i hate to be THAT TWAT but i gave this a curious listen and LOVED it. i've never heard anything by them before so obviously now my interest is piqued. any suggestions where to start on their previous stuff?
All of their stuff is consistently GREAT, besides maybe 'Sound of Water'. I would recommend starting with 'Tiger Bay' or 'Good Humour'. Or buy 'London Conversations' which is their greatest hits. Their singles are not necessarily the best songs in their albums but some of them are absolute corkers.
I know Good Humour and Tiger Bay seem to be the fans choice but Tales From Turnpike House is actually my fave album of theirs.
Midweek #19.
Tales peaked at #72 so they'd have to literally sell nothing throughout the week to not at least beat that.
I'll pop down the shops and get this tomorrow.
Reflected onto the wet pavement, can you see what I see?
Arrived today. The booklet is annoyingly a little creased like it has been shoved in not very carefully, but I''ve just finished the album and the music is marvellous stuff. Definitely more consistently on the gay pop side than their albums, but it still sounds very much like Saint Etienne and weaves the dancefloor leaning numbers with the more thoughtful bittersweet moments rather well. My early favourites are Heading For The Fair, Last Days Of Disco and When I Was Seventeen, though DJ strikes me as being stronger than either Tonight or I've Got Your Music on first listen too. Haunted Jukebox sounds rather reminiscent of something on Good Humor, which I can't put my finger on right now.
DJ is also, may I add, SO much better live...which is a rarity for Saint Etienne!
It's been too long, it's been too long...
I'm one track into this and I'm worried. I know a little bit of their back catalogue, so I thought I'd give it a go.
'Over The Border' is quite literally making me want to jump OVER THE BARRIER onto a BUSY MOTORWAY. This kind of spoken verse stuff is just an amalgamation of PRETENTIOUSNESS and MISGUIDED SHITE. Lovely backing music mind.
"PETER GABRIEL,
PETER GABRIEL FROM GENESIS"
Somebody fetch this lot an IVOR NOVELLO STAT!
Oh, all is forgiven. 'I've Got Your Music' is RIGHT DISCOTASTIC
I have the opposite view. I think Over The Border is heartbreakingly beautiful, whereas I've Got Your Music still sounds like a Geri Halliwell album track recorded on a bontempi organ to me.
Thankfully the rest is great, aside from Last Days of Disco which is AWFUL.
Last Days Of Disco is fucking brilliant- its a really good attempt at a proper disco ballad...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Ooo I like the Muddyloop version of 'DJ'
The album is new at #26 in the charts, first album in the Top 40 since 2000 and highest position since 1998. Though sales are likely even worse than "tales from turnpike house"
.
Who cares- hooray! I'm so happy!
I've had the most amazing week on tour...I'll review all when I finally come down!
It's been too long, it's been too long...
get well soon, Sarah
Ok, so I've played the album about THREE HUNDRED TIMES now and it's STILL revealing itself to me- my first spin of the vinyl gave a few more things away. I fucking LOVE IT- I always was going to, but relatively, I would say it's (at the moment) their second best ever for me. It's phenomenal.
Anyway, after today's stroll in the sunshine with it on, this is how I feel about the songs...
1. DJ
2. When I Was Seventeen
3. Heading For The Fair
4. I've Got Your Music
5. I Threw It All Away
6. Tonight
7. Last Days Of Disco
8. Over The Border
9. Popular
10.Twenty Five Years
11.Haunted Jukebox
12.Answer Song
It's been too long, it's been too long...
I think Heading For The Fair is my favourite, it is completely gorgeous and very classic Saint Etienne. Even the instrumental reworking on the largely unimpressive remix disc is wonderful, and I usually can't be doing with mixes that get rid of all the vocals.
'And when I was married
And when I had kids
Would Marc Bolan still be so important?'
I like that sentiment for some reason.
Won't somebody out there hear my SOS...
My favourites are Over The Border, Tonight and I've Got Your Music.
...followed by DJ, When I Was Seventeen, Heading For The Fair and Popular.
It's all so VERY strong though.
MOTIV8 VOCAL SLAM
I still haven't got mine, I am aching
is Manhattan on the 7" good? I haven't got my record player at the moment
It's ALRIGHT but nothing THAT SPECIAL to be honest...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
I'm not commenting on the album yet but although I'm happy to see the good reviews pouring in for this album I'm finding it grating that it's being called a "return to form". There was nothing wrong with the previous fucking albums.
I agree entirely (but then I WOULD!) but I honestly do think it's their strongest work since "Good Humor", and I know a lot of people DON'T like that, so you could argue since "Tiger Bay"...which was when the "classic" era of Saint Etienne ended.Originally Posted by BoysForSeles
It's been too long, it's been too long...
