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**Saint Etienne - Words And Music By Saint Etienne**
★★★★☆

In the grand pantheon of British indie pop, few bands have managed to capture the bittersweet romance of urban life quite like Saint Etienne. Their 2012 offering, "Words And Music By Saint Etienne," arrives as both a love letter to their hometown and a meditation on the passage of time, delivered with the same wistful sophistication that has made Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs unlikely champions of metropolitan melancholy for over two decades.

The album emerged during a particularly reflective period for the London trio, coinciding with their soundtrack work for Paul Kelly's film of the same name. This cinematic origin story proves crucial to understanding the record's dreamy, episodic flow. Rather than crafting another collection of standalone pop gems, Saint Etienne has constructed something more ambitious: a sonic novel about London itself, narrated with the kind of intimate knowledge that only comes from decades of wandering its streets with eyes wide open and hearts perpetually bruised.

Musically, the album finds Saint Etienne operating in their sweet spot – that liminal space between electronic experimentation and classic pop songcraft that they've made their own. The production, characteristically lush and detailed, layers vintage synthesizers, drum machines, and live instrumentation with the precision of master craftsmen. Sarah Cracknell's vocals remain the secret weapon, floating above the arrangements with a deceptively casual grace that masks considerable technical skill. Her delivery suggests someone sharing secrets over late-night drinks, intimate yet universal.

The opening track, "Over the Border," sets the tone with its gentle pulse and Cracknell's observations about crossing invisible boundaries within the city. It's classic Saint Etienne territory – the personal made political, the mundane rendered magical. The song builds slowly, accumulating emotional weight through repetition and subtle arrangement choices, establishing the album's central theme of movement and transformation.

"Tonight" emerges as perhaps the album's most immediate pleasure, a shimmering piece of electronic pop that recalls the band's early-'90s peak while feeling entirely contemporary. The track's infectious groove and memorable hook demonstrate that Saint Etienne hasn't lost their ability to craft perfect three-minute symphonies. Meanwhile, "Answer Song" showcases their more experimental tendencies, building tension through minimalist repetition before blossoming into something unexpectedly moving.

The album's centerpiece might be "Haunted Jukebox," a gorgeous meditation on memory and music that finds Cracknell reflecting on the power of songs to transport us across time and space. Over a backdrop of subtle electronics and ghostly samples, she delivers some of her most affecting vocals, turning what could have been mere nostalgia into something more profound – a recognition that our relationships with music are as complex and meaningful as our relationships with people.

"London Belongs to Me" serves as the album's most direct statement of intent, a declaration of love for a city that has shaped the band's identity. The song avoids both cynicism and sentimentality, instead offering a clear-eyed appreciation for urban life's contradictions. It's the kind of song that makes you want to walk through London at twilight, noticing details you've previously overlooked.

The album's quieter moments prove equally rewarding. "Dive" strips away much of the electronic ornamentation to focus on melody and emotion, while "When I Was Seventeen" offers a poignant reflection on youth and possibility that never descends into mere wistfulness. These songs demonstrate Saint Etienne's maturation as songwriters, their increased confidence in understatement and space.

In the decade since its release, "Words And Music By Saint Etienne" has quietly established itself as one of the band's most cohesive statements. While it may lack the immediate impact of classics like "Foxbase Alpha" or "Tiger Bay," it rewards patient listening with unexpected depths. The album captures a specific moment in British cultural history – the London of the early 2010s, caught between economic uncertainty and stubborn optimism – while transcending its temporal boundaries through sheer craft and emotional honesty.

Saint Etienne remains that rarest of creatures: a band that has aged gracefully without losing their essential identity. "Words And Music By Saint Etienne" proves that three decades in, they still have new stories to tell about love, loss, and the endless fascination of city life. In an era of instant gratification, they continue to make music for the long haul, for those quiet moments when only perfect pop will suffice.