London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne

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London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne
Greatest hits album by
Saint Etienne
Released16 February 2009 (2009-02-16)
Recorded1990–2009
Genre
Length2:31:21
LabelHeavenly Records – HVNLP69
ProducerSaint Etienne, Various
Saint Etienne chronology
Boxette
(2008) 		London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne
(2009) 		A Glimpse of Stocking
(2010)
Singles from London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne
  1. "Burnt Out Car"
    Released: 22 September 2008
  2. "Method of Modern Love"
    Released: 9 February 2009
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
BBC(Favorable)[2]
Drowned in Sound(8/10)[3]
The Guardian[4]
Pitchfork Media(8.8/10)[5]

London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne is a compilation album by the English electronic music group Saint Etienne. It was released as a single CD, a 2CD set, a deluxe 2CD/DVD set (packaged in a hardback book), and a 2LP vinyl set. It features the 2008 Xenomania Mix of "Burnt Out Car", the Richard X mix of "This Is Tomorrow" and "Method of Modern Love". The compilation features a selection of their regular A-sides on the first disc, while disc two includes various further A-sides, B-sides, non-singles and album tracks.

Originally due for release in November 2008 following the re-release of "Burnt Out Car," the set was delayed several times as a result of manufacturing issues as well as the introductory single's low chart position. In addition, a planned single-disc edition (featuring only the first disc of the set) was cancelled. The set ultimately came out in February 2009 following the release of the newly recorded Richard X collaboration "Method of Modern Love." Some early-run copies of the 2CD edition are available, though, omitting "Method of Modern Love." The single-disc edition was eventually issued alongside remastered single-disc editions the rest of the band's catalogue in 2011, following the release of deluxe editions of most of their albums.

In its week of release the compilation charted at #79 in the UK,[6] missing out on the Top 75 in part due to a surge in older albums following the Brit Awards.

Track listing[edit]

CD[edit]

Standard edition (HVNLP69CD) / Deluxe edition CD1 (HVNLP69CDDE / HVNLP69CDSE)
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (feat. Moira Lambert)Neil YoungFoxbase Alpha, 19914:32
2."Nothing Can Stop Us"
Foxbase Alpha4:22
3."Join Our Club" (2001 remix)
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
So Tough (US edition), 1993[a]3:18
4."Avenue" (radio edit)
So Tough[b]3:50
5."You're in a Bad Way" (single version)
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
So Tough[c]3:03
6."Hobart Paving" (single version)
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
So Tough[c]4:50
7."Who Do You Think You Are"
  • Des Dyer
  • Clive Scott
You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone, 1993[d]3:50
8."Pale Movie"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Tiger Bay, 19943:46
9."Like a Motorway" (radio edit)
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Tiger Bay[c]3:43
10."Hug My Soul" (radio edit)
  • Guy Batson
  • Cracknell
  • Johnny Male
Tiger Bay[c]3:55
11."He's on the Phone" (radio edit – feat. Étienne Daho)
  • Cracknell
  • Daho
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Too Young to Die, 1995[e]4:09
12."Sylvie" (single version)
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Good Humor, 1998[e]4:02
13."Heart Failed (In the Back of a Taxi)"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Sound of Water, 20003:39
14."Action" (radio edit)
Finisterre, 2002[f]3:51
15."A Good Thing"
  • Cracknell
  • Lawrence Oakley
  • Mark Waterfield
Tales from Turnpike House, 20054:02
16."Side Streets"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Tales from Turnpike House2:57
17."Burnt Out Car" (Xenomania mix)
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Continental, 1997[g]3:41
18."Method of Modern Love[h]"
New recording4:20
19."This Is Tomorrow" (Richard X version)
  • Annie
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
New recording3:28
Deluxe edition CD2
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Kiss and Make Up" (US version)
  • Bobby Wratten
  • Michael Hiscock
Foxbase Alpha (US edition, 1992)5:14
2."Filthy" (feat. Q-Tee)
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
  • Tatiana Mais
You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone[i]5:35
3."Spring"
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Foxbase Alpha3:44
4."People Get Real"
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Foxbase Alpha (US edition)[j]4:45
5."Mario's Cafe"
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
So Tough4:31
6."Goodnight Jack"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Good Humor4:22
7."The Bad Photographer"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Good Humor4:00
8."Lose That Girl"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Good Humor4:05
9."Lover Plays the Bass"
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Non-album single, 1999[k]4:16
10."How We Used to Live"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Sound of Water8:51
11."Boy Is Crying" (single mix)
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Sound of Water[f]3:39
12."Finisterre" (edit)
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Finisterre[f]3:45
13."Soft Like Me" (feat. Wildflower)
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
  • Vanessa George
Finisterre4:26
14."Shower Scene"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Coler
Finisterre4:22
15."Stars Above Us"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
  • Xenomania
Tales from Turnpike House3:26
16."Teenage Winter"
  • Cracknell
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Tales from Turnpike House5:53
17."I Was Born on Christmas Day" (feat. Tim Burgess)
  • Catt
  • Stanley
  • Wiggs
Xmas 93 EP, 1993[l]3:11

