Tim: If their website (where this track is available all free and everything) is to be believed, we should adopt this as our theme song, because, much like their soon to be released first new album for seven years, it’s ‘all about the primal and atavistic pull that all good pop music exerts’. Interested?
Tom: It’s Saint Etienne. Of course I’m interested.
Tim: Well, I’m primally and atavistically pulled by it – are you?
Tom: I thought I might be, but then I belched slightly and the feeling passed.
Tim: Urgh.
Tom: Yeah, sorry, my jokes haven’t been classy lately. Should we talk about the song?
Tim: I think we should. At 4 minutes and 38 seconds, it’s pushing the limits of acceptability as far as my somewhat-closed mind is concerned, but actually I don’t care at all, because it’s 4 minutes and 38 seconds of brilliantly synth-heavy pop music, with lovely quiet bits exactly where they belong and even lovelier chirpy bits exactly where they belong.
Tom: “Chirpy” sums it up really rather well.
Tim: Chances of opening with a top five hit?
Tom: I wouldn’t really give good odds on them getting a Top 40, to be honest, which is a shame.
Tim: Yeah – they’ve sadly never had a massive amount of commercial success, but this is just as good as anything they’ve done in their previous 20-odd years as a band so here’s hoping.
Tom: Ooh, careful. I still have a place in my heart for He’s On The Phone (specifically, this remix of it), which I’d controversially put high up a list of Best Tracks of the 1990s.
Tim: Controversial indeed. I can see where you’re coming from, though. Nice choice.