time thinking Bob was Pete and Pete was Bob.

I just listened to Penlop, then Pond Life again - really like the sound of this LP, and interested in how it relates to the "just thinkin baot the 90s" talk in that interview

contrary to opinion stated above i'm quite happy with banger-free St Et - always enjoy them more when they're being a bit odd

this album is so so good

ppl who thought "music again" was boring might not be convinced, even though you're all wrong

alright I'll listen but I'm still creeped out by the cover

It is a bizarre choice. Of all the imagery that could be used. For one out of only a dozen or so artistic statements of one's oeuvre.

i am genuinely perplexed by yalls problems with the cover

good record and "music again" is good

Crikey, I'm listening now having been off the Saint Etienne bus for a few years and it's really good! Kind of like they've 'done a Burial'.

Had a message that my copy has been delayed due to Brexit so have played on Spotify. On one play through it sounds like a cross between a b-sides collection and one of their soundtracks ... and both those things appeal to me. Might sound different when I play the actual CD (rather than via my computer) but it does sound a bit ... not quite right.

Had a quick look at Tim's Listening Party Twitter thing and came away with a slight impression that it was a Pete Wiggs album with Bob/Sarah poking him with a (virtual) stick but I might be being moody/drunk.

I like the cover, that's Aysgarth Falls in the background

This wasn't what I was expecting. I'm sure I love it in jees - next week - but there aren't any Sarah songs

OK Penlop came in

I do wish there were more Sarah, but as a fan of their weirder stuff like 'Interlude,' 'Places to Visit,' and 'Surrey North,' I can dig it.

'Fonteyn' is the standout for me. It would fit nicely next to 'Heart Failed' or 'Shower Scene' in a live set. Just sayin'.

I’ve been a fan for over 25 years and only recently realised I’d spent that whole time thinking Bob was Pete and Pete was Bob.

Yes I am having a real Berenstain Bears moment here

Beautiful album. Even the pre-release songs sound good to me now.

very into this on first listen. probably the most excited I've been about them since belatedly hearing Sound of Water & Finisterre in the later 00s.

I think this is fabulous - it's like if Charles Webster tried to recreate One Dove's Morning Dove White.

Gonna listen this weekend, have a fondness for the casino classics remix album from the early nineties, British electronic bigwigs from the time, all present...underworld, chemical bros, the aloof, Andrew Weatherall, aphex twin.

St ettiene - Angel (broadcast mix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gd3Kzu3L0Q

St Etienne - Who do you think you are : Aphex Twin mix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwLbqbc3ZEc

The film is basically ‘46 minutes of shirtless youths vibing’ so the record cover is absolutely not out of step with the aesthetic of the overall project.

That sounds more dismissive than intended but if you know Alasdair McLellan’s photography, you’ll know what to expect from the film.

I was initially disappointed by the two songs that came out early, but hearing this all together in album form has completely changed my mind. This is a great album. Kind of glad there aren't many lyrics. Though I love Sarah's voice, I feel the lyrical content has been one of the things I haven't enjoyed on the recent albums. I have liked the recent stuff but they're not albums I want to put on when I get in the St Etienne mood. This one seems like it will fit my mood quite well this fall/winter.

sounds like a bonus disc for a Saint Etienne album without the actual album

Yeah that's how I found it on first listen also. I love lots of their drifty more ambient stuff but this seems too slight to me so far.

Same

I don't know: I found the lyrics on W&M pretty sharp.

Loving this wholeheartedly on the third playthrough. So Tough was always my favorite and this evokes it in all the right ways.

I’m happy to hear the So Tough box set is coming. So Tough and You Need A Mess of Help are the albums I want to hear most often. I wonder if anything will be included on the box set that isn’t on the 2cd reissue.

Penlop is nice, but it was nicer when Manual remixed Dressed in Black for Blue Foundation in 2014

i probably would have really liked this album if they'd written songs over the top of these tracks

as is there's some nice moments but this approach for a full album doesn't really capture my interest enough

Halfway through and totally loving this. Might already be by favorite of theirs since Tiger Bay as they went back to that vague floating vibe they lost somewhere along the way.

