Saint Etienne.

[bichard]

And doesn't the intro to "DJ" sound like a beefed-up "Action"?

I totally agree with this. In fact, the whole song reminds me of a beefed-up Action. It's currently my favourite on the album. There's something so dreamy and atmospheric about it. I think it's the electro-meets-acoustic-ness about it. I love that.

[Bleu Noir]

I have my digital box set content! If you all click the link in the second email again, you will find it's the right download now.

01 Record Doctor Dub 4:40 Exactly as I predicted, the acapella vocal looped over a laidback groove... actually really nice!
02 Peter Pan 4:54 Full vocal, mid-tempo number... very clearly an actual outtake from Words And Music By... it's great! Very happy.
03 Lion Green 2:40 Introspective, atmospheric instrumental... not bad.
04 Wouldn't It Be Nice 3:12 As Mojo magazine freebie CD from April.

With regards the mistakes.... There are mistakes on many of their releases as it happens. I sympathise with Eric, who has pop music OCD like me and the packaging should be as good as the music, and when it's not, it spoils it a bit. In the case of Words And Music By... I think it was very expensive to have the front cover done and the tracklisting obviously changed after they gave it to the designers. Asking them to re-do it may have just been out of the question? As for the deluxe edition, well, shit happens. I'd never not support Saint Etienne because of a typo, mind. It's all part of their charm. My favourite mistake, by the way, is the B-side to A Good Thing, the title of which they gave over the phone as it went to press. "Gotta Jump" was heard as "Got A Job", and Sanctury even used an old demo of the song instead of the finished Xenomania production in error. The correct version and title appeared on Now 4 EP.

Wasn't Got A Job / Gotta Jump the b-side of Side Streets?

[aquaplex]

I like that they have lumped in the Tonight album track file that was on iTunes into the album - it was showing as already bought when I brought the album up

[Ray]

All of the formats have the same front cover, so the error will ALWAYS be on this record.

But the front cover is correct, it's the 2CD back cover that has the error (switching order of Answer Song and Tonight and entirely skipping DJ)

[anfunny2003]

Wasn't Got A Job / Gotta Jump the b-side of Side Streets?

Yes! Sorry... the fault with A Good Thing was of course the 1000-only pressing for all three formats, which Sock Monkey mentioned! Ha. Thanks for correcting me.

[anfunny2003]

But the front cover is correct, it's the 2CD back cover that has the error (switching order of Answer Song and Tonight and entirely skipping DJ)

No, the front cover is incorrect. The back ony misses DJ off. The tracks the wrong way round is on the front.

[Eric Generic]

Ha, I knew Anfunny and Ray would understand. See, it depends what the errors are. If they cause confusion as to the contents, that can be a real problem when you're looking for a particular track or want to program/edit a playlist or CD. Getting the amount of copies pressed a bit mixed up, or putting the wrong name on a remix is slightly more forgiveable, because it's not going to effect my use of the album. Like with the MBV reissue that's put the wrong versions on each CD - CD1 becomes CD2 and vice versa - whenever you get that album out, you're gonna have to keep remembering to put the oppositely numbered disc in. It just spoils everything, and causes confusion unnecessarily. It's not like everyone had 10 minutes to get this all done and dusted ready for rush release.

[Ray]

No, the front cover is incorrect. The back ony misses DJ off. The tracks the wrong way round is on the front.

AAAAHHHH -- so there is no correct version at all!!! (2CD says "Deluxe Edition" but then fucks up the backside)

[anfunny2003]

No. The 2CD does not say Deluxe Edition anywhere except the spine. The digital Deluxe Edition replaces the tracklist on the front with 'Deluxe Edition', but the physical 2CD does not, it is the same as the 1CD and the LP. All versions, and posters, and everything else have the tracklist error. The band and management were told as soon as it was published and there must've been a reason they couldn't correct it. It's crap but not worth not buying the album for. That's just silliness of the highest order.

[Bleu Noir]

I can live with botched packaging but botched music is totally unbearable - remember the New Order fiasco, what is wrong with the people who are in charge of such things?!

[anfunny2003]

I don't own the New Order reissues... which is madness, as I love them. I got so confused with all the reports and I heard they weren't corrected.... so, I'm missing them all. I bet they're really expensive now, botched or not.

[riverwide]

I can't even begin to imagine why a person wouldn't buy an album full of music they love, purely because of some cosmetic errors.

That's actually quite disturbing.

[Electrofreaks]

I don't own the New Order reissues... which is madness, as I love them. I got so confused with all the reports and I heard they weren't corrected.... so, I'm missing them all. I bet they're really expensive now, botched or not.

