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**Saint Etienne - Good Humor**
★★★★☆

By 1998, Saint Etienne had already established themselves as the thinking person's pop band, crafting immaculate confections that bridged the gap between indie credibility and mainstream accessibility. But with their fourth studio album, Good Humor, Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs, and Sarah Cracknell delivered what might be their most cohesive and emotionally resonant statement yet – a sun-dappled love letter to British pop that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly contemporary.

The album emerged during a particularly fertile period for the trio. Following the critical acclaim of 1994's Tiger Bay, Saint Etienne had spent the intervening years exploring various sonic territories, releasing the experimental Too Young to Die compilation and collaborating with filmmaker Paul Kelly on the acclaimed Finisterre project. This creative restlessness proved crucial in shaping Good Humor's expansive palette, which draws from everything from Bacharach-ian orchestration to subtle electronic flourishes, all while maintaining the band's signature sophistication.

Where previous Saint Etienne albums occasionally felt like collections of brilliant singles padded with interludes, Good Humor flows with the confidence of a band that has finally found the perfect balance between experimentation and accessibility. The production, handled by the band alongside Tore Johansson, is spacious and warm, allowing each element to breathe while maintaining the group's trademark attention to detail.

The album opens with "Woodcabin," a deceptively simple meditation on urban escape that sets the tone for what follows. Cracknell's vocals float over a gently propulsive rhythm section, while subtle string arrangements add emotional weight without overwhelming the delicate melody. It's quintessential Saint Etienne – sophisticated without being precious, wistful without wallowing in nostalgia.

"Sylvie" stands as perhaps the album's finest moment, a gorgeous slice of chamber pop that showcases the band's ability to craft miniature symphonies from the simplest materials. The song's protagonist remains tantalizingly elusive, but Cracknell's delivery suggests entire novels of backstory. Meanwhile, the musical arrangement builds from intimate beginnings to a genuinely euphoric climax, complete with brass flourishes that would make Burt Bacharach weep with envy.

Equally impressive is "The Bad Photographer," which finds the band in a more playful mood. Built around a irresistible groove and featuring some of Stanley and Wiggs' most inventive production work, the track manages to be both danceable and melancholic – a combination that few bands can pull off with such apparent effortlessness. Cracknell's vocals are particularly strong here, conveying both vulnerability and strength as she navigates the song's emotional complexities.

"Split Screen" offers another highlight, with its cinematic scope and carefully constructed dynamics. The song builds tension through subtle shifts in instrumentation and arrangement, creating a sense of drama that feels genuinely cinematic. It's the kind of track that demonstrates why Saint Etienne have always been more than just another indie pop band – they understand how to use space and silence as effectively as melody and rhythm.

The album's gentler moments prove equally compelling. "Postman" strips things back to their essence, allowing Cracknell's vocals and a simple piano melody to carry the emotional weight. It's a brave move that pays dividends, creating one of the album's most intimate and affecting moments.

Throughout Good Humor, Saint Etienne demonstrate their mastery of the three-minute pop song while never allowing formula to override inspiration. The band's deep knowledge of pop history informs every arrangement choice, but never in a way that feels academic or overly referential. Instead, they use their influences as a launching pad for something genuinely personal and contemporary.

The album's legacy has only grown stronger with time. While it may not have achieved the commercial success of some contemporaries, Good Humor has become something more valuable – a touchstone for intelligent pop music that refuses to compromise its vision for mass appeal. Its influence can be heard in everyone from Belle and Sebastian to more recent acts like Camera Obscura and The Clientele.

In an era when British pop was dominated by the increasingly bombastic gestures of Britpop's second wave, Good Humor offered something altogether more subtle and lasting. It's an album that rewards repeated listening, revealing new details and emotional nuances with each encounter. Nearly three decades on, it stands as both a perfect encapsulation of Saint Etienne's considerable talents and a reminder of what pop music can achieve when