Following a run of festival headline shows, Saint Etienne have released a new video for their single “Magpie Eyes”.

Pete Wiggs explains how it came about: “The video was shot in Stevenage with its once fine Ladybird book New Town architecture that was a fleeting vision of suburban utopia. The director Tash Tung came up with the idea of an imagined younger ‘us’ spending a typical day hanging out in record shops and cafes – capturing the ennui and bonhomie of those years when you have no idea how your life will pan out.”

The video director Tash Tung comments: “It was so much fun to make a music video for Saint Etienne, a band who I grew up with and who have a long history of interesting promos. It was a great experience to work in a small team and also with a lot of creative freedom, using film photography and shooting docu portraits of kids from the local area in the town centre. My favourite – very serendipitous – moment was when I cast my friend Eve Mahoney to play the young version of Sarah, and I found out Eve’s uncle used to be the band’s photographer, the amazing Joe Dilworth!”

The video for “Magpie Eyes” follows the release of three adventurous remixes from the outer reaches of pop by Confidence Man (Heavenly), Kane West (PC Music) and Villagers (Domino) and the very first sound from the album ‘Heather’.

The album was produced by Shawn Lee of Young Gun Silver Fox, with support from Augustus (Kero Kero Bonito), Carwyn Ellis (Colorama, Edwyn Collins), Robin Bennett (The Dreaming Spires), Richard X (Girls On Top / Black Melody) and long-time collaborator Gerard Johnson (Denim, Yes). It was recorded in central London. Sarah, Bob and Pete commuted to the studio every day for six weeks.

Saint Etienne
Home Counties
Track Listing

1. The Reunion
2. Something New
3. Magpie Eyes
4. Whyteleafe
5. Dive
6. Church Pew Furniture Restorer
7. Take It All In
8. Popmaster
9. Underneath The Apple Tree
10. Out Of My Mind
11. After Hebden
12. Breakneck Hill
13. Heather
14. Sports Report
15. Train Drivers In Eyeliner
16. Unopened Fan Mail
17. What Kind Of World
18. Sweet Arcadia
19. Angel Of Woodhatch

Saint Etienne
Tour

Sep 24 – Boston, MA – Somerville Once Ballroom
Sep 25 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Sep 26 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sep 27 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
Sep 29 – Chicago, IL – Park West
Oct 2 – Seattle, WA – Neptune
Oct 4 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Oct 5 – Pomona, CA – Glass House
Oct 6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre