Tiger Bay abandons the unassuming charm of So Tough for a grander sound. St. Etienne fill Tiger Bay with sonic details, from sampled bits of dialogue to musical references that give the record some depth, but occasionally those very sounds make the album feel over-labored. Still, the group frequently fulfills their ambitions, particularly on “Hug My Soul,” “Like a Motorway,” and the delightfully exuberant “I Was Born on Christmas Day,” which features guest vocals by the Charlatans’ Tim Burgess. Moments like these, plus St. Etienne’s widening sonic palette, make Tiger Bay a thoroughly enjoyable affair, despite its handful of faults. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine