All styles get recycled and reused over time, modified to reflect the generation that's retro- fitting them into their perception of modern, but more or less remaining intact in theme. Lately the world is full of multitudes of retro- factions, from the swing dancing in Gap ads to the endless strings of disco movies coming out of Hollywood. But when it comes to reliving the ultra-mod go-go flip-top lifestyles of the neo-hippies, Saint Etienne has a huge head start on the rest of the crowd.

Saint Etienne are probably best known for their early '90s dance remake of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart." Traditionally finding good use of electronics in their reproduction 1960s groove lounge music makes it seem like the apocalypse is upon us to find that their latest album, Good Humor, has been released by garage independent Sub Pop. Strange as it may seem, the Sub Pop solution is immensely favorable to trying to build a Saint Etienne discography from mail-order imports.

What is Good Humor? Think Paris in the 1960s-- Fluxus, miniskirts, "The Graduate," "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," Sean Connery as "007" and "The Saint" when it was still a show on British television starring Roger Moore. Think "The Avengers," whose modern- day mod remake soundtrack is conspicuously lacking a track off this album. Take these images, wrap them together, and create a musical score for the whole package. Have the score played on contemporary instruments by three musicians with a flare for looking backwards with charm and... there you have it.

The music is infinitely cooler than most of the lounge compilations that you've seen in the checkout lanes of the local megaplex music store, but still nothing that wouldn't fit into the background of any scene where an older Cary Grant sips on a martini. The album is consistently good from track to track, despite its lack of anything truly amazing. Not to let that deter you; the groove is perfect mood music for those less kitschy neo-swinger parties. Twister and a lava lamp are requisites.

-Skaht Hansen

"Hit The Brakes"

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