INDEED
I think if anything it's SLIGHTLY TOO POPTASTIC
And oh...
Oh HOW MANY YEARS
Is it NOW Maurice?
I was surprised at just how full on pop the album has turned out to be, not that I am complaining at the lack of noodly instrumentals or David Essex. I do wish that they had maybe cast the net a bit wider in terms of single choices though.
If they pick "When I Was Seventeen" next (which they won't- it's appearing increasingly more likely to be "DJ", which, in fairness, I ADORE) then that would be rectified...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Will we be getting a Sheena live review from the various gigs soon? I was quite looking forward to them.
Down to #91 this week.
SPACE
and LIGHT
and DREAMS
that's what people NEED
and a PLACE to SLEEP
Last edited by Peekaboo; 04-06-2012 at 11:34 PM.
Actually I think SOUND OF WATER may still be my favourite ST ET ALBUM
Space exploration
Is a noble thing
It's a noble thing
If we'd only try
A range of mountains is just
Mud and water
It's just mud and water
And the passing of time
La la la la la la la la
And oh...
Oh HOW MANY YEARS
Is it NOW Maurice?
Dream home
In Downey California
Palm trees
The sound of Karen Carpenter
And oh...
Oh HOW MANY YEARS
Is it NOW Maurice?
Oh my, it seems like SUCH a long time ago now! The gigs were great, Sarah's voice was a little touch and go in places as she had laryngitis (which caused the postponing of the final gig in London til later in the month). She was, NATURALLY, half PISSED most of the time, but we'll get onto that later.
The main setlist:
Like A Motorway
Method Of Modern Love
Who Do You Think You Are
Spring
Haunted Jukebox
When I Was Seventeen
You're In A Bad Way
Good Thing
Sylvie
Popular
Burnt Out Car
Tonight
Mario's Cafe (!)
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
DJ
Nothing Can Stop Us
Encore:
Last Days Of Disco
I've Got Your Music
He's On The Phone
However, for some of the dates they mixed things up a bit and removed "Last Days of Disco" and "Method of Modern Love" from the running order. I was a LITTLE disappointed with the choice of old songs- though it was great to get "Mario's Cafe" for the first time in ages, do I really EVER need to hear "Spring" live again? I know they have to play some old songs all the time but I'd love to hear "Pale Movie" or "Avenue" or "Hug My Soul" thrown back into the mix instead of "Good Thing" or even "Like A Motorway", which seem to have been everpresent for the past 7 years...
The venues themselves were a little odd- The Leadmill in Sheffield and The Leamington Spa Assembly were the usual sized suspects but in Cardiff they LITERALLY played an Arts Centre with about 300 people in it. As they can clearly still sell out places like the Palladium, the Leadmill and the Assembly (all with far bigger capacities), it had to be a conscious decision, but just an odd one. It also felt very strange being in such an intimate venue and I'm not convinced it massively worked- loads of people sat down and didn't shift even for the encore. Very very strange indeed...
The group themselves were on good form- chatted a few times them. The conversation with Bob about how he'd "love to do Eurovision" was my favourite! I told him to write something for it, they really would be QUITE USELESS with La Cracknell's vocals on the Eurovision stage. (Obviously I didn't say that...)
Erm, I want to tell you loads more stories but this is my Monday morning and I can't quite get there right now...maybe they'll come to me...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
I would love to go to a St Etienne concert with a tracklist such as the above
Jonfessions was (I don't know if he still is) flogging some Row E (so PROBABLY FAR BETTER THAN YOU'RE GOING TO GET ELSEWHERE) tickets for this...
He was selling them to someone in the US but the rescheduling meant the guy couldn't make it...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Thanks, I'll get in touch! Are you not going?
IS IT SITTING DOWN???!
I'm going with him but we're in Row B- he accidentally booked two lots of tickets.
It IS sitting down, unfortunately...but no one WILL sit down, if that makes sense!
It's been too long, it's been too long...
hi Peekaboo. I still have the pair of tickets if you would like them. I think it came to £64 for the pair. They are row E.
Sheena and I will be in row B so we can have a pre-gig DRINK if you like
Let me know by tomorrow if you can because otherwise I'm going to have to return them by Monday for a refund.
MOTIV8 VOCAL SLAM
Ok thanks, I've sent a PM to Christian in case he wants to come, if not I'll mention it to some work colleague tomorrow and will let you know midday the latest. Thanks!
no problem
MOTIV8 VOCAL SLAM
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