Celebrating Saint Etienne
Sadly, one of my favorite bands is calling it quits. So let’s celebrate their music!
For many years, one of Opus HQ’s favorite bands has been London’s own Saint Etienne. Formed in 1990, the trio of Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley, and Pete Wiggs has released one album after another of sterling dance pop that owes as much to the swingin’ ’60s as it does the rave and club culture of the ’90s and ’00s. But alas, all good things must eventually come to an end.
The trio recently announced that the upcoming International will be their final album. Fortunately, their impending split is free of drama and entirely amicable. (From their press release: “The group aren’t splitting up as such — they still remain the best of friends after 35 years recording together — but they don’t feel like they want to go on forever and wanted to go out with a bang.”)
Still, it’s sad to know that Saint Etienne won’t be making any more music. Which means that now seems like a perfect time to celebrate the trio’s pristine pop. Saint Etienne was the focus of one of my earliest subscriber-only playlists:
Likewise, an early subscriber-only podcast episode examines one of my favorite Saint Etienne songs:
Regardless of whether you’re a new subscriber or an old-timer, I hope you’ll enjoy these exclusive dives into one of my favorite bands. (And if you’re not a subscriber, then I hope you’ll consider becoming one to support my coverage of great artists like Saint Etienne.)