Suede | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Suede kick-started the Brit pop revolution of the 90s, bringing English indie pop/rock music away from the swirling layers of shoegazing and dance-pop fusions of Madchester, and reinstating such conventions of British pop as mystique and the three-minute single. Before the band had even released a single, the U.K. weekly music press was proclaiming them the "Best New Band in Britain," but Suede managed to survive their heavy hype due to the songwriting team of vocalist Brett Anderson and guitarist Bernard Butler. Equally inspired by the glam crunch of David Bowie and the romantic bedsit pop of the Smiths, Anderson and Butler developed a sweeping, guitar-heavy sound that was darkly sensual, sexually ambiguous, melodic, and unabashedly ambitious. At the time of the release of their first single, "The Drowners," in 1992, few of their contemporaries -- whether it was British shoegazers or American grunge rockers -- had any ambitions to be old-fashioned, self-consciously controversial pop stars, and the British press and public fell hard for Suede, making their 1993 debut the fastest-selling first album in U.K. history. Though they had rocketed to the top in the U.K., Suede were plagued with problems, the least of which was an inability to get themselves heard in America. Anderson and Butlers relationship became antagonistic during the recording of their second album, Dog Man Star, and the guitarist left the band before its fall release, which inevitably hurt its sales. Instead of breaking up, the band soldiered on, adding new guitarist Richard Oakes and a keyboardist before returning in 1996 with Coming Up, an album that returned them to the top of the British charts. Through all of Suedes incarnations, vocalist/lyricist Brett Anderson and bassist Mat Osman remained at the bands core. The son of a cabdriver, Anderson formed the Smiths-inspired Geoff in 1985 with his schoolmate Osman and drummer Danny Wilder. Anderson was the groups guitarist; Gareth Perry was the bands vocalist. Geoff recorded two demos before splitting up in 1986, as Anderson and Osman left to attend university in London. A few years later, the pair formed Suave & Elegant, which lasted only a few months. By the end of 1989, the pair had placed an advertisement in New Musical Express, asking for a "non-muso" guitarist. Bernard Butler responded, and the trio began recording songs, primarily written by Anderson and Butler, with the support of a drum machine. Taking the name Suede after Morrisseys "Suedehead" single, the trio sent a demo tape, Specially Suede, to compete in Demo Clash, a radio show on GLR run by DJ Gary Crowley. "Wonderful Sometimes" won Demo Clash for five Sundays in a row in 1990, leading to a record contract with the Brighton-based indie label RML. By the time the band signed with RML, Andersons girlfriend, Justine Frischmann, had joined as a second guitarist. Suede placed an advertisement for a drummer, and former Smiths member Mike Joyce responded. Joyce appeared on the groups debut single for RML, "Be My God"/"Art." Scheduled to be released on a 12" in the fall of 1990, the single was scrapped shortly before its release due to a fight between the band and the label. Throughout 1991, the group rehearsed and recorded demos, eventually adding drummer Simon Gilbert. Frischmann left Suede in early 1992 to form Elastica; she was not replaced. A few months later, Suede signed a two-single deal with the indie label Nude Records. Shortly afterward, the band appeared on the cover of Melody Maker, without having released any material. The weekly newspaper declared them the Best New Band in Britain. "The Drowners," the bands first single, appeared shortly after the Melody Maker cover, and it became a moderate hit, debuting at number 49 to strong reviews and word of mouth. "Metal Mickey," released in the fall, became their breakthrough hit, reaching number 17 on the U.K. charts after a suggestive, controversial performance on Top of the Pops. Anderson soon became notorious for causing controversy, and his infamous comment that he was "a bisexual man who never had a homosexual experience" was indicative of how the group both courted controversy and a sexually ambiguous, alienated audience. A short tour before the spring release of their eponymous debut album was very successful, setting the stage for "Animal Nitrate" debuting at number seven. Shortly afterward, Suede entered the charts at number one, registering the biggest initial sales of a debut since