Saint Etienne - I've Been Trying To Tell You

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VoR

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New album out on 10 September.

They've just released the first song, featuring an INTERESTING sample... (and no Lady Cracknell)

 
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Hmmm...

I thought the chillout sounding teases were a bit odd. Is this going to be a 'proper' St Et album? I am not sure I can be excited about a whole lot of mood music from them, even with a random sample.
 
It's nice enough but totally forgettable and really goes nowhere. It sounds like a demo... I can see what they're saying about being similar to their first two albums but who are they trying to kid, this is no AVENUE. And a SINGLE to boot!
 
Peekaboo said:
It's nice enough but totally forgettable and really goes nowhere. It sounds like a demo... I can see what they're saying about being similar to their first two albums but who are they trying to kid, this is no AVENUE. And a SINGLE to boot!
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Exactly! Just listen to Beauty on the fire instead !
 
I’m all for a bit of trip-hop St Et but trip-hop should never be one nice hook on a 3 minute loop :square: trippy music is a mood, it needs to take you places or there’s no point...
 
It's not a SINGLE. It's obviously a GRAT TRACK. They even refer to it as a "song" rather than "single" on their announcement. We should change the title of this thread to the album, really.

I like it a lot. Fucking fuming that the film features Southampton, though :D
 
When I saw there was only 8 tracks, I found myself hoping this would be their prog album. Still hoping for that, tbh.
 
Sheena said:
It's not a SINGLE. It's obviously a GRAT TRACK. They even refer to it as a "song" rather than "single" on their announcement. We should change the title of this thread to the album, really.

I like it a lot. Fucking fuming that the film features Southampton, though :D
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I hope it isn't a repeat of last time with the single being worse than the introduction track.

Rough Trade have quite an extensive write-up on the album:

https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/saint-etienne/i-ve-been-trying-to-tell-you

Big Brother bird sound effects :D
 
It does feel like it’s a soundtrack rather than an actual album. Which is no bad thing, but I need to prepare myself in a different way. :D
 
And YES at Heather being the best thing on that last album, which remains my least favourite Saint Etienne long player ever…
 
I love them but got very little enjoyment out of the last album so my expectations are a little lower than usual but I wouldn’t mind a solid eight track mood piece from them.
 
A random top ten? OK then

1. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
2. Method Of Modern Love
3. The Bad Photographer
4. Tonight
5. Burnt Out Car
6. Like A Motorway
7. People Get Real
8. I've Got Your Music
9. Hug My Soul
10. A Good Thing

edit: my knowledge doesn't stretch much beyond the singles, alas
 
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01 Hobart Paving
02 Finisterre
03 He's On The Phone
04 How We Used To Live
05 Method Of Modern Love
06 Avenue
07 Only Love Break Your Heart
08 Like A Motorway
09 When I Was Seventeen
10 Tomorrow Never Dies

Bubbling:
London Belongs To Me
Kiss And Make Up
Teenage Winters
Sylvie
 
A just woken up, off the top of my head kinda vibe:

01 Avenue
02 Hobart Paving
03 Like A Motorway
04 Madeleine
05 Lose That Girl
06 When I Was Seventeen
07 DJ
08 The Boy Scouts Of America
09 Heading For The Fair
10 Slow Down At The Castle
 
The presale tour dates go live at 10am, but annoyingly the only venue that isn’t on there is the Liverpool one. Guess I’ll have to get in line for Friday for the general sale.
 
I think the new track is just ok...it sounds like a fan remix that you'd find on Soundcloud. Would I listen to it if it didn't have Saint Etienne's name attached to it? HELL NO :D

However, in the context of the album it might work really well. The press release puts me in mind of a sort of take on something like The Avalanches' Since I Met You album which could possibly be quite interesting. The nod to Tricky is wild but welcome (I love Tricky's early albums), and surely the RnB harpsichord is likely to be either Money or Call Me by Jamelia? :D So let's SEE what happens.

Also a Jane Weaver remix of Saint Etienne will surely be FABULOUS and a perfect link up.
 
I'd like to see The Et before I die but the Glasgow gig is the same night as Sleaford Mods.
 
octophone said:
I'd like to see The Et before I die but the Glasgow gig is the same night as Sleaford Mods.
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I was half tempted to go to Glasgow, but decided against it. If you could have come as my HOT DATE, I'd have changed my mind STAT :disco:
 
I really love the new song. It's perfect, late summer dreaminess...the kind they do so well.

That Rough Trade review does make it seem like it's a noodly, soundtrack vibe rather than anything else, so not sure how that's going to transfer to the live arena. I've booked Bristol and London, but can't do any others, annoyingly- especially Hove, which will be a blast.
 
well i love it and i can't wait for the album

this would seem to be bits from the 'film of the same name'

 
I wondered if it was a direct lift from said film- possibly the bit at the start is actually segueing in from the previous song…
 
I LIKE IT

Mind you, I also like this VERY MUCH INDEED to the extent that I’d call it a career highlight. Certainly a thousand times better than the dreaded council estate fetishising

 
Second track, this one sampling The Honeyz




Despite the very me-friendly sample choices, this project is feeling very NOODLY so far :eyes:
 
jyxz said:
Did anyone order the £70 box set?
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Yep. Of course.

And yeah, it is noodly- it’s a film soundtrack rather than a proper album. I’m vaguely annoyed they’re selling it as anything else…
 
I looked at the box set but decided it was not worth the £ and space for an album I am not convinced I am going to love.

I do like Pond House now but Music Again after a couple of listens isn't doing that much for me.

Hopefully it won't be another four or five years before they deliver a more conventional album.
 
Music Again just doesn’t GO anywhere. It’s “Saint Etienne b-side by numbers” territory for me. It’s not BAD, it’s just a bit boring.
 
Sheena said:
Music Again just doesn’t GO anywhere. It’s “Saint Etienne b-side by numbers” territory for me. It’s not BAD, it’s just a bit boring.
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Exactly, it is like one of their nearly instrumental b-sides from back when that I would listen to once or twice and forget about. I'm hoping there are some more memorable tracks on the album.

Four star review in Mojo for what it is worth, though it suggests that Music Again 'finds Cracknell gliding like peak period Enya'. Little K is apparently the standout.
 
I know it can't really be judged as a "new track" as it's for a soundtrack...but the new song honestly, literally sounds like it's being played at the wrong speed on a turntable :D
I couldn't even make it through its 5 min+ running time.
 
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I still prefer it to their ISN'T IT GREAT LIVING ON A COUNCIL ESTATE rubbish
 
I think it might be best listened to STONED OFF ONE'S CUNNY but that was yesterday not today :weed:

Is there an HARPSICHORD going on there?
 
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