Saint Etienne – International

Saint Etienne release their final album, International, on Heavenly Recordings.

International includes the previously released singles “Glad”, “Take Me To The Pilot” and “Brand New Me.”

After 35 years recording together, Saint Etienne aren’t splitting up as such, they remain the best of friends but they’ve decided not to continue indefinitely, wanting instead to go out with a bang. Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have known each other since childhood and formed Saint Etienne in 1990 with their iconic cover of Neil Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart.’ Sarah Cracknell joined for their third single, ‘Nothing Can Stop Us’, and their debut album Foxbase Alpha in 1991. Since then, the trio have expanded into films, books, and curation, including a residency at the Southbank Centre. Now, they feel it’s time to draw a line under new recordings.

For International, the trio decided to ask friends, heroes and contemporaries to collaborate with them. That list included Confidence Man (who they discovered were St Etienne super fans after they played together at Kite Festival in 2022).

You’ll hear other collaborators on “Sweet Melodies” (Erol Alkan), “Two Lovers” (Vince Clarke), “The Go Betweens” (a duet with Nick Heyward), “Take Me To The Pilot” (Paul Hartnoll of Orbital) and “Dancing Heart” and “He’s Gone”, a brace co-written and produced with Tim Powell of Xenomania.

The closing track on International is a tear jerker, reflecting on where they’ve been and who they’ve become over three and a half decades – the group say goodbye to their fans, on record, for the very “Last Time”.

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