Foxbase Alpha

This album was ok. Do I think that it is one of the 1001 albums that I must listen to before I died? No. It was an ok album.

I absolutely adore this album. Such a cool mix of 60s pop with trip hop and dub influences. The Neil Young cover is next level too.

The beginning of my love affair with Saint Etienne. A band that encompasses London and my years living there. House & club culture meets the sixties delivering epic coolness. This band make me happy every time I listen to them.

Love it! So quirky, joyful and upbeat, such intelligent use of the most obscure samples.

Classic UK electronic pop album from the early nineties just like Screamadelica (1991) or The White Room (1992) or Blue Lines (1991) or Morning Dove White (1993). Has Saint Etienne ever made a bad album? (Tiger Bay should be on the list as well, and last year's I've Been Trying To Tell You was one of the best albums from 2022.) 5*, some favourite songs: She's The One and Like A Swallow. Apparently "Dazzle Ships" was a big inspiration for the album, but as always there are plenty of other music references as well (after all, Bob Stanley's "Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop" (2013) is one of the best books about popular music ever).

Felt like a mix of Massive Attack and Cocteau Twins. So basically I'm in love. Good to drive to btw.

Sarah Cracknell, Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley. What a legendary trio and everything they've ever touched is brilliant. This might be my favourite Saint Etienne album. Think it's been 4 years now since i saw them in Leamington doing their Foxbase Alpha tour. What a brilliant concert. Played this album from start to finish. It has the perfect balance of different genres. There's a bit of trip hop, dub, "britpop" (before it existed as a term) and electronic/dance/house. Also, it's got the best cover ever; Only love can break your heart. Fun fact: the girl featured on the album cover (not a part of the band) can also be seen in Pulps video for their song Babies. Oh, and if you haven't already, check out at least these albums by this very same band: So Tough, Sound Of Water, Tiger Bay and Good Humor.

Not something I'd ever heard of before, but I love it. Was hooked from the first track. Adding this into my driving and work rotation for when I need something chilled. Exactly the reason I love this generator as I would never have heard this normally. 5*

Starting your album off with a cover? bold choice. Though its so transformational that its a nice setup for the rest of the album. Girl VII is infectious. I like Nothing Can Stop Us. Kiss And Make Up is fun as well.

Fun, fun, fun. They don’t make ‘em like this any more. Mainly because it’s not worth the hassle of clearing that many samples these days. I really like the juggling of pop sophistication with other, more down-home, pop culture references. An excellent pop album. Only ‘Swallow’, which seemed to really go against the prevailing mood and was a little jarring to these ears in context, stopped this being a full 5 stars.

Well I am very impressed by this. Having heard this, I wonder why dub indie wasn't a bigger subgenre. The bassy, echoey production against Sarah Cracknell's none more Felt Records voice is a lovely contrast (and one I didn't think happened until the late 90s). It also zips past faster than its 50 minutes would suggest. Like a dubby bubble bath.

Loved this, a enjoyable mix of ambience and almost dancy eletronica. Quite alternative too. Would listen again!

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Girl VII, Spring, Kiss and Make Up Cutting Edge: Carnt Sleep, People Get Real Overall Notes: Not at all what I expected based on the album cover and the reputation this album has. Was expecting some kind of twee pop stuff but it was actually some decent dance music instead. Don't understand the polarizing reviews of this album compared to something like Screamadelica getting rave reviews. I know it came after but I liked this one more. The first half was on a strong four trajectory, but it lost steam as it went along. Cut like 3 or 4 songs and it's a 4.

This is just so entirely not my cup of tea. The English are so fucking hit or miss, nothing in between. Just so stupidly precious and unnecessary. 2 stars because it's more tolerable than Anthrax.

Had a pub lunch to this

Can I have one of these, one of these, and two of those please. Come on auntie we'll miss the bus! I forgot the two long (mostly) instrumentals on here that sort of don't belong but also kind of do. Like the Swallow turns into MBV almost. Album as a whole is not what I think of when I think St Etienne but it's kind of better for it, and shows they didn't just make fantastic cheesy pop like You're in a Bad Way or He's on the Phone. Nothing Can Stop Us Now fulfils that here, and is right up there with their best. Pleased to note that Spotify have only partially carried out Neil's writ. Makes me want to go listen to So Tough and Good Humor. Did in fact stick So Tough on straight afterwards, classic two sides of a C90. I wonder which two songs I dropped to fit them on?

Loved it

I gotta say, Foxbase Alpha was a pretty darn good album. The songs all had their own uniqueness to them and fit different moods like groovy, relaxing, somber and all of that stuff while still feeling like they fit well together. The voices of the two female vocalists also work well with the songs too (if you don't know, Sarah Cracknell did not sing \"Only Love Can Break Your Heart\" which was sang by Moira Lambert). Its a good album and is definitely worth listening to. Best Song: Spring Worst Song: Wilson

I’m sympathetic to Bob Stanley et al’s aesthetic values, as well (especially) as their dedication to marry those aesthetics with Head Boppin’ Dance Beats. Of course the Denniz PoP-style Scandi-reggae rewire of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” (and especially its lengthier, dubbier remix by Andrew Weatherall) is an all-timer. Kind by its own admission it seems like a record that’d be great for springtime, although unfortunately it isn’t springtime at the time of this writing. (Comparable rain and humidity though!)

Lol, I went from listening to Black Flag yesterday to this. Sarah Cracknell is one of my all-time crushes so I can't help but love this. It conjures up hot Summer holidays by the seaside. It's so airy and dreamy. Perfect pop.

From the looks of things, Foxbase Alpha may have been seen as a twee 60s pastiche that was picking off whatever meat was left from the carcass. How the music contained inside this record proved that to be completely wrong. Saint Etienne used what was around the sphere of 90s counterculture and fused it into a palatable and at times surprising collage of downtempo covers and euphoric performances. Sometimes it is best to judge a book by its cover, one doesn't know what lies within. Favorites: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Carnt Sleep, Spring, She's the One, People Get Real, Stoned to Say the Least, Nothing Can Stop Us, London Belongs to Me, Kiss and Make Up.

A classic evergreen of soft rave. Somehow exactly describing the vibe of the time it emerged from. Somehow timeless. Some Songs are stronger than others but still the melancholic ambience resides very luxuriously in this lush synthpop realm surrounded by thick, reverby bass lines. Strong 4.3

"Foxbase Alpha" is the debut album from the English band Saint Etienne although their name was taken from the French football team AS Saint-Étienne. Their style of music is described as a combination of club culture and house music with 1960's pop. That's fair enough. I also heard elements of trip hop, straight-forward pop and similarities in certain songs to bands such as New Order, Everything But The Girl and Spandau Ballet. The band cited OMD's "Dazzle Ship" as a major influence. The band consists of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs both on the synthesizers and other instruments and Sarah Cracknell who would eventually become a full-time band member and vocalist during the recording. This is a pretty good album and at times great. One of its strengths was kind of changing tempos and beats over the album length. I think if the music would have stayed with same beat it would have gotten quite boring. It was on the short list for the 1982 UK Mercury Prize for best album. The album begins with a TV or radio show or movie dialogue in French and the song "This is Radio Etienne." This leads into their cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart." An interesting cover choice but it works. They changed the time to 4/4 (more fast paced) from the orginal Waltz and also the chord progression. It is defintely more poppy. A driving piano and Moira Lambert was the lead singer, not Sarah Cracknell at this point. A first -half album highlight is "Girl VII" with its bongos and other percussion. The first heavier dance-oriented song on the album. Sarah Cracknell's vocals give it a dreamy atmosphere which is common on a lot of these songs. I Iiked the album second half better than the first. "People Get Real" reminded me a lot of New Order. A nice pop song and melody. A softer dance beat. "Nothing Can Stop Us" was the third album single and is the most soulful song on the album. It also has a great groove and is a happy sounding song. It samples Dusty Springfield's "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face." "Kiss and Make Up" was the second single. Another cover...this time of a Field Mice song. I guess piano-driven house music is an apt description. A weird synth start. A great dance-pop beat. Cracknell's sultry vocals. Probably my favorite song on the album. Saint Etienne was much bigger in the UK than the US. I had not heard them much. I enjoyed this album and will give some of their other albums a listen. I liked their variety kind of within their own style and their musical influences are bands that I am a fan of.

Cool beats and samples make for a chill listen to work or relax to. Some euro club vibes at times mixed with light pop lyrics. Only love can beak your heart, Spring, people get real. 3.5

Loved this! Well outside the sort of thing I would have searched for and that’s why I love this generator! Really cool, laid back chilled tunes! Definitely to be bought! I’ll recommend to everyone and they’ll get even sicker of me than normal but it’s only fair! Tremendous album!

What a fun mix of electronic and house with r&b singing and pop structures. I abs love the vibe the album brings. Very underrated pop album from the UK props. 8/10

Never heard of these before but right up my street. Loved the ambient tracks, and the soundbites they drop in, not quite a 5, maybe a 4.5

Their cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart remains one of my favorite songs of all time. The rest of the album feels like 90's dance schlock.

An interesting LP for sure, clearly irreverent in one hand but focused on groove in the other. I liked the French avant-garde approach here, an assemblage of beats and samples leading into the tracks and making this feel like a found footage reel. Not sure the overall effect works musically given how disjointed some tracks and transitions feel, but I was happy to see where things went on this decidedly French approach to music.

While I do like dance rock, synthpunk and electronic music in general, I've never gotten into house or trance music. I certainly enjoyed the vibe on a few songs but a lot of times it got a little too club for me. It wasn't unlistenable techno thumping though so I can appreciate their "club, without going too hard" sensibilities. I do enjoy a band finding success going against the grain though. Especially because I'm not a huge fan of the 90s Britpop scene. So way to stick it to them Saint Etienne.

90s synth + 60s pop = this album. Atmospheric feel that is mostly pleasant and sometimes jarring. Inoffensive and safe. Best track: People Get Real.

WOuLd yOu liKe sOMe SweEtS WiLLy?

It's fine. I think it's time someone told Robert Dimery the definition of the word "need".

I went into this record fully aware that "acid-house" music is not a genre I listen to. But I tried to have an open mind :( But... Do I actually have to be on acid to enjoy some of these tracks? The second song, repeating "Would you like some sweets willy" is the most obnoxious god damn thing I've ever heard. I'm happy to hear some of the other songs rely on some singing and some actual MUSIC beyond the same sample over and over again. But again and again it happens where it's just the same shitty sample replayed ad nauseum. This will never be for me.

Bread pudding as croquembouche.

Music for student bedwetters- hot singer with not so hot tunes. Every time I thought it was getting better something rubbish would come along. Not irredeemable but will never be back. 1991 - what a year for music

Not my thing but v groovy

What a surprise! It was so good! This album is awesome!

she has a sexy voice

What a great album. Loved it

my first impression of this band is that they have a very interesting composition and that sarah cracknell has a beautiful voice. while some songs, such as wilson, weren’t my jam, i found the way layering they vocals and instruments, yet still keep the music sounding simple and calm very interesting. honestly reminded me of something they’d play in that cool underground bar that my dad takes me to. loved this album.

65 degrees in NYC with the windows open and a cold brew, this is album couldn't sound better than it does right now

Dreamy. Love it.

Chill pop I enjoyed

Absolutely amazing phenomenal i love this so much. Psychadellic chilllll realness

Hey!!! I never thought I'd see St. Etienne on here! This is a treat! First album I had of these guys was Tiger Bay 1994. Pretty sure I got it at Rockin Rudy's or from Columbia House. I don't think I've listened to this whole album. But I have heard at least one song from it. Man her voice is so pretty. I've really liked this so far. It's light and airy. St. Etienne holds a special place in my heart so 5 stars

Geggjað

Wow.... This hit me like a truck, talk about good timing. Had no idea bout any of this band and music, but I'm hooked. Transportative and stimulating in all the ways. I will be re-visiting this artist and album for sure

Det her er virkelig lækkert, specielt "I carnt sleep", "Girl VII"

Groovy morning music

I loved it, never heard it before at all. Just fantastic, absolutely will circle back in this again.

It is a very interesting album actually.

9/10

St etienne are one of those bands i never got round to actually listening to so this is the impetus to go and do that as this is pretty bloody good.

Hört bara lite sporadiskt tidigare. Många vassa spår.

This is short, but brilliant. I'd not have guessed that this would have gone back as far as 1991 - it's doing things that I'd assumed would have been a few years (at least) later, and it does them well. Top notch.

just lovely

Loved this.

an old and forgotten favorite

really enjoyed this - didnt think I would but right up my alley

4.5 pretty

I didn't know this group and I really enjoyed it.

