Saint Etienne fans must have deep pockets, as they’re being asked to dig deep again for two more remastered albums from their band’s prime. That said, any fan will argue they’ve been at their prime for a long time now, and anyone seeing them as part of Wireless at Hyde Park recently would be hard pushed to disagree. So after the triumphant reissue of ‘Foxbase Alpha’ we have 1993’s ‘So Tough’, one of their finest works that casts them in a wonderfully subtle light. The favourite ‘You’re In A Bad Way’ is from this album, but the accompanying B-sides package has many fine things too, including the unreleased and softly majestic ‘Everything Flows’ and more dubby ‘Orpington Blues’. It’s a reminder that while Sarah Cracknell’s voice was never the strongest, only she could sing these songs with this kind of intense yet cool sound. ‘Stranger In Paradise’, another extra, is rather oddly but effectively based on an old Russian folk tune. ‘The Sound Of Water’, completed seven years later, has more of an experimental approach with its lightly brushed electronics, and the CD of extras goes further still, with the icy pianos of ‘Red Setter’ and ‘Northwestern’ particularly striking in their beauty. With more instalments to come before the year is out, I’m afraid it could be an expensive few months! You’ll get plenty for your money though.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood