"Finisterre" is the sixth studio album by the English alternative dance band Saint Etienne, released on October 7, 2002, via Mantra Records. A double-disc deluxe edition followed on May 3, 2010, from Heavenly Records.
After the more uniform sounds of their previous albums, Good Humor and Sound of Water, Finisterre embraces a diverse mix of styles and sounds, setting the stage for its successor, Tales from Turnpike House. The album reintroduces vocal interludes reminiscent of their earlier work on So Tough, paired with a more angular, electronic sound, particularly evident in tracks like "Action," "Shower Scene," and "New Thing." Other songs, such as "Language Lab" and "Summerisle," evoke the ambient style of Sound of Water, while "Stop and Think It Over" aligns more closely with the vibe of Good Humor and Tiger Bay.
The vocal interludes feature narration by Michael Jayston, taken from the film accompanying the album, also titled Finisterre. Directed by Paul Kelly and Kieran Evans, the film grew from visuals created for live performances of the album. It premiered at a sold-out show at the Royal Festival Hall in October 2002 and was re-released in select theaters in 2005; it is now available on DVD. The album cover features a haunting photograph of the East London tower block Ronan Point shortly after its collapse in 1968, which resulted in the loss of four lives.
Nitsuh Abebe of Pitchfork Media awarded the album a score of 7.6 out of 10, noting that Saint Etienne "confidently tug[s] those strings again," with "B92" standing out as a highlight. However, he criticized tracks like "Action" and "New Thing," suggesting they lacked the driving kick drums that could elevate them into more energetic territory.