Frankie Goes to Hollywoods Welcome to the Pleasuredome. By the summer, Suede had become the most popular band in Britain -- winning the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for Best Album that fall -- and they attempted to make headway into the United States. Their progress was halted when Butlers father died that fall, forcing the cancellation of their second tour; they had already begun to be upstaged by their opening act, the Cranberries, who received the support from MTV that Suede lacked. Shortly afterward, the band was forced to change its name to the London Suede in America, due to a lawsuit from an obscure lounge singer performing under the name Suede. Tensions had begun to develop between Bernard Butler and the rest of the band during the groups 1993 tours, and they peaked when they reentered the studio to record a new single in late 1993. Butler conceived the song "Stay Together" as a sweeping epic partially in tribute to his father, and while it was a success upon its February 1994 release, debuting at number three, the recording was not easy. As they were working on Suedes second album, Anderson and Butler began to fight frequently, with the guitarist claiming in a rare interview that the singer worked too slowly and that his partner was too concerned with rock stardom, often at the expense of the music. Butler left the band toward the end of the sessions for the second album, and the group finished the record with Anderson playing guitar. Bernards departure launched a flurry of speculation about Suedes future, and Dog Man Star didnt answer any of those questions. The grandiose, ambitious, and heavily orchestrated Dog Man Star was greeted with enthusiastic reviews but muted commercial response. As Suede were working on their second album, their remarkable commercial success was eclipsed by that of Blur and Oasis, whose lighter, more accessible music brought both groups blockbuster success in the wake of Suede. While Dog Man Star sold nearly as much as Suede, the impression in the press was that the group was rapidly falling apart, and the band didnt help matters when Butler was replaced by Richard Oakes, a 17-year-old amateur guitarist, in September. Suede embarked on a long, grueling international tour in late 1994 and the spring of 1995, before disappearing to work on their third album. During the interim, Butler had a Top Ten single with vocalist David McAlmont, and Gilbert, the only gay member of Suede, was attacked in a hate crime in the fall. At a fan club gig in January of 1996, Suede debuted several new songs, as well as their new keyboardist, Neil Codling, the cousin of Gilbert. The group returned as a five-piece in September of 1996 with Coming Up. A lighter, more band-oriented affair than either of Suedes two previous albums, Coming Up was an unexpected hit, entering the charts at number one and generating a remarkable string of five Top Ten hits -- "Trash," "Beautiful Ones," "Saturday Night," "Lazy," and "Filmstar." Coming Up was a hit throughout Europe, Canada, and Asia, but it wasnt released in the U.S. until the spring of 1997. Coming Up never did win an audience in America, partially because it appeared nearly a year after its initial release and partially because Suede only supported it with a three-city tour. Nevertheless, the record was their most successful release to date, setting expectations high for the follow-up. Upon their return to the studio in the fall of 1998, Suede decided to ditch their longtime producer, Ed Buller, choosing to work with Steve Osborne, who had previously produced New Order and Happy Mondays. The resulting album, Head Music, was released in May of 1999; an American release followed in June. Featuring heavy use of analog synthesizers and drum machines, Head Music divided opinion among hardcore Suede fans, who preferred the bands more guitar-centric approach. However, the production changes were largely aesthetic, and the band still delivered plenty of anthemic glitter rock glitz with songs like "Electricity," "Cant Get Enough," and "Shes in Fashion." Around 2001, Suede found themselves at a career crossroads. Keyboardist Codling, who had contributed greatly to the writing on Head Music, left the band and was replaced by Strangeloves Alex Lee. Adding to the sense of change, the bands label, Nude Records, went bankrupt and Suede were left at the mercy of their parent label, Sony. Also around this time, Anderson, having struggled with drug addiction (he later admitted to being a crack addict), finally decided to go