St Etienne’s International reviewed: cherished indie pop trio go out on a party high

Their hip vision of a swinging London

Back in 1992, Saint Etienne issued the insouciant invitation to “Join Our Club”. For indie pop lovers of style and taste, it was an easy RSVP. The Britpop-adjacent trio of Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs and Sarah Cracknell were well connected but never exclusive. If anything, they were nerdy enthusiasts, hymning their hip vision of a swinging London, which drew fondly across decades of post-war British, nay European, pop culture – film, literature and visual art as much as music – while deftly bodyswerving the more jingoistic connotations of Cool Britannia.

More than 30 years on, their 13th album is a similarly celebratory summons to their leaving party. Although they have not announced a hard split, International will be Saint Etienne’s last album and, like the final scene of It’s A Wonderful Life, there’s a heart-warming gathering of old friends, new kids, well-wishers and elder statesmen queuing up to mark the occasion, from Vince Clarke and Nick Heyward to Erol Alkan and Confidence Man. No tears – okay, some tears – for this beloved band.

They carved their own niche as a renaissance pop act

The guestlist is bolstered by spoken word cameos from the likes of longtime Saint Etienne backing singer Debsey Wykes, actor Caroline Catz and broadcasters Colin Murray and Katie Puckrik, connecting the tracks with mock news items, continuity announcements and pastiche adverts in a variety of languages. It’s a charming throwback to the film dialogue samples which peppered their early albums. Murray, in particular, has a blast referencing the Countdown samples from Foxbase Alpha’s “Stoned To Say the Least”.

Producer Tim Powell corrals the whole shebang with ease and poise, bringing unimpeachable pop pedigree from his Xenomania work with Sugababes, Girls Aloud and Pet Shop Boys. Saint Etienne may not have the commercial reach of the latter but they carved their own niche as a renaissance pop act, as comfortable producing both film and soundtrack for their 2002 project Finisterre as they were colonising the indie dancefloor throughout the ’90s. In a further nod to their electro crossover roots, both Paul Hartnoll of Orbital and Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers contribute to International.

Saint Etienne are seemingly determined to go out with an unabashed pop bang

Saint Etienne are seemingly determined to go out with an unabashed pop bang. The contrast to last year’s The Night is striking, but both albums were conceived concurrently as flipsides of the trio’s vivid soundworld. Audacious ambient lullaby The Night was their most experimental work to date, but now it’s time to rekindle their love of a hookline. Happy-sad opener “Glad” chimes in like a remix of their early indie pop nuggets. Co-written and produced with Rowlands and featuring Doves’ guitarist Jez Williams, it finds uplift in nature. Guitars ring, tambourines shake and the whole arrangement brightens as Cracknell sings “don’t it make you glad when the sun shines on your eyes” with a lush yet plaintive tone reminiscent of Karen Carpenter.

Powell shows his form with the sleek disco rapture and synthesized harp strokes of “Dancing Heart”, while DJ/producer Erol Alkan casts a classy spell on “Sweet Melodies” with executive traveller Cracknell transported to pop music paradise across “Paris, London, New York”.

Moods swing gently but surely, from the bittersweet breakbeat of “Fade” via the tougher brush-off mantra “Why Are You Calling” to the elastic electro funk of “Save It For A Rainy Day”, a collaboration with Bradford’s shadowy Flash Cassette. Make way also for pop royalty as Haircut 100’s Nick Heyward brings a honeyed glow and pop positivity to his duet on “The Go Betweens” and Vince Clarke co-writes “Two Lovers”, a breathy tale of a clandestine affair. It’s not difficult to imagine the disco whirl of a possible Erasure interpretation, but Cracknell takes it slower, standing outside the drama and watching with empathy.

Saint Etienne bow out on top form

Even in this self-possessed company, “Brand New Me” stands out as another pop nugget in the “Nothing Can Stop Us” school of spry invincibility. Grace Stephenson, aka Janet Planet of Aussie dance duo Confidence Man, delivers a pop vocal hook to match her own “Holiday”, tripping on the irrepressible enthusiasm of a fresh start while Cracknell positively purrs at her reversal of fortune over swaying string samples and blasts of Bacharachian brass.

Too soon, it is time for Murray’s countdown to “The Last Time”, a twinkly synth valediction taking in droll thoughts on social media, Adam Ant and Frantic Five references and a glimmer of autobiography from a band who usually prefer just to let their love of music hang out. It’s a wispy, understated finish to a vibrant au revoir. Like all the best goodbyes, Saint Etienne bow out on top form and affectionate terms.