Saint Etienne ‎– So Tough

Can anyone comment on the sound quality on this release? Also, does it reproduce the original printed inner sleeve? TIA

SO TOUGH remains Saint Etienne's highest pinnacle of pop perfection; indeed it's a seminal document in the annals of pop. Who else can make the character study of "Mario's Cafe" into a groovy hit? But the real magic comes with the trifecta of "Avenue," "You're in a Bad Way" and "Hobart Paving." "Avenue," a delicious midtempo track tinged with sadness, flows through its numerous tempo changes with grace. "You're in a Bad Way" is a deliriously bright track that harkens back to the 60s, with cheeky lyrics and a finger-snapping rhythm. "Hobart Paving" is a deeply moving torch song with its tender refrain of "don't forget to catch me." After those, of course, it's difficult to compare (where do you go after perfection?), but Saint Etienne manage to pop out a few more gems: the house/guitar-thrash of "Conchita Martinez" or the self-referential "Join Our Club." All in all, an indispensible album.