I'm exactly the same! I really wanted them - but the reports were so offputting.

[Eric Generic]

Silly and disturbing...that's me!

I'm just getting fed up parting with money for products that have the kind of errors which cuase confusion when going back to use the music for whatever archival things I use them for. It happens a LOT with old reissues and the Music Club compilations, but there you are paying maybe 4.99 for 40 tracks, and you're familar enough with the material to mentally process the errors and automatically correct them.

Is it really so strange - (c) Morrissey - to feel a bit pissed off and unimpressed that a major album that sells for £13 can't get basic things like which songs are on the CD(s) in the right order, or even make sure everything that's on them is actually listed? I think fans are too forgiving, I am guilty of that myself but there's an inherent sloppiness and incompetence creeping in across the industry which is exasperating. Of course, one day it'll all become bloody youtube links and files beamed into our heads, but really..a bit of competence doesn't hurt.

Although from what Anfunny says, this is a problem created by something else, and for whatever reason they haven't made the corrections. What they forget is the album is there for posterity now...it's going to have mistakes on it. If I were the band, I wouldn't want that at any price.

[daavid]

And doesn't the intro to "DJ" sound like a beefed-up "Action"?

Yes!!! And "Over The Border" sounds like an improved "Finisterre"!

[Nunya B]

It does seem odd that they couldn't have it fixed, if they knew about it, as it is a comparatively minor thing. But I also think it adds to the charm. Perhaps they will do a limited edition repress further down the line with the cover art fixed and one or the other version will become a cherished rarity.

At least they had the decency not to add ten minutes of silence on before a hidden bonus track. That I hate more than any error.

[Txetxu]

'I've got your music' is a kick to the balls - why wasn't this the lead single? It pisses all over 'Tonight' from great heights.

[JAMIOUSE]

Brilliant album! I've now had my second full listen while on the bus into work this morning. I hope the proper download link is waiting for me in my inbox at home. It wouldn't be Etienne if there wasn't a mistake or delay or something, besides the incorrect covers might become collectors items one day! I wonder if we'll get a proper announcement on I've Got Your Music this week?

[anfunny2003]

I'm just getting fed up parting with money for products that have the kind of errors which cause confusion when going back to use the music for whatever archival things I use them for.

I do think that if you can't remember which one is Tonight and which one is Answer Song when you go back to it, you're not really much of a fan of the album at all! I don't even need to consult the tracklist by now (I've played it more than 10 times at least) so it's almost redundant if you're actually going to play the album a fair bit, right?

[Eric Generic]

I haven't even heard it yet, as I wait for the physical release for that. Even my most favourite music doesn't get hammered to bits, I just don't have the mentality for playing stuff over and over (which is probably unusual). So I'd be approaching this completely blind at first, and the errors will confuse me for a while.

Of course there are always solutions, ways around these things, but my issue is...why should there be these problems in the first place? There is enough time in the gestation of an album release to iron out the mistakes, to double-check, to get things right. The MBV mess-up is even worse, because that project has been years in the making...and yet they couldn't label the discs correctly or notice a major audio glitch. By contrast, the St E issues aren't so serious but when you're expected to pay quite a bit of money for something professionally produced, it does jar a bit.

[anfunny2003]

It's the time that's the problem. They probably changed the tracklist several times during it's gestation. The packaging can often be wrong, for many acts, sometimes it's out of their control. As long as the music is OK, and it is here, it's less important... I don't understand how you'll be confused though? Answer Song has the chorus which goes "Answer song..." and Tonight has the chorus which goes "Tonight...". If you get confused (?!) just read the booklet, which is correct. And if you play it in iTunes, it's clearly tagged which is which. The most important thing is the music, no typo is worth going without a great album. This wont be corrected or repressed, the audio mistake on the Sound Of Water 2CD reissue is still there, the missing tracks from Tales From Turnpike House 2CD reissue are still missing, etc. etc.

[Eric Generic]

Yeah, as I said, there's always a solution. It would be nice if they just got things right though. Perfectionist-streak coming through, etc.

[brandnewlover]

I have concluded that for me, Answer Song is the 2nd best track on the album. Would love for it to be the next single.

[Pye]

I'm still waiting to hear the new album( and the Maggie and Martin debut album) they haven't arrived in the post yet. Bloody typical when it's two albums I have had pre ordered for weeks.

[anfunny2003]

Well, first show of the tour is tonight. I'm patiently awaiting setlist and merch info! I must have a Words And Music tee by next week!