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Track Listings
| 1. Urban Clearway |
| 2. Black Horse Latitude |
| 3. I Buy American Records |
| 4. Hate Your Drug |
| 5. You Know I'll Miss You When I'm Gone |
| 6. Sushi Rider |
| 7. Hug My Soul |
| 8. The Wedding of Stacy Dorning |
| 9. Deborah's French Feast |
| 10. Western Wind |
| 11. Pale Movie |
| 12. La Poupee Qui Fait Non (No No No) |
| 13. Highgate Road Incident |
| 14. My Christmas Prayer |
| 15. I Was Born On Christmas Day |
Product Description
Review
There was a time in the mid-90s when it seemed that the pop world was going to be devoured by those people who made their living out of writing about it. Suddenly bands like the High Llamas were making pithy pastiches of their favourite records, all helmed by writers who not only knew how to make these records but how to contextualise them as well. Also in on this post modern trip was Saint Etienne, the brainchild of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs.
Initially cooler as a concept than as an actual audio experience, Saint Etienne made a virtue of combining their (rather mundane) post-Acid House beats with suitably knowing snatches of film dialogue, German motorik iciness and the pristine voice of Sarah Cracknell. Their first two albums (Foxbase Alpha and So Tough) were gratefully lapped up by their fans but failed to really nail the grandeur of their ambitions. Tiger Bay was a different beast entirely.
Here the band managed to blend in a far more adventurous palette of musical colours. Orchestral folk music enters the picture (on "Former Lover"and "Marble Lions") and there's even a traditional song in the form of "Western Wind". Even the Kraftwerk-like "Like A Motorway" manages to slip in a distinctly pastoral air. Of course, none of this would have really worked in the context of their faux-sixties disco schtick, were it not for the fact that by now the band seemed to be able to churn out hook after hook.
Pointlessly reissued with extra tracks and a different running order, Tiger Bay suffered from a distinct lack of love from both label and public. It deserved far better as, in its original form, it belongs to that rare breed of 'perfect' albums. --Chris Jones
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CD Description
Originally released in 1994, Tiger Bay was Saint Etienne's third long player and their second Top 10 album. It took the group into a new place by mixing traditional folk melodies with modern electronica. They worked with Underworld, Shara Nelson, Stephen Duffy, arranger David Whitaker, and Birmingham neo-dubsters Original Rockers to create a windblown but lush record, echoing its oil painting cover. This deluxe edition album has been remastered by the band and expanded to two discs. The second disc contains seven previously unheard bonus tracks including an abandoned sequel to "Mario's Cafe" called "Black Horse Latitudes" (set in the evening, in a Tufnell Park pub), and "Wedding Of Stacy Dorning" which looked forward to the sunshine pop of 1998's "Good Humour". The deluxe edition also includes an expanded booklet featuring extensive sleevenotes from the band's original PR Robin Turner.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this when it came out in the original format .. the bonus tracks are generally good and add to the album in a nice way This was probably the peak for Saint E, just on the edge of top-of-the-pops commerciality, but still a bit quirky and edgy. Hug my Soul and Like a Motorway are the highlights, great production and still sound fresh. A real treat, a bit retro-ish at times, but Goldfrapp and the like should bung them a few quid for paving their way.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Great 3rd LP
28 Oct 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Tiger Bay" may be my favorite Saint Etienne lp. "Marble Lions" rivals their previous "Hobart Paving" for lump-in-the-throat balladry. "Former Lover" and "Western Wind" also find them in a folky introspective mood. These are good contrasts to their usual electronics. This deluxe edition is okay. The original lp remains great but the extra bonus tracks are mostly things you can live without.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Details
14 July 2011
Format:Audio CD
Digitally remastered and expanded deluxe two CD edition of Saint Etienne's third studio album, originally released in 1994. The album has been remastered by the band and now comes with a second disc including seven previously unreleased gems. The Deluxe Edition comes in luxurious packaging with an expanded booklet featuring extensive sleevenotes by Jude Rogers. Universal. 2010.
