Saint Etienne -- International

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Giving it its own thread. Just got a promo link and I'll dip in later, but here's some of the key stuff from the PR, building on what was already known:

Saint Etienne’s new album, International, is their final album-length statement, after the group’s 35-year excursion through pop. A dreamlike drift with friends and collaborators, International features cameos from the higher echelons of pop - 80s chart heroes, electro, acid house and all points in-between, from Vince Clarke to Nick Heyward, Confidence Man to Erol Alkan, Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Doves and Xenomania, through to the lesser known, but equally exhilarating Bradfordians Augustin Bousfield and Flash Cassette (an artist described as “sitting somewhere between Funkadelic and a SEGA Mega Drive”). Saint Etienne are the 90s band who never left us, never imploded, and never adhered to clichéd excess....

Having the will to say ‘no’ and only record when inspiration truly appeared is a sensibility that led straight to the recording of International. Mixed and recorded in Brighton with Tim Powell (best known for his Xenomania forays with Sugababes, Girls Aloud and Pet Shop Boys) International was written in tandem with their previous ambient release, The Night, acting almost as an antidote to that album’s nocturnal, continuous sleep aid that embodied each side.

This final album, in contrast, is almost entirely up-tempo. The idea of distilling the group to its pure electro-pop essence was a driving force behind its creation. Modern and contemporary, but not overly hip. By exploring some of the earlier sounds of their career, it is tinged with melodies and melancholy capturing the era when it all began. “This is where we are, and who we’ve worked with, and the place we’ve arrived at,” says Bob. With a nod to Foxbase Alpha, its interludes are read in different languages and feature minor anecdotes from the band’s career recorded by actor Caroline Catz, broadcaster Colin Murray, the author Isabel Waidner, their frequent collaborator Debsey Wykes and presenter Katie Puckrick, who interviewed Pete in an inebriated state on Channel 4 once upon a time. “As it was our last record, we managed to pull in some of our favourite people. It’s like throwing a landmark birthday party,” laughs Pete. Add to that a rollcall of fabled producers and songwriters from the 1980s to 2025, and sleevenotes by the unparalleled critic Jonathan Meades, and you have an album that stands up as a celebration of the different worlds – from city to suburb, bedroom to dancefloor, pop to willful obscurity – that have embodied their recorded output.

I feel a bit sad that there will never be the "DJH" equivalent of "Memo To Pricey".

With a somewhat heavy heart I'll say I think St Et have rather lost their way and that their last really strong releases were Tales From Turnpike House (which somehow was 20 years ago) and then the Tonight and I've Got Your Music singles. That said I'm interested to know what this album is like, especially bearing in mind the news that Jonathan Meades of all people has done the sleevenotes.

Over The Border
When I Was Seventeen

They've always been that band for me. I adore them but I have to pick out the jewels.

I think The Night was really nice and I've Been Trying To Tell You was an interesting effort that maybe didn't click but I am open to the possibility of future clicking

I have also listened to Pete Wiggs' soundtrack for How We Used To Live as much as (or more than) any St Et album proper

With a nod to Foxbase Alpha, its interludes are read in different languages and feature minor anecdotes from the band’s career recorded by actor Caroline Catz, broadcaster Colin Murray, the author Isabel Waidner, their frequent collaborator Debsey Wykes and presenter Katie Puckrick, who interviewed Pete in an inebriated state on Channel 4 once upon a time

Unless I'm missing something, these charming celebratory interludes seem to be entirely absent from the digital album. Can anyone confirm whether they're present on physical versions?

I ultimately loved The Night and this is overall perfectly pleasant but I like a bit of grit or abstraction in my Et and it's not really that sort of album. The brazenness of lifting 'Spring' wholesale from FA and sticking it on here with a new title ('Brand New Me') is quite impressive

To each their own. "Brand New Me" sounds like a Brand New Song to me! If anything, it's more akin to "Nothing Can Stop Us" than "Spring" in my mind.

Xpost yeah they're all present and correct on mine

Holy hell, this is good?

There were a couple of albums where I didn’t connect at all beyond a duty listen. The singles really piqued my interest, so I gave it a spin. And they really have decided to go out on a high here!

It’s sad and nostalgic and yet somehow hopeful. So many nods to older material it feels like a Greatest Hits but it’s all new songs. This was the version of BritPop I wanted to feel nostalgic for. Like, Stereolab and Saint Etienne putting out the albums if 2025 - who knew?

I suppose I’ll need to hunt down a physical copy to get the interludes.

A charmer of an album, their best since 2012.

Top ten on the Album Chart Update, which means it'll probably end up at pos 42 or something...

It's at #4 apparently, behind Red Rum Club (?), Sabrina Carpenter and Suede

Have to admit, I’ve been listening to it more than Suede!

U fiend (but acceptable)

Don’t worry, I’ll be seeing Brett in the flesh on Saturday!

Isn't the *idea* of Suede in 2025 - predominantly playing new stuff, rejecting the nostalgic hits - actually preferable to, you know, hearing them?

[Runs and hides from Raggett].

Hey get back here

I was looking to see if Saint Etienne were doing anything around the album launch. They seem to be doing signings / Q&As and DJ sets in Manchester and Glasgow this week

Do I have time to get to Manchester by tomorrow? Hmmmm

Unless I'm missing something, these charming celebratory interludes seem to be entirely absent from the digital album

Following vaguely ungenerous initial assessment of this record, acquiring a physical copy with interludes has completely changed how I feel about it - splitting up the tracks opens it up and makes them each far more distinctive, loads of really dynamic moments now elevate from the collective 'quite nice'-ness and it feels way more triumphant/crushing overall.

Track 1 of the limited Rough Trade EP, which is 'Almost' (Sarcevic Electro Mix), is a spartan frosty highlight and inevitably tucked away on inaccessible formatting so they remain heroically themselves to the end.