St Et records *often* don't hit me right away, feeling at first like collections of unassuming chord progressions cycling endlessly. The song'y elements traditionally assert themselves later, but in the relative absence of actual songs (ufo otm) the, er, raw sonic textures will need to do an awful lot of work over subsequent listens.

Just as I write that 'Blue Kite' comes back on shuffle and, yeah, the textures *can* be very appealing, so there's hope.

yeh I'm consciously remaining open to this one finding its place with time/repeated listens

really intrigued by this move though - its a very unassuming LP to release as a Proper Album - not song-y but also not quite as immersive as stuff like Railway Jam or Johnny in the Echo Cafe

i do like the autumnal vibe tho

re the "weird internet music" referenced in that observer article - does that mean vapourwave kind of stuff? i could see Nobody Here being an influence on this

I'd definitely play a < Saint Etienne's guide to "weird internet music" >.

I'm old so I'm hearing an "album's worth of 4th track on the CD single" thing to this (but that's a good thing).

Is it the first full St Et thing that Pete is crediting with producing?

*credited*

(Wine may have happened).

Weird. There's a Natalie Imbruglia interview in the Guardian (the interview does note that it's the Australia Guardian) that's very much "The 90s are trending" and felt certain it was going to slightly hang on this. No mention of it, obvs.

xp to myself - duh i went back and read that interview and they do specifically mention vaporwave as an antecedent of the “warped, woozy” Youtube music that influenced this one

have steadfastly resisted any buy-in to 90s nostalgia but am beguiled by their “early 90s was more interesting than collective memory currently allows” thesis

I love the record, the visuals and the overall pitch but tbh Im not hearing anything 90s related in the music (apart from that Imbruglia sample)

Well, that's because the collective memory of the 90s doesn't allow that.

(Tbh, I don't think I'd have never noticed the Lightning Seeds sample).

If I hadn't read the interview I'd have no idea it had anything to do with the 90s at all, although I'll admit it's growing on me. I've already listened to it far more than Home Counties. Sounds really great on a nice stereo.

Oh, it's at number 14, not bad

Actually, I reckon you could sneak some of this onto one of the recent DNTEL albums and I wouldn't really notice.

I just misread it as "I've Been Trying To Kill You" and tbh it works?

Xmas single:

https://saintetienne.ochre.store/

the main track on the Christmas single is pretty cool!

Ah yeah they played that when I saw them live the other day. They were great btw

Super grateful that it sounds nothing at all like Christmas music.
Now I just need to work out how to get the CD...

just plunk down your $23 on their web site they'll ship it right to your door

just plunk down your $23 on their web site they'll ship it right to your door

― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Tuesday, 30 November 2021 1:47 PM (three hours ago)

a) This presupposes that their website will actually send me an email when I request a forgotten password (hasn't happened), and
b) This also presupposes that it won't be at least an additional $23 to ship it to Australia. Which I can't confirm until I can login apparently.

Actually, maybe ochre.stores are individual to the subdomain? I'm kind of hoping it turns up on Bandcamp anyway, or general distro.

OK, I have logged in. It is a total of USD 20.28 to Australia, or a little under 30 AUD. Is that reasonable for a 4 track CD, one track of which is an edit?
Well, obviously not lol, but what is reasonable these days?

Appreciate that they have a .wav/.flac option (if you go to the page for just that item, https://saintetienne.ochre.store/format/867144-her-winter-coat), just for that reason. Shipping costs doubling (or more) the purchase price, I settle for non-tangible downloads. Oddly, the .wav price under the Download section - $2 - is for the single track, not the 4 song EP. If you scroll down to the Digital Track List section, they're individually priced at $2. Can get all three (or four, if you want the edit) for $6 (or $8).

yeah I almost just ordered the FLAC for US$2, but fuck it, I've got like 50 Saint Etienne CDs already why not get #51

Liking this EP. I have to say I really dig this ambientish phase (probably imposed by COVID) they’re in. I had lost touch with them after Finistere or so.

while we are having our usual fun dunking on their pricey fan club releases, should probably note that all proceeds from the christmas single DO go to charity

Reasonable point, well made.

