Saint Etienne re-master So Tough and Sound Of Water

Saint Etienne have announced details of the release of expanded and re-mastered versions of their albums So Tough and Sound Of Water on Heavenly through Universal on August 31st 2009.

Both albums will be re-released as Deluxe Editions featuring the original album, an extra disc of session tracks and B-sides and extensive sleeve-notes.

So Tough, the group's second album, was originally released in March 1993 through Heavenly Recordings and reached number 7 in the UK charts – the album featured the singles You're In A Bad Way, Avenue and Hobart Paving. The album artwork featured a picture of lead-singer Sarah Cracknell aged 6.

Sound Of Water, released in 2000 through Mantra Records and Sub Pop in the US, marked a shift in direction for the band – featuring arrangements from the High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan and Berlin based 'post-rock' trio To Rocco Rot, the album was much more experimental from a band traditionally known for their 'perfect pop'.

Made up of vocalist Sarah Cracknell, Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley, Saint Etienne (named after the green shirted French football side who enjoyed a run of European success in the 1970's) formed in 1990.

Their debut album Foxbase Alpha, released in 1991, established them as a quintessentially English proposition – part Lyons Corner House, part acid house –and their love of techno,the Beach Boys and classic English pop marked them out as something charmingly unique. Given their love of pop it's no surprise they would later work with Xenomania's Brian Higgins on their 2005 album Tales From Turnpike House (an album also featuring vocal contributions from David Essex).

A group with a keen cultural sense and a classic suburban love of the 'romance of London', they recently contributed soundtracks for a couple of films documenting the landscape of London – Finisterre in 2002 (this was released as an album of the same name) and What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day? a 2005 film which documents the state of the Lower Lea Valley in east London.

The group continue to record and play live and recently performed their debut album, Foxbase Alpha, in its entirety over 2 sold-out nights at London's Bloomsbury Ball room. They have announced a further 2 Foxbase Alpha shows in the Autumn.

The dates are as follows:

OCTOBER
15th Manchester Ritz
16th London Shepherd's Bush Empire.


The full tracklistings for the albums are:

SO TOUGH:

Disc 1 (original album)
Mario's Café
Railway Jam
Date with Spelman
Calico
Avenue
You're In A Bad Way
Memo To Pricey
Hobart Paving
Leafhound
Clock Milk
Conchita Martinez
No Rainbows For Me
Here Comes Clown Feet
Junk The Morgue
Chicken Soup

Disc 2
Everything Flows
Orpington Blues
Who Do You Think You Are
Some Place Else
Duke Duvet
Paper
Johnny In The Echo Café
Archway People
California Snow Story
Join Our Club
Everlasting
Snowplough
Rainy Day Woman
Peterloo
Stranger In Paradise
I'm Too Sexy
Hobart Paving – Van Dyke Parks arrangement

SOUND OF WATER:

Disc 1 (original album)
Late Morning
Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi)
Sycamore
Don't Back Down
Just A Little Overcome
Boy Is Crying
Aspects Of Lambert
Downey CA
How We Used To Live
The Place At Dawn

Disc 2
Roseneck
Northwestern
Red Setter
Blofeld Buildings
Bar Conscience
Shoot Out The Lights
Thank You
Chaos In The Gym
Tony Jacket
Garage For Gunther
Ivyhouse
52 Pilot
We're In The City
Artieripp
Sadie's Anniversary
Half Timbered
Empty Shop