clean. Despite these upheavals, by 2003 Suede had finished their fifth studio album, the Stephen Street-produced A New Morning. Unfortunately, public interest in Suede, not to mention the Brit pop sound, had faded by the early 2000s and the album sold poorly. Several concerts followed in support of the bands 2003 compilation, Singles, but by October, Suede had announced they would not be releasing any new music for the foreseeable future. They played their final concert at the London Astoria on December 13, 2003, before going on indefinite hiatus. Following the hiatus, Anderson did the previously unthinkable and reunited with original Suede guitarist Bernard Butler under the name the Tears. The duo released a well-received 2005 album, Here Come the Tears. Also during the hiatus, Anderson recorded four low-key solo albums with 2007s Brett Anderson, 2008s Wilderness, 2009s Slow Attack, and 2011s Black Rainbows. Finally, in 2010, with Codling back on board, Suede reunited for several live shows beginning with a performance at the Teenage Cancer Trust show at Royal Albert Hall on March 24. This led to more shows, including a tour promoting the compilation album The Best of Suede. By 2011, the band had begun performing new songs live, and in 2012, Suede announced they were in the studio working on a new album with producer Ed Buller, who had produced the bands first three albums. In 2013, Suede released their sixth studio album and first album of all-original material since 2003, Blood Sports. Suede debuted several of the Blood Sports tracks online, including "Barriers" and "It Starts and Ends with You." The release featured a more mature perspective from Anderson, and a sound that harked back to the grand guitar pop of Suedes early work. After playing anniversary concerts celebrating Dog Man Star in 2014, Suede returned to the studio to make their seventh studio album. In September 2015, they announced the impending release of Night Thoughts. A dark, majestic album that recalled Dog Man Star, Night Thoughts saw release in late January 2016, debuting at six on the U.K. charts. Later that year, the band released a super deluxe 20th anniversary edition of Coming Up. The band spent 2017 in the studio writing and recording their eighth LP. The record -- titled The Blue Hour -- marked the first effort collaboration with producer Alan Moulder (the Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails) and arrived in September 2018. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 16 Title: Suede Released: 1993-03-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 So Young (03:38) 2 Animal Nitrate (03:27) 3 She’s Not Dead (04:33) 4 Moving (02:50) 5 Pantomime Horse (05:49) 6 My Insatiable One (piano version) (02:57) 7 The Drowners (04:10) 8 Sleeping Pills (03:50) 9 Breakdown (06:02) 10 Metal Mickey (03:27) 11 Animal Lover (04:17) 12 The Next Life (03:32) |
| Suede : Allmusic album Review : Borrowing heavily from David Bowie and the Smiths, Suede forge a distinctively seductive sound on their eponymous album. Guitarist Bernard Butler has a talent for crafting effortlessly catchy, crunching glam hooks like the controlled rush of "Metal Mickey" and the slow, sexy grind of "The Drowners," but he also can construct grand, darkly romantic soundscapes like the sighing "Sleeping Pills" and the tortured "Pantomime Horse." What brings these elegant sounds to life is Brett Anderson, who invests them with bed-sit angst and seamy sex. Andersons voice is calculatedly affected and theatrical, but it fits the grand emotion of his self-consciously poetic lyrics. Suede are working-class lads striving for glamour, and they achieve it by piecing together remnants of the past with pieces of the present, never forgetting the value of a strong hook in the process. And while the sound of Suede frequently recalls the peak of glam rock, its punk-influenced passion and self-conscious appropriation of the past make it thoroughly postmodern. Coincidentally, its embrace of trashy pop helped usher in an era of Britpop, but few bands captured the theatrical melancholy that gave Suede such resonance. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 16 Title: Dog Man Star Released: 1994-10-10 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:02:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Introducing the Band (02:38) 2 We Are the Pigs (04:19) 3 Heroine (03:22) 4 The Wild Ones (04:50) 5 Daddy’s Speeding (05:21) 6 The Power (04:31) 7 New Generation (04:37) 8 This Hollywood Life (03:50) 9 The 2 of Us (05:45) 10 Black or Blue (03:48) 11 The Asphalt World (09:25) 12 Still Life (05:24) 13 Modern Boys (04:49) |
