Finisterre (Saint Etienne)
Encyclopedia
Finisterre is an album by the British
pop
band Saint Etienne
. It was released by Mantra Records
in 2002; and as a deluxe edition by Heavenly Records
in 2010.
and pre-empts the warmer tones on their next album, Tales from Turnpike House
. The album returned to the inclusion of vocal interludes between songs as last heard on their album "So Tough
" and a more angular, electronic sound, particularly on tracks such as "Action," "Shower Scene," and "New Thing". "Language Lab," "Summerisle," and "Stop and Think It Over" recall the ambient style of the previous three albums.
The vocal interludes were supplied by Michael Jayston
's narration as featured in the film released to accompany the album, also called "Finisterre". The film was directed by Paul Kelly
and Kieran Evans and was born out of visuals used to accompany certain tracks from the album shown during their live shows. The film debuted at a sold-out show in October 2002 at the Royal Festival Hall
on London's Southbank, and was re-released to select screens in 2005. It is currently available on DVD. The album sleeve features a photograph of the east London tower block
Ronan Point
shortly after it collapsed in 1968 with the loss of 4 lives.
A October 2002 review of the album by Pitchfork Media
gave the album 7.6 out of 10. Nitsuh Abebe wrote "the big comeback on Finisterre's part is that they're tugging those strings again, confidently.", highlighting "B92", "Shower Scene
" as the strongest tracks. However, the review criticised "Action" and "New Thing" as "just begging for the bigger kick drums that would turn them into flat-out stompers."
from "Soft Like Me" / "Shower Scene"
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
. It was released by Mantra Records
Mantra Records
Mantra Recordings was a subsidiary of Beggars Banquet Records.-Artists:*China Drum*The Delgados*Dot Allison*Gorky's Zygotic Mynci*King of Woolworths*Muki*Natacha Atlas*Parva*Saint Etienne*Six by Seven...
in 2002; and as a deluxe edition by Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
in 2010.
Commentary
Finisterre was Saint Etienne's sixth proper album on world wide release after the sparse instrumentation on Sound of WaterSound of Water
- CD: Heavenly / HVNLP72CDDE :- Credits :Saint Etienne is:*Sarah Cracknell*Bob Stanley*Pete WiggsAugmented by:*Gerard Johnson*Robert Lippok*Ronald Lippok*Sean O'Hagan*Stefan Schneider- Singles :How We Used to LiveMarch 2000...
and pre-empts the warmer tones on their next album, Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House is an album by British pop group Saint Etienne. Is a concept album in which the songs depict characters who all live in the eponymous block of flats in London.-Setting:...
. The album returned to the inclusion of vocal interludes between songs as last heard on their album "So Tough
So Tough
- CD: Warner Bros. / 9 45166-2 :- CD: Warner Bros. / WPCP-5209 :- CD: Heavenly / HVNLP6CDDE :- Personnel :The liner notes list the album's personnel as follows:...
" and a more angular, electronic sound, particularly on tracks such as "Action," "Shower Scene," and "New Thing". "Language Lab," "Summerisle," and "Stop and Think It Over" recall the ambient style of the previous three albums.
The vocal interludes were supplied by Michael Jayston
Michael Jayston
Michael Jayston is a Nottingham-born English actor.- Early life :He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford, then worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an...
's narration as featured in the film released to accompany the album, also called "Finisterre". The film was directed by Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (film maker)
Paul Kelly is an English film director, musician, photographer and designer.-Music:The son of an RAF fighter pilot - he took up flying aged fourteen, making his first solo flight on his seventeenth birthday. However, a passion for music and electric guitars eventually led him to follow a musical...
and Kieran Evans and was born out of visuals used to accompany certain tracks from the album shown during their live shows. The film debuted at a sold-out show in October 2002 at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
on London's Southbank, and was re-released to select screens in 2005. It is currently available on DVD. The album sleeve features a photograph of the east London tower block
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
Ronan Point
Ronan Point
Ronan Point was a 22-story tower block in Newham, east London, which suffered a partial collapse when a gas explosion demolished a load-bearing wall, causing the collapse of one entire corner of the building...
shortly after it collapsed in 1968 with the loss of 4 lives.
A October 2002 review of the album by Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
gave the album 7.6 out of 10. Nitsuh Abebe wrote "the big comeback on Finisterre's part is that they're tugging those strings again, confidently.", highlighting "B92", "Shower Scene
Shower Scene
Shower Scene is a single by Saint Etienne. It was released by Mantra Records in Spain only. The single is lifted from the band's 2002 album Finisterre. The single featured two new b-sides and album track "New Thing"....
" as the strongest tracks. However, the review criticised "Action" and "New Thing" as "just begging for the bigger kick drums that would turn them into flat-out stompers."
CD: Mantra / MNTCD 1033 (2002)
CD: Heavenly / HVNLP74CDDE (Deluxe Edition, 2010)
Previously unreleased tracks are "So Mystified," "White Rain," "Stop and Think It Over (Kid Loco Mix)," and "There There My Brigadier."B-sides
from "Action"- "Anderson"
- "7 Summers"
- "Action (Mr Joshua Edit)"
- "Action (DJ TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
Remix)" - "Action (Laub Remix)"
from "Soft Like Me" / "Shower Scene"
- "Gimp Crisis"
- "Time and Tide"
- "Shock Corridor"
- "Soft Like Me (Mr Joshua Mix)"
- "Abby I Hardly Knew You"
- "Soft Like Me (K.O.W. Radiophonic Rework)"
- "New Thing"