Foxbase Alpha

Word on the success of Nirvana is that mega-guitar rock is back. But here is one sweet ‘n’ not-so-innocent pop band that haven’t yet heard the news: Saint Etienne isn’t French; the name these British hypermodern purveyors of pastichey dance beats chose is just a homage to a French soccer team. If Deee-Lite’s World Clique was a psychedelic blender, Saint Etienne’s debut, Foxbase Alpha, is the product of a trio of fairly discriminating thrift-store shoppers, grabbing a Neil Young number off the rack (”Only Love Can Break Your Heart”) here, picking up an old Phil Spector line there, all the while creating a glittering, kaleidoscopic set of dance tracks. B+