A fun sexy time. New contender for “just play it on loop”

The 2k French triphop sound this album has is soooo dope. I live for "Kiss and Make Up". Gonna make that my alarm for a while, actually ;3;

Normally music from this era sounds to me like it is missing soemthing, but this was qctually great. Fun beats, just the right track length, interesting all the way through

Where have you been all my life? Music to soothe the savage beast.

Way better than expected. Great production, lots of color.

What a treat. I have to admit I was a fan, mostly stemming from this, their best album. Just a bunch of well-worn, perfect vibes.

New to me. Enjoying this

Me gustó bastante. La combinación del house con influencias del pop retro resulta tanto etérea como fácilmente consumible. Un disco conciliador entre los sonidos mainstream de épocas pasadas y la integración de los sonidos populares en la EDM noventera del rave. Tiene un buen balance entre las composiciones minimalistas y algunas más robustas con vocales incluso. Disfruté sobre todo la ondita techno-house de Stoned to say the Least y la vibra etérea de cualquier pop indie posterior a los 2000 meets 80s Madonna en Girl VII. Mood: Un día de buen humor y parsimonia.

Muy bonito álbum, siento que desde que empezó la primera canción, tras el intro radiofónico, supe que esto era para mí. No conocía a Saint Etienne o al menos no consciente y este es un disco debut buenazo. También suena mucho a los 90 y de repente es ternura, de repente es etéreo, de repente es tranquilizante. Eso de poner canciones instrumentales por ahí intercaladas es un recurso que me gusta y "Stoned to Say the Least" me gustó, si bien creo que se descoloca un poco respecto al resto. Canciones fav: "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Wilson", "Girl VII", "Nothing Can Stop Us" y "Kiss and Make Up" <3. 9.5/10

genre tags on rym look very me-core it is very me-core. excellent blend old pop and breakbeats / house. i really like this album. Like a less french dots and loops by stereolab (idk what that means it just reminds me of that album for whatever reason)

Ah it's lovely

Sweet indie pop classic. That Neil Young cover though.

A fun listen, best song comes right at the start which is always a little annoying though.

Feelin very indie

This was interesting and will listen again with a sober head

I like this better now. The hits still hit. 4/5

Interesting, different French nostalgia vibe

Easy listening Indie Pop with a faible for the 60's.

4 stars just cause the second track is so fuckin bangin

nice background music for when you go on a walk in the woods when it’s sunny

Thought they would be French, very English, I liked the sort of early house electronic vibes, thought it was very chill and nice easy listening

So quirky, joyful and upbeat, such intelligent use of the most obscure samples.

20240905 Saint Etienne – Foxbase Alpha 3.5/5 Now this is an “old sounding” album that I can get around (knowing that it is a 90’s album, but it has aged quite a bit). This electro pop album sounds exactly like its time, similar to other artists like Portishead or Massive Attack; and on the trend of sample-driven music, probably influencing other bands like The Avalanches. I’m a big fan of these musicians, so that is a big start for liking Saint Etienne’s record. Despite its aged production and other flaws like too long songs, I have enjoyed it quite a bit. Favourite songs: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Spring, She's the One. Least favourite songs: Carnt Sleep, Stoned to Say the Least, Like the Swallow.

Easy listen electronica. Experimental at times. Some of the tracks I would have preferred as instrumental even though her voice is pleasant.

Very different! Really enjoyed this one.

Enjoyed more than I expected to, elements of Brit pop and trip hop throughout this one. Fun

Only Love Can Save Your Heart is a great cover.

I really enjoyed the ambient sound of this album. I feel like I could hear the first inklings of the tropes and techniques that are fundamental to later genres like lo-fi and hauntology

fab summer vibes

Pleasantly surprised by the album, it released in 1992 but it could've been released last year. Every track is perfectly chill, very listenable (not super memorable though).

Pretty enjoyable album. I really liked the mellow vocals. I would probably check out the rest of their catalog.

3.5/5

bella mina

The shit

twee

Pretty good album considering the genre. Never heard of it before.

Very catchy and groovy songs. "Only Live Can Break a Heart," "Spring," "nothing Can Stop Us," and"Kids and Make Up" are favorites. The interstitial of guys at a poker game was ... a bit too long for me.

I actually kind of like this album and have absolutely no idea how to classify it. There is sampling and rhythmic and melodic repetition, but not to the point of being overdone. I suppose it is Indie in spirit but not in musicality.