That said, music buying has changed so much. I have loads of Saint Etienne CD singles, originally priced between 99p and £3.99 - I think but am not entirely sure that "Avenue" was one of the former - and I'm fairly certain I subsequently bought the accompanying albums.

The sample source for Her Winter Coat made me chuckle.

Anything on these releases essential?

https://saint-etienne-official.myshopify.com/products/pre-order-fairfax-black?pr_prod_strat=collection_fallback&pr_rec_id=6b333c8be&pr_rec_pid=7878303711460&pr_ref_pid=7878308790500&pr_seq=uniform

Fairfax High is a must if you’re into Good Humor

Ta. I must admit I *think* I own most (if not all) of "Fairfax High" without owning the actual release.

It's a superb album. Equal to if not better than Good Humor. It has a bit of the vibe of their earlier albums. Hit the Brakes is a stand out track that could have been a single.

I've got the original as the bonus CD disc to Good Humor, and most (maybe all?) the tracks are on the Good Humor reissue which I've also got, but I would have serious trouble resisting buying this if I saw it for sale in a record store.

It's easy to find on CD, either the original US release of Good Humor with bonus disc or the deluxe CD reissue from a few years back... don't think it's ever been on vinyl before though!

presales on the vinyl editions of the Character of Saint Etienne, Good Humor, and Fairfax High are live...

This year's Xmas collection is now available to order. 'Built On Sand' on vinyl + a 2-track 10" (Music For Hermione)

Gah! Music for Hermione sold out ...

new album on the horizon!

https://www.facebook.com/SaintEtienneOfficial/posts/pfbid02dyMe1b5Fq1mrho5gpqBq4oJBcjNJ31xBPGkcyndRzLJyHDzfNkwHyReUe6oYCSwEl

That's always good news.

Oh, there was also mention that The Character Of Saint Etienne is coming out on CD, next year. Not minidisc, though...

About time, re: TCoST. Feeling FOMO on that one, after asking about a CD version a few times.

Two new tracks up on Spotify (and similar).

oh really like these

Excited - really liked the last instrumental album. Hoping this will be in that vein

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzpATgKBp3Q

the b-side "daydream" (which sadly isn't on the album) is sublime

Just a quick reminder it's about to be on sale via the official shop, with the bonus CD etc

https://saint-etienne-official.myshopify.com/collections/vinyl

I set an alarm on my phone and couldn't remember what it was for, lol

Hahah well happy to provide. Note for anyone (like me) ordering the CD version that with tracking to the US, full cost is $36.

"anyone arriving within the first hour or two first six minutes should get what they want"

(I also went with the CD)

FFS. Even the CD has sold out. Some people have to go to fucking work.

if they pressed up more than 500 CD copies I'd be surprised

I am feeling more irritated than I should ... perhaps because I often enjoy their "bonus tracks" more than their main releases.

Damn, forgot about this. I was driving anyway but even so.

I mean yeah, Fairfax High is better than Good Humor

Buried in various (somewhat annoyed, for the most part) comments on their Facebook page:

to be honest we weren't expecting to sell many CDs and are quite taken aback by how many of you want them. Those were not a limited edition and will be in record shops to pre-order next week .

I am intrigued by that initial detail because this is the first instance in a long while I've heard of CD demand underestimation. Says something about the fanbase I'm sure but also may suggest something in terms of vinyl being, you know, a bit more expensive these days.

In a separate comment:

'Character Of Saint Etienne' on CD in spring too.

Yeah. Regular cd release selling out is just weird. Will get this in store eventually, just hope it’ll come with the bonus CD

The official comments indicate no bonus CD when it comes to regular sales. It was this or nothing.

