PREVIEW
ST ETIENNE
Koko

St Etienne

SOME bands never die, they just go on and on and on and it becomes dull.
St Etienne are an exception. They have gone on and on and on but rarely have been boring.
Just when you think you haven’t heard from St Et in a while, they pop up again with something sounding iceberg-lettuce fresh. This time Sarah Cracknell’s mob return with alleged concept album, Tales From Turnpike House, which hits the shops next week.
The band also play Koko – the old Camden Palace in Camden High Street – on Thursday night. Don’t be surprised if the grand old venue sells out, even with ticket prices just shy of a score. St Etienne have made many friends everywhere since shaking dance floors with their all-time classic edit of Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Their popularity must be because they have such a distinct and engaging style, which maybe only Black Box Recorder or The Auteurs have come close to matching. Tales From Turnpike House is an odd mish-mash of tunes about living in Islington.
But, even though David Essex turns up for a cameo, it’s a nice kind of odd, blitzing electronica, chill-out and occasional indie guitar. When the collage looks too strained, Cracknell’s distinctive vocals lifts the band again.
She’s been expertly doing this for years now – what’s the betting she’ll still be doing it for years to come.
And she has picked the right place to make a new splash.
Koko is gaining a reputation for being an alternative venue of choice for both new stars and old favourites. It should be the perfect setting for St Etienne’s comeback. It would be a shame to miss it.