| Nov 18, Palace, Los Angeles "Saint Etienne have masterminded a fun romp through nostalgic electronica on the new Finisterre, thus bidding a farewell to the thick beats and thematic soundscapes that launched their career 10 years ago, and to the harder-than-average trance they mined in the late '90s. Resembling Style Council's Hammond-organ sway in spots and bounding about as plainly as Spice Girls in others, the trio are now taking cues from everybody: Donna Summer, Burt Bacharach, Naomi Klein. Saint Etienne are learned, serious engineers in the melody-driven science of pop-song orchestration who blend meandering bass and clicking beats in a cinematic testimonial of sorts (Sarah Cracknell muses ""I believe in Donovan over Dylan, love over cynicism""), and they melt the sexy bump of early disco (on ""Shower Scene"") with minimal lines like ""in the rain, call my name,"" intoned the way Debbie Harry might. Beyond the skill, Saint Etienne sounds like they just want to play footsie and have a few pints with you." |