| Dog Man Star : Allmusic album Review : Instead of following through on the Bowie-esque glam stomps of their debut, Suede concentrated on their darker, more melodramatic tendencies on their ambitious second album, Dog Man Star. By all accounts, the recording of Dog Man Star was plagued with difficulties -- Brett Anderson wrote the lyrics in a druggy haze while sequestered in a secluded Victorian mansion, while Bernard Butler left before the album was completed -- which makes its singular vision all the more remarkable. Lacking any rocker on the level of "The Drowners" or "Metal Mickey" -- only the crunching "This Hollywood Life" comes close -- Dog Man Star is a self-indulgent and pretentious album of dark, string-drenched epics. But Suede are one of the few bands who wear pretensions well, and after a few listens, the album becomes thoroughly compelling. Nearly every song on the record is hazy, feverish, and heartbroken, and even the rockers have an insular, paranoid tenor that heightens the albums melancholy. The whole record would have collapsed underneath its own intentions if Butlers compositional skills werent so subtly nuanced and if Andersons grandiose poetry wasnt so strangely affecting. As it stands, Dog Man Star is a strangely seductive record, filled with remarkable musical peaks, from the Bowie-esque stomp of "New Generation" to the stately ballads "The Wild Ones" and "Still Life," which are both reminiscent of Scott Walker. And while Suede may choose to wear their influences on their sleeve, they synthesize them in a totally original way, making Dog Man Star a singularly tragic and romantic album. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 16 Title: Coming Up Released: 1996-09-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Trash (04:06) 2 Filmstar (03:25) 3 Lazy (03:19) 4 By the Sea (04:16) 5 She (03:38) 6 Beautiful Ones (03:50) 7 Starcrazy (03:33) 8 Picnic by the Motorway (04:45) 9 The Chemistry Between Us (07:04) 10 Saturday Night (04:35) |
| Coming Up : Allmusic album Review : Brett Anderson carried on after Bernard Butlers departure, adding a teenage guitarist and restructuring the intent of Suede, if not the sound, for their third album, Coming Up. The most striking thing about Coming Up is the simplicity. Gone are the grand, sweeping gestures of both Suede and Dog Man Star, leaving behind the glam, which is now spiked with an invigorating sense of self-belief -- Anderson is out to prove that hes a survivor, and he does give a damn whether you believe he is or not. So Coming Up has none of the lush, melancholy, and paranoid overtones of Dog Man Star. Its about celebrating being young, going out, taking drugs, having sex, and living life. And it sounds just like it reads -- Richard Oakes pounds out fizzy, fuzzy guitar riffs while the rhythm section lays back with dirty, sexy grooves and new keyboardist Neil Godling exudes a sultry, unattainable cool. Even on the wistful ballads "By the Sea" and "Picnic by the Motorway," theres none of the enveloping melancholy that consumed Dog Man Star -- theyre as optimistic as the buoyant, melodic rockers that comprise the rest of the album. As a statement of purpose, Coming Up is unimpeachable. Though it doesnt break any new ground for the band -- unless you count the newfound sense of optimism -- its a remarkable consolidation and crystallization of Suedes talents and all the evidence anyone needs that Brett Anderson was always the guiding force behind the band. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 16 Title: Sci‐fi Lullabies Released: 1997-10-06 Tracks: 27 Duration: 2:04:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Insatiable One (02:57) 2 To the Birds (05:23) 3 Where the Pigs Don’t Fly (05:33) 4 He’s Dead (05:13) 5 The Big Time (04:26) 6 High Rising (05:51) 7 The Living Dead (02:48) 8 My Dark Star (04:27) 9 Killing of a Flash Boy (04:07) 10 Whipsnade (04:22) 11 Modern Boys (04:08) 12 Together (04:29) 13 Bentswood Boys (03:15) 14 Europe Is Our Playground (05:38) 1 Every Monday Morning Comes (04:28) 2 Have You Ever Been This Low? (03:52) 3 Another No‐One (03:56) 4 Young Men (04:37) 5 The Sound of the Streets (04:59) 6 Money (04:04) 7 W.S.D (05:46) 8 This Time (05:46) 9 Jumble Sale Mums (04:15) 10 These Are the Sad Songs (06:20) 11 Sadie (05:24) 12 Graffiti Women (04:51) 13 Duchess (03:55) |
