What a Blessing: Saint Etienne’s Edgy ‘60s Pop

A band fueled by an inherent contradiction, Saint Etienne is desperately in love with pop. While the attempt to resurrect the musical innocence of the ‘60s is all over the British trio’s tuneful repertoire, its defiant indie attitude gives the band a welcome edge.

It’s a bittersweet combination that worked marvelously during a 90-minute set Saturday at the House of Blues that featured singer Sarah Cracknell prancing around the stage, performing a series of silly dance moves while effortlessly connecting with the sold-out audience.

Augmented by three extra musicians and two wildly playful female vocalists, the group demonstrated time and again that it possesses the musical chops to reproduce its complex mini-pop epics on stage.

The presence of a jazzy drummer and an imaginative bassist, for instance, added texture and energy to songs such as the nostalgic “Postman” and the highly atmospheric “Split Screen,” both from “Good Humor,” the group’s latest and most fully realized album.

A number of hits from previous albums, most notably the uplifting “Hug My Soul,” reminded one that Saint Etienne has amassed an enviable body of work. Filled with longing for a bygone era, the band’s music has the ability to evoke the most evocative romantic feelings with detached coolness.