Oh no :(

St Et kinda buck the trend in that quite a few of their CDs are higher price on discogs etc than the LP equivalent

Power was out here, with spotty internet, so sadly pleased I likely would have been aced out on the cd. Re: the quick selling, St. E has long been “oh, you really love us?” coy with the amounts they release versus demand. Maybe the bonus cd tracks will be collected someday. Does help cure FOMO with such a limited quantity.

Good news on The Character… finally releasing.

Lots of respect to Martin Kelly for engaging politely with all the disgruntled fans. Many good comments in his St. E Official posts, particularly the idea of a two week preorder to allow for pressing the desired quantity. I don’t know if pressing rounds to nearest hundred or thousand, but for bonus versions, seems the best way to please the most buyers, and would negate some of the scalping complaints.

From a quick look at the shops (Norman, Rough Trade), looks like it is a single CD out in the wild?

hahaha, that's a weird answer from management! shipping to the US, the CD was $35 while the vinyl was $56. a lot of fans feeling the financial pinch are gonna go for the cheaper CD if they want that exclusive bonus disc, of course it's going to sell out quickly. they wanted the bonus disc, Martin, they know the regular CD will be in shops a month from now.

exclusive Sarah Cracknell being interviewed on 6 Music with Mark Radcliffe just mentioned that Saint Etienne are working on another album ! This will be released next Summer and will be more uptempo and summery.

I have to confess that my irritation about the bonus CD has stopped me pre-ordering this.

Same

saint etienne's untrue?

v subdued idk i am more excited by the mention of the upbeat summery album

more like their Songs of a Lost World, including the promise of a more upbeat album coming soon

There's your home counties connection.

I think it's lovely. I didn't return to the last album much because I felt there wasn't enough Sarah. Here she's purring in your ears. It sounds gorgeous. I'm surprised how experimental it is. I will return to this one often I think.

^^agree on all counts

I mean, they've always been strong with evocative interstitial, ambient, and instrumental tracks... No Rush, Wonderlyte, and Alone Together are standouts after a couple listens, strongly dislike Hear My Heart

lol Wonderlight, Preflyte is the lyte

This is overall great, but sometimes the lyrics can be just a little...cringey. I actually like the spoken word stuff best ('Settle In' and 'Wonderlight'). Some of the rhyming in the more traditional songs is a little too on the nose for me. lol

about to listen to the new one but i just discovered that "he's on the phone" is kind of a cover, that's fascinating how it came about

Etienne Daho “Weekend a Rome”, Right? Which is actually much better song

there's some gorgeous bits on the new album like "nightingale" and "preflyte" which both sound like they're the intros to 20-minute balearic epics but most of this is fairly forgettable

the spoken word parts are too close to asmr for me idk

it also feels akin to finnisterre (1 of my favs) but not quite hitting the mark

i really want to hear the version of this album in my head where "nightingale" just goes on forever

ba ba ya ba ba ba ya ba ba ya ba ba ba ya

I like this loads and find it much more substantial and discernably them than the last album (which was nice enough but I didn't go back to much; bits of it could have been e.g. Bonobo). I really don't need them to make albums of polite bangers anymore and generally love the more abstract bits of their recent records the most, and this is entirely that

Wasn’t the last one only abstract bits?

Yeah but sort of sonically flatter ones, and mostly sans Sarah

I love it to bits, not least the surprising amount of abstract guitar all over it

Closest antecedent is the Tapestry CD from Tiger Bay 25th anniversary edition — short fragments of Tiger Bay songs reconfigured for 3am listening

the CD was $35 while the vinyl was $56

I was at a merch table a few weeks ago, which was covered with 12" LPs. I said, haven't you got any CDs? The guy was surprised, but rummaged around in a bag for a while and eventually found them. He said, you're the first person during this tour who's asked for CDs, what's your deal? I was like, c'mon, vinyl is BS. He smirked knowingly.