Tracks
1 Urban Clearway
2 Former Lover
3 Hug My Soul
4 Like A Motorway
5 On The Shore
6 Marble Lions
7 Pale Movie
8 Cool Kids Of Death
9 Tankerville / Western Wind
10 The Boy Scouts Of America
11 Urban Clearway (Demo)
12 Black Horse Latitude
13 I Buy American Records
14 Hate Your Drug
15 You Know I'll Miss You When I'm Gone
16 Sushi Rider
17 Hug My Soul (Demo)
18 The Wedding of Stacy Dorning
19 Deborah's French Feast
20 Western Wind (Demo)
21 Pale Movie (Demo)
22 La Poupee Qui Fait Non (No No No)
23 Highgate Road Incident
24 My Christmas Prayer
25 I Was Born On Christmas Day
Tracks
1 Urban Clearway
2 Former Lover
3 Hug My Soul
4 Like A Motorway
5 On The Shore
6 Marble Lions
7 Pale Movie
8 Cool Kids Of Death
9 Tankerville / Western Wind
10 The Boy Scouts Of America
11 Urban Clearway (Demo)
12 Black Horse Latitude
13 I Buy American Records
14 Hate Your Drug
15 You Know I'll Miss You When I'm Gone
16 Sushi Rider
17 Hug My Soul (Demo)
18 The Wedding of Stacy Dorning
19 Deborah's French Feast
20 Western Wind (Demo)
21 Pale Movie (Demo)
22 La Poupee Qui Fait Non (No No No)
23 Highgate Road Incident
24 My Christmas Prayer
25 I Was Born On Christmas Day
Pure Sonic Bliss
7 April 2012
Format:Audio CD
Saint Etienne's "Tiger Bay" is one of the group's best records. What's amazing about "Tiger Bay" is that the instrumental songs are just as good as the songs with vocals. This is truly a great accomplishment. It's truly amazing how many quality songs Saint Etienne has recorded in their twenty-plus year career, and this deluxe edition adds another dimension to this already-amazing record.
The first disc starts out with a dazzling instrumental called "Urban Clearway," which still sounds great on repeated listens. "Former Lover" is a beautiful ballad that has a timeless sound. "Hug My Soul" is one of the best feel-good songs of the 90's. "Like A Motorway" has a great beat and also has a good story contained within the lyrics. "On The Shore" can be summed up in one word: relaxing. "Marble Lions" is definitely one of the prettiest songs that the band has ever come up with. Words can't even describe how beautiful this song is. The next song, "Pale Movie" is more of a dance-pop number. It works, but it took a few listens to work its magic on me. "Cool Kids Of Death" is a fantastic instrumental from start to finish. "Western Wind/Tankerville" is mainly an instrumental, although vocalist Sarah Cracknell sings for the first minute of the song. I feel as if this song could have benefited from a bit more instrumentation. The last song on the first disc is "The Boy Scouts Of America." This song has strong vocals by Cracknell; however, the music itself is less than stellar.
The bonus disc has some interesting songs as well. "Black Horse Latitude" has more of an alt-rock sound than most of the songs in Saint Etienne's entire catalog. However, somehow the group makes it sound good. The demo versions of "Hug My Soul," "Urban Clearway," Western Wind," and "Pale Movie" all sound good also. The song, "Hate Your Drug" has a depressing sound that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Most of the other songs, however, have a folk sound. While this isn't a bad thing, it might surprise fans of the band's more electronic/synth-driven songs.
If you enjoyed listening to one of the few "Tiger Bay" editions from the 90's, you will be in for a treat with this deluxe edition. Most of the songs are remastered, and the booklet that comes with the CDs is a good read. Despite the fact that the writer of the liner notes lost the interviews with Sarah and Pete in a hard-drive crash (!), the interview with Bob is most fascinating. If I were ever to record a CD, I would want it to have the same impact on others that "Tiger Bay" has had on me.
The first disc starts out with a dazzling instrumental called "Urban Clearway," which still sounds great on repeated listens. "Former Lover" is a beautiful ballad that has a timeless sound. "Hug My Soul" is one of the best feel-good songs of the 90's. "Like A Motorway" has a great beat and also has a good story contained within the lyrics. "On The Shore" can be summed up in one word: relaxing. "Marble Lions" is definitely one of the prettiest songs that the band has ever come up with. Words can't even describe how beautiful this song is. The next song, "Pale Movie" is more of a dance-pop number. It works, but it took a few listens to work its magic on me. "Cool Kids Of Death" is a fantastic instrumental from start to finish. "Western Wind/Tankerville" is mainly an instrumental, although vocalist Sarah Cracknell sings for the first minute of the song. I feel as if this song could have benefited from a bit more instrumentation. The last song on the first disc is "The Boy Scouts Of America." This song has strong vocals by Cracknell; however, the music itself is less than stellar.
The bonus disc has some interesting songs as well. "Black Horse Latitude" has more of an alt-rock sound than most of the songs in Saint Etienne's entire catalog. However, somehow the group makes it sound good. The demo versions of "Hug My Soul," "Urban Clearway," Western Wind," and "Pale Movie" all sound good also. The song, "Hate Your Drug" has a depressing sound that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Most of the other songs, however, have a folk sound. While this isn't a bad thing, it might surprise fans of the band's more electronic/synth-driven songs.
If you enjoyed listening to one of the few "Tiger Bay" editions from the 90's, you will be in for a treat with this deluxe edition. Most of the songs are remastered, and the booklet that comes with the CDs is a good read. Despite the fact that the writer of the liner notes lost the interviews with Sarah and Pete in a hard-drive crash (!), the interview with Bob is most fascinating. If I were ever to record a CD, I would want it to have the same impact on others that "Tiger Bay" has had on me.
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