Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
The trio Saint Etienne (songwriters/musicians Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley and vocalist Sarah Cracknell) has been a popular fixture in the British indie dance scene since the release of its debut album Foxbase Alpha in 1992. Combining '60s-influenced pop and the acid house rhythms of the British club scene, the band has scored with a series of successful European albums and singles. Saint Etienne has also earned critical acclaim and a loyal cult following in America (particularly in dance clubs), though U.S. commercial success has been elusive. Saint Etienne has released a series of strong albums since the early 1990s. Continental is a superb collection of mostly previously released material, and it's a nice introduction to their solid body of work. Their strong points are the combination of atmospheric (yet accessible) arrangements and Sarah Cracknell's '60s girl group cooing. However, her vocals are not derivative or cutesy, instead lending substantial personality to the material. "Burnt Out Car" and "He's on the Phone" benefit greatly from her performances, mainly because Saint Etienne rarely incorporates obvious pop hooks. Rather, the band relies more on rhythm and personality, making it considerably more complex than the average pop/dance band. Continental's best track is a house cover of Gary Numan's "Stormtrooper in Drag" (it previously appeared on a Gary Numan tribute album), which is odd in concept but surprisingly effective. Fortunately, Continental surrounds that tune with equally competent Saint Etienne originals. Any of the group's studio albums, particularly So Tough and Tiger Bay, will serve as a nice introduction to the band's music, since the trio's best albums stand on their own quite nicely. However, various collections of singles, remixes, and rare material have also been released, and Continental is by far one of the best. Highly recommended.
© William Cooper /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133.33/month
Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Gerard Johnson, Producer - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Brian Higgins, Producer - Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Mat Gray, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Ian Catt, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Psychonauts, Producer, MixingEngineer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Ian Catt, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Ian Catt, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Sarah Cracknell, Composer - Brian Higgins, Producer - Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Etienne Daho, Composer - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Ian Catt, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Brian Higgins, Producer - Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Gary Numan, Composer - Paul Gardiner, Composer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Sarah Cracknell, Composer - Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Ian Catt, Composer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Gerard Johnson, Producer - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Mike Bolton for PFM, Producer, MixingEngineer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Sarah Cracknell, Composer - Saint Etienne, MainArtist - Ian Catt, Composer, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Broadcast, Producer, MixingEngineer - Saint Etienne, Producer, MainArtist - Bob Stanley, Composer - Pete Wiggs, Composer - Ian Catt, Producer
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Album review
The trio Saint Etienne (songwriters/musicians Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley and vocalist Sarah Cracknell) has been a popular fixture in the British indie dance scene since the release of its debut album Foxbase Alpha in 1992. Combining '60s-influenced pop and the acid house rhythms of the British club scene, the band has scored with a series of successful European albums and singles. Saint Etienne has also earned critical acclaim and a loyal cult following in America (particularly in dance clubs), though U.S. commercial success has been elusive. Saint Etienne has released a series of strong albums since the early 1990s. Continental is a superb collection of mostly previously released material, and it's a nice introduction to their solid body of work. Their strong points are the combination of atmospheric (yet accessible) arrangements and Sarah Cracknell's '60s girl group cooing. However, her vocals are not derivative or cutesy, instead lending substantial personality to the material. "Burnt Out Car" and "He's on the Phone" benefit greatly from her performances, mainly because Saint Etienne rarely incorporates obvious pop hooks. Rather, the band relies more on rhythm and personality, making it considerably more complex than the average pop/dance band. Continental's best track is a house cover of Gary Numan's "Stormtrooper in Drag" (it previously appeared on a Gary Numan tribute album), which is odd in concept but surprisingly effective. Fortunately, Continental surrounds that tune with equally competent Saint Etienne originals. Any of the group's studio albums, particularly So Tough and Tiger Bay, will serve as a nice introduction to the band's music, since the trio's best albums stand on their own quite nicely. However, various collections of singles, remixes, and rare material have also been released, and Continental is by far one of the best. Highly recommended.
© William Cooper /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:52:45
- Main artists: Saint Etienne
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Heavenly Recordings
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
2017 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS] 1997 Saint Etienne Ltd. under exclusive licence to [PIAS]
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.