The Useless Critic 2.0

YOU GUYS 2017 IS THE BEST YEAR EVER. EVER. EVER. ... EVER.  Ima stop you but 2009 and 2014 are now distant memories. 2017, I welcome you and your sort-of-crap-but-excellent-music ways.  Saint Etienne. Is. Returning. *fans self*  This is the beginning of what appears to be a big year for the threesome. They will be touring Europe followed by the United States (!!!). And they will be releasing "Home Counties," sixteen new songs, their first endeavor since 2012's "Words and Music by Saint Etienne."  "Home Counties" promises to be about (well actually is about, heh): "the love/hate relationship people have with 'home' is particularly acute in the Home Counties. Yet Saint Etienne understand that, if you squint, it could be almost utopian - here are the post-war new towns, much of the country's modernist architecture, and the non-league football heroes of Sutton United, Leatherhead, Harlow Town."  Looking forward...

Ten years ago, one of my all-time favorite bands, The Long Blondes, released their seminal work - "Someone To Drive You Home." A few years later, The Long Blondes split up, mostly from complications stemmed from Dorian Cox. Their follow-up, "Couples," was pretty forgettable save a few standout tracks like "I'm Going to Hell" and "Erin O'Connor." Kate Jackson has ventured out on her own the past few years. Which is incredible, because this woman was SUCH a killer frontwoman. She was everything you could romanticize about '60s London in one swagger-y package. She was - and is - such a badass. And always will be.     It only made sense Kate is back. How could she stay away from music forever?! I don't even want to THINK about that, bro.   "British Road Movies" came out yesterday (!!!) and it seems to represent a natural progression for Kate. "The End of Reason" is the lead single, which hearkens bac...

Whenever I have the energy and/or patience, I will be doing these features where I discuss a band/musician who has left an impact on me. You are welcome to contribute as well! theuselesscritic@gmail.com . Saint Etienne It took me several long years to warm up the retro pop sounds that define Saint Etienne. The music this band has made since the early '90s has been nothing but lush and intoxicating. Even Norwegian pop star Annie has claimed the three-piece band as a huge inspiration for her sound; Lush and Kylie Minogue have similar stories to share. Saint Etienne is not a band extremely popular in the United States. I don't know if they ever really have been. On the indie circuit, yeah, sure. But pretty much everyone- music snob or not- knows Goldfrapp, for example. Saint Etienne? Not so much. When you're really into music, you'll come across Saint Etienne eventually. I heard them the first time when I was in high school. And they didn't make much of ...

I t's the politically correct holiday season again! Lest we forget, there are a ton of holiday songs out there. Some much harder-to-listen-to than the others.   Wah wah wah So I'm going to use the next 25 days to bring you the best in holiday music. Let's start with a song I posted last year. I heard it when I was shopping yesterday, which was weird but awesome. It's "I Was Born on Christmas Day" by Saint Etienne.

Song of the Day HAUNTED! HAUNTED! HAUNTED! ~spooky~

Song of the Day

Song of the Day I am banned from Christmas music right now, but let me tell you, you're about to get a month of the best holiday music I can find. U R WELCOME FRIENDS

Song of the Day When I look back at last summer, I will think about how I became obsessed with this band. Thanks, Jason.

Song of the Day: sort of my current musical obsession. but can you blame me?

is there anything better than Saint Etienne for this time of year?

Pop star dressed as pineapple robbed in Sweden Published: April 06. 2009 5:38AM STOCKHOLM -- Police say a Japanese pop star dressed up as a pineapple has been robbed while shooting a music video in southern Sweden. Police spokesman Bo Paulsson says three young men beat up 41-year-old Hideki Kaji and robbed him of camera equipment worth around 20,000 kronor ($2,500) late Saturday. Paulsson says the pineapple-clad artist had been left alone with the equipment while the camera crew went for a break. He was left with a cut lip and lost a dental implant. Police said they had no suspects for the crime Sunday. Kaji has released more than 10 solo albums since splitting from the band Bridge in the 1990s. He is also famous for recording a duet with Saint Etienne singer Sarah Cracknell. - Associated Press not funny about the crime, but still. I can only imagine. - Brittany

Today was the first rather nice day (full-out) I've experienced in a while. that is if you don't count the near-death experiences I had in the bathroom at ungodly hours this morning. don't you love those? like "I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! I'll do things different this time!" and then you go back to sleep and wake up and are all like YAY SIN YAY DEBAUCHERY. Speaking of, I went to church for the first time last week since Christmas and enjoyed myself. weird. so I sat in bed on what was the first truly gorgeous glorious physically flawless day of the year and listened to twee pop while I attempted to do homework. and it felt WONDERFUL. "Is It Wicked Not to Care?"- Belle and Sebastian Isobel Campbell, you broke my heart when you left B&S. although your stuff since then's been good. but really- if I had known about you when I was 13 I may still be playing the cello now. "Gonna Make You Love Me"- Ryan Adams I can't believe...