St Etienne: Sound Of Water

BACK IN the early Nineties, St Etienne were ubiquitous, perhaps a little too ubiquitous. Rarely out of the music press, constantly hovering on the edge of the national charts looking for a foothold, it was easy to take them for granted. Now that they've been absent for a while, and groups like Air have openly acknowledged the influence of their avant-tupperware pop, St Etienne can be regarded as something of a national treasure.