| Sci‐fi Lullabies : Allmusic album Review : Few debut singles have the impact of Suedes "The Drowners," which helped set the course to Britpop and established Suede as one of the U.K.s most important bands. In that light, it isnt surprising that the B-sides were considered as important as the A-side -- the slow, grinding "My Insatiable One" was covered in concerts by Morrissey weeks after its release, while the band often closed shows with the majestic "To the Birds." The strength of the "Drowners" B-sides wasnt an anomaly -- it established a precedent of high-quality B-sides that Suede strove to maintain on their first three albums. The double-disc Sci-Fi Lullabies collects the majority of those B-sides, leaving behind the odd live track and remix, as well as the worthy "Painted People" and "Asda Town" and the non-LP single "Stay Together." Whats included is stellar, offering an alternate history of Suede. In fact, the first disc -- comprised of Suede and Dog Man Star B-sides, plus the haunting "Europe Is Our Playground" -- is as strong as any of their albums, featuring such essentials as the sleazy "Hes Dead," "The Living Dead," "My Dark Star," the storming "Killing of a Flash Boy," the sighing "Where the Pigs Dont Fly," and "Whipsnade," all strong enough to be A-sides. Disc two isnt quite as consistent, which might be because theyre all drawn from the singles for Coming Up, but it does find the band exploring their darker, more adventurous side, which they largely suppressed on that record. Unlike most B-sides compilations, Sci-Fi Lullabies is far from extraneous -- for any Suede fan, and most fans of contemporary Britpop, this is absolutely essential material, confirming the groups status as one of the 90s greatest bands. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 16 Title: Let Go Released: 1999 Tracks: 5 Duration: 21:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Let Go (04:26) 2 Can’t Get Enough (03:59) 3 Since You Went Away (03:06) 4 Situations (04:56) 5 Read My Mind (04:41) |
 | Album: 6 of 16 Title: Head Music Released: 1999-04-28 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Electricity (04:38) 2 Savoir Faire (04:37) 3 Can’t Get Enough (03:59) 4 Everything Will Flow (04:40) 5 Down (06:12) 6 She’s in Fashion (04:53) 7 Asbestos (05:17) 8 Head Music (03:23) 9 Elephant Man (03:06) 10 Hi‐Fi (05:09) 11 Indian Strings (04:21) 12 He’s Gone (05:35) 13 Crack in the Union Jack (01:56) 14 Leaving (04:17) |
| Head Music : Allmusic album Review : Coming Up was every bit the triumphant comeback Brett Anderson and company were expecting and it was a terrific little record, but it did suggest that Suede had begun to reach the limits of Ed Bullers production ideas, while also feeling a little superficial. The very fact that its sequel was produced by Steve Osbourne, the man behind classics LPs from New Order and Happy Mondays, suggested they were returning to the dark undercurrents of their first two records, yet, Head Music is Coming Up, Pt. 2. Working with Osbourne has added some vague elements of electronic and dance music to Suedes signature sound, but these primarily manifest themselves in the form of gurgling analog synths and canned, old-school drum machines. Essentially, theyre just window-dressing, since the songs themselves are extensions of the glam flash of Coming Up. While that hardly qualifies as an artistic progression, it hardly qualifies as a bad album either, and theyve never sounded quite as unself-conscious as they do here. Suede even gets downright silly at times, whether its the goofy puns of the title track or the ridiculously intoxicating stomp "Elephant Man." Its hard not to miss early Suede -- the psychedelic "Indian Springs" comes close to capturing the feel, but its bright, not menacing, and the ballads are pretty, not majestic -- but even in this streamlined incarnation, nobody does this kind of trash pop as alluringly as Suede. Nobody can turn out a single as thrilling as "Electricity," nobody can grind out sexndrugs anthems as electrifying as "Cant Get Enough," or swoon as fetchingly as "Shes in Fashion." When it comes down to it, nobody makes cheap sleaze sound so alluring. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 16 Title: A New Morning Released: 2002-09-26 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Positivity (02:56) 2 Obsessions (04:11) 3 Lonely Girls (03:13) 4 Lost in TV (03:39) 5 Beautiful Loser (03:38) 6 Streetlife (02:51) 7 Astrogirl (04:34) 8 Untitled / … Morning (06:00) 9 One Hit to the Body (03:06) 10 When the Rain Falls (04:47) 11 Superstar (04:11) 12 Simon / Oceans (18:37) |