DVD[edit]

DVD (HVNLP69CDSE)
No.TitleDirector(s)Length
1."Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (feat. Moira Lambert – original b&w version)
  • David Lodge
  • Nick Bray
 
2."Kiss and Make Up" (feat. Donna Savage)Marquis Films 
3."Nothing Can Stop Us"Hiro Nakano 
4."Avenue"Paul Kelly 
5."You're in a Bad Way"Paul Kelly 
6."Hobart Paving"Kelly 
7."Who Do You Think You Are"Kelly 
8."I Was Born on Christmas Day" (feat. Tim Burgess)James Fry 
9."Pale Movie"Fry 
10."Like a Motorway"Kelly 
11."Hug My Soul"Paul Wells 
12."He's on the Phone" (feat. Étienne Daho)Kelly 
13."Sylvie"Bjorn Lindgren 
14."The Bad Photographer"Lindgren 
15."How We Used to Live"Mikey Tomkins 
16."Heart Failed (In the Back of a Taxi)"Tomkins 
17."Action"
 
18."Side Streets"Kelly 

LP[edit]

Side one (HVNLP69)
No.TitleLength
1."Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (feat. Moira Lambert)4:32
2."Nothing Can Stop Us"4:22
3."Join Our Club" (2001 remix)3:18
4."Avenue" (radio edit)3:50
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."You're in a Bad Way" (single version)3:03
6."Hobart Paving" (single version)4:50
7."Who Do You Think You Are"3:50
8."Pale Movie"3:46
9."Like a Motorway" (radio edit)3:43
10."Hug My Soul" (radio edit)3:55
Side three
No.TitleLength
11."He's on the Phone" (radio edit – feat. Étienne Daho)4:09
12."Sylvie" (single version)4:02
13."Heart Failed (In The Back of a Taxi)"3:39
14."Action" (radio edit)3:51
Side four
No.TitleLength
15."A Good Thing"4:02
16."Side Streets"2:57
17."Burnt Out Car" (Xenomania mix)3:41
18."This Is Tomorrow" (Richard X version)3:28

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ 2001 remix first appeared on Smash the System: Singles and More, 2001.
  2. ^ First album appearance of the radio edit was Smash the System: Singles 1990–99, 2005.
  3. ^ a b c d First album appearance of the single version was Too Young to Die.
  4. ^ First released as a non-album single, 1993.
  5. ^ a b First album appearance of the radio edit was Smash the System: Singles and More.
  6. ^ a b c First album appearance of the radio edit.
  7. ^ First album appearance of the Xenomania remix.
  8. ^ Omitted from some 2CD editions.
  9. ^ First released as the B-side of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", 1990.
  10. ^ First released as a non-album single; first UK album appearance was You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone.
  11. ^ Later included on reissues of Continental.
  12. ^ First album appearance was Too Young to Die; later included on A Glimpse of Stocking.

B-sides[edit]

from "Burnt Out Car"
  • "River"
  • "Night Vision"
  • "Destroy The Building"
  • "Burnt Out Car" (Mark Brown remix edit)
  • "Burnt Out Car" (Mark Brown remix)
  • "Burnt Out Car" (demo)
from "Method of Modern Love"
  • "Method of Modern Love" (radio edit)
  • "This Is Tomorrow" (original version)
  • "Method of Modern Love" (Cola Boy remix)
  • "Method of Modern Love" (Richard X Join Our Clique mix)
  • "Method of Modern Love" (a cappella version)
  • "Method of Modern Love" (Heartbreaks remix)

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for London Conversations: The Best of Saint Etienne
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] 96
UK Albums (OCC)[8] 79

References[edit]

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ BBC review
  3. ^ "Drowned in Sound review". Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  4. ^ "CD: Pop review: St Etienne, London Conversations". The Guardian. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  5. ^ Pitchfork Media review Archived 10 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "UK Chartlog - 1994–2010 DJ S – The System Of Life". zobbel.de. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  • "play.com". Play.com listings. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
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