Music : Indie : MP3/Over 256Kbps




Saint Etienne - A Glimpse of Stocking (2010)


***Standard 15 track version***






Saint Etienne are an English alternative dance act, fronted by Sarah Cracknell. Former music journalists Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs are the other regular members of the band. They are named not after the French city Saint-Étienne itself but rather its French football team AS Saint-Étienne.





BBC Review

"A frisky, marvellous delight from beginning to end."

Ian Wade 2010-12-10

It’s Christmas time. There’s usually no need to be afraid. But let’s face it, it’s never really the most inspiring period for popular music. For every gem or two wrestled from each Christmas-themed release, there’s usually a sleigh-load of rubbish to wade through. So it’s a pleasure to report that those good folks Saint Etienne have decided to up the ante with not just an amazing single, but a whole tremendous album of Christmas joy and goodness. But be quick to get it or drop heavy hints, though, as it’s a limited release and likely to get snapped up almost immediately.

Given the bitter weather, it’s nice of Sarah, Bob and Pete to provide something to keep you warm with a set that collects together previous fan club releases along with 1994’s I Was Born on Christmas Day smash, as well as recording a half-dozen new additions to complete proceedings. Alongside well-selected covers of Cliff Richard (21st Century Christmas), Chris Rea (Driving Home for Christmas), Billy Fury (My Christmas Prayer) and The Doors (Wintertime Love), there’s the tinsel techno rave-up of Gonna Have a Party, the sizzling glam of Come on Christmas, the icy OMDness of Through the Winter and the instrumental interludes of Snowbound on the South Bank and Fireside Favourite. They finish off with their version of Harry Nilsson’s Snow, from 2003’s fan club disc. There are no new takes on carols, nor any narky topical dialogues about the commercialisation of Christmas among this lot; instead, it’s a groovin’ assortment of magic and sparkle all the way.

A frisky, marvellous delight from beginning to end, A Glimpse of Stocking finds itself high and firmly in the lineage of quality festive albums, to be filed beside similarly themed releases by the Carpenters, Ella, The Beach Boys, Low and Phil Spector. It is, albeit not quite literally (nobody wants a record exploding in their hands), a cracker. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/zcd3

 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Glimpse_of_Stocking


Tracklist:

01 – Gonna Have a Party
02 – 21st Century Christmas
03 – Driving Home for Christmas
04 – Welcome Home
05 – Snowbound on the South Bank
06 – My Christmas Prayer
07 – I Don’t Intend to Spend Christmas Without You
08 – Come on Christmas
09 – Through the Winter
10 – I Was Born on Christmas Day
11 – Fireside Favourite
12 – No Cure for the Common Christmas
13 – Wintertime Love
14 – Unwrap Me
15 – Snow


A Glimpse of Stocking is a fan club only release by Saint Etienne. It includes every Christmas song recorded by the band and contains seven exclusive new songs.

"Gonna Have A Party", "Welcome Home", "Snowbound On The Southbank", "Fireside Favourite", "No Cure For The Common Christmas", "Wintertime Love" and "Unwrap Me" are exclusive to this record.

The record is limited to 3000 copies and comes in three different versions :

1. the standard 15 track version
2. the standard 15 track version with a signed Christmas card
3. the standard 15 track version with a signed Christmas card and a second disc containing an exclusive personalized track, including the purchasers name in the lyrics.





More info:


 
https://www.saintetienne.com/


 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Etienne_%28band%29


 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Glimpse_of_Stocking


 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/zcd3


 
https://www.saint.etienne.net/








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