Saint Etienne are set to wrap up their recording career with the release of their 12th studio album, ‘International’, later this year.
Serving as the follow-up to last year’s ambient collection, ‘The Night’, the LP brings to a close 35 years of material from the group, which launched in 1990 with a classic cover of Neil Young’s Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Singer Sarah Cracknell joined Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley for their third single, ‘Nothing Can Stop Us Now’, and the album ‘Foxbase Alpha’ (1991), soon thereafter, with the group scoring hit records such as You’re In A Bad Way, Like A Motorway and He’s On The Phone.
Returning to their signature indie-dance sound, ‘International’ is preceded by lead single, Glad, which is co-written and produced with Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers, and also features Jez Williams from Doves on guitar.
“We asked Tom if he had any songs in progress that might suit Saint Etienne and he sent a backing track that he’d been working on with Jez from Doves. We fell in love with it straight away and the top line melody and words for Glad came easy,” says Cracknell.
Wiggs adds: “The song is about taking pleasure in everyday things like nature and the outdoors when life is otherwise getting you down.”
According to a press release, the band “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.”
‘International’ is out September 5 and available to pre-order from Amazon, HMV, Rough Trade, Townsend and more.
Tracklist: Saint Etienne – Glad
1. Glad
2. Dancing Heart
3. The Go Betweens
4. Sweet Melodies
5. Save It For A Rainy Day
6. Fade
7. Brand New Me
8. Take Me To The Pilot
9. Two Lovers
10. Why Are You Calling
11. He’s Gone
12. The Last Time
