Saint Etienne
"Finisterre"
(Mantra Recordings)

Ah, yes. The new Saint Etienne. A chance to sit back, relax and soak in the cool vibes of their laid back groove and fantasize to the delicious voice of Sarah Cracknell. Aural heaven.

Or is it?

First of all, I'd like to advise all the Kylie Minogues and No Doubts of the world to pay close attention to this album. Changing genres like some people change shoes, Saint Etienne gracefully slide into the Euro-disco and faux-hip-hop sounds that those folks wallow in. The difference is, the Et bring taste and style to the table. The result is yet another dance flavored record that actually plays well from start to finish. Amazingly, even with almost fifteen years of prolific output behind them, the band still manages to conquer new sounds all over again.

For evidence, look no further than the tantric tease of lead off single "Action." The group subtly expands their range with the electronic pulse of "Amateur" and "New Thing." Like Curve's shift from Shoegaze to techno, they somehow make it work. In some places they slip into stark early 80's New Wave, a progression from the 70's disco sounds of Good Humor. And yes, that is indeed a rap on "Soft Like Me."

There is only one reminder of bygone times. "Stop and Think It Over" would have fit in well on Interlude, their recent, excellent, b-side collection. Overall, the record is far more in your face and insistent than its predecessor Sound of Water and was certainly not the move I expected them to make. I suppose if I want to hear that old time Etienne sound, I should go listen to one of the bands that has moved into the territory they just vacated (Birdie comes to mind.) Notch one for unpredictability, but for the first time it sounds like the band thinks they have something to prove. The bold beats sometimes reek of an effort to garner air play, something the band never stooped to before. ("You're In A Bad Way" was meant as a throwaway, so we'll just ignore that.)

As per usual, plenty of clever in-jokes and references dot the record, most of which will fly by almost everyone. "The Way We Live Now," is a nod to their 2000 song, "The Way We Used Live." (What next? "The Way We Plan On Living?") The cryptic announcements before each song grow old after about the fifth listen, but they aren't enough to really distract from the proceedings.

My only real criticism comes from the fact that there aren't as many "pretty" songs here as I'd come to expect. There is nothing here comparable to such previous gems like "Hobart Paving," "Mr. Donut" and "Hug My Soul," although "Language Lab" gives it the old college try. The general feel is somewhat jarring and disconcerting, which means the lovely Ms. Cracknell has little opportunity to slink and purr her way through the songs. I suppose this means I'll have to go back to porn for my little illicit thrills. Sigh.

-Chris Fowler