Saint Etienne So Tough / Sound of Water (Heavenly)
4/5
By: Liane Escorza
Now what a surprise to have these two deluxe editions of Saint Etienne’s So Tough and Sound of Water fall into my hands! Just when you think the history of pop will be erased forever from the minds of cultural archives and memories, here comes a release that prevents them from fading into oblivion. Fair enough, we still have a bunch of Britpop leaders such as Blur who insist on reuniting to escape the same fate (or fill their pockets with cash once more) but it is rare in the case of musical statements like Saint Etienne’s. This band was the epitome of refined kitsch Brit pop with beautiful lyrics focusing on the mundane lives of this island’s people, yet not afraid to incorporate electronica, hip hop, some French bubble gum melodies and elegant European disco.
The ability of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs to draw and blend influences was perfectly combined with Sarah Cracknell’s versatile vocal range and So Tough therefore offered gems such as the chill-out disco ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, the cheeky guitar-pinch based ‘You’re In a Bad Way’, the dark and whispering ‘Calico’, the doll-like ‘Avenue’, and the daddy-long legged dancy ‘Everlasting’ or ‘Join Our Club’, each sounding like time has never passed by - so advanced their premonition of the future was.
Sound
of Water marked a change in musical direction for the band, focusing on intricate arrangements and collaborating with other musicians to jump into more experimental arenas. Such is the case of the emotional and tender ‘Late Morning’ with drops of piano like morning dew, ‘Heart Failed’ and its heavy keyboards over a defined programmed beat with floating intertwined violins, the modest and intimate ‘Just a Little Overcome’, ‘Boy is Crying’ with a delightful percussion extravaganza, ‘Roseneck’ with its loud and minimalist avant-garde theme, and ‘Shoot Out the Lights’ a catchy pop-rock anthem with ice cool vocals á la Kylie Minogue.
These are two albums wrapped in candy cotton, yet they are not hollow inside. They contain a special treat that will remain eternal for those insatiable Brit pop minds, if there are any left out there, that is.
Artists in this article: Saint Etienne
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