| A New Morning : Allmusic album Review : When Bernard Butler left the band all those many years ago, few would have guessed that with him left the dangerous, romantic noir vibe that fueled Suedes first two albums. After all, Brett Anderson was supposed to be the Byronic prince of darkness, and without Butler around, it only made sense that he would indulge his taste for the theatrical. It didnt turn out that way, of course. The band hired young Richard Oakes and refashioned themselves as a glammy, fizzy guitar pop band whose elegantly wasted ballads were tales of love found, not love lost. Suedes fifth album, A New Morning, confirms that this band isnt about to release another Dog Man Star anytime soon, or even turn out a "Whipsnade," since theyre now all about "Positivity," as the opening track and lead single crisply announces. Once that disappointment fades -- Suede did tragic romantic better than anybody, and its hard not to wish they still did it -- its easy to appreciate A New Morning as another solid, succinct collection of tuneful, stylish modern-day glam pop, nearly the equal of Coming Up, whose blueprint this follows to a tee. Song for song, its better and more consistent than Head Music -- whose dabbling in vague electronic now seems mildly dated and whose songwriting seems slight -- thanks partially to Stephen Streets focused, flattering production, but also due to a sharp set of songs, highlighted not just by "Positivity," "Lost in TV," "When the Rain Falls" (where the piano sounds lifted from a Vince Guaraldi Peanuts special), and "Lonely Girls," but a triptych of songs that inexplicably borrow their titles from classic rock songs ("Beautiful Loser," "Street Life," "One Hit to the Body"). Plus, theres no denying that Suede does this music better than anybody else (and they sound both loose and muscular here), and that Andersons voice is aging marvelously, sounding quite fetching with a slight hint of booze and tobacco wear. So, A New Morning isnt a new beginning, nor does it take many risks, but it does find Suede in top form with good songs and an appealing record. You might wish that it was a little more than that, but youll be satisfied by what it is. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 16 Title: Instant Sunshine Released: 2003-01-29 Tracks: 6 Duration: 21:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Instant Sunshine (03:51) 2 Cool Thing (03:08) 3 UFO (03:29) 4 Rainy Day Girl (04:14) 5 Hard Candy (02:48) 6 ABC Song (04:01) |
 | Album: 9 of 16 Title: Singles Released: 2003-10-20 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:18:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beautiful Ones (03:34) 2 Animal Nitrate (03:09) 3 Trash (03:48) 4 Metal Mickey (03:02) 5 So Young (03:38) 6 The Wild Ones (04:17) 7 Obsessions (03:44) 8 Filmstar (03:14) 9 Can’t Get Enough (03:59) 10 Everything Will Flow (04:27) 11 Stay Together (03:55) 12 Love the Way You Love (03:37) 13 The Drowners (03:44) 14 New Generation (04:37) 15 Lazy (03:15) 16 She’s in Fashion (04:07) 17 Attitude (03:05) 18 Electricity (04:25) 19 We Are the Pigs (03:56) 20 Positivity (02:56) 21 Saturday Night (03:59) |
| Singles : Allmusic album Review : Few bands in the 90s Brit-pop scene carried as much melodramatic weight as Suede. Singles, despite its generic moniker, does an excellent job illuminating the fact that Bernard Butler and Brett Anderson were far more David Bowie and Mick Ronson than the oft-cited Morrissey/Johnny Marr press quips would have you believe. The groups penchant for neo-glam excess and apocalyptic grandstanding inundated their entire time line, from 1992s "Animal Nitrate" and "Metal Mickey" all the way through to 2002s New Morning, despite the switching out of Butler for the flashier Richard Oakes. While the groups 1993 debut and 1994 follow-up Dog Man Star remain required listening for anyone with even a passing interest in the scene, this collection, paired with 1997s Sci-Fi Lullabies, presents a near perfect picture of one of the late-90s most underrated acts. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 16 Title: The Best of Released: 2010-11-01 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:32:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Animal Nitrate (03:28) 2 Beautiful Ones (03:50) 3 Trash (04:06) 4 Filmstar (03:28) 5 Metal Mickey (03:27) 6 New Generation (04:37) 7 So Young (03:41) 8 The Wild Ones (04:50) 9 The Drowners (04:10) 10 Stay Together (04:19) 11 Lazy (03:19) 12 Everything Will Flow (04:40) 13 We Are the Pigs (03:56) 14 Can’t Get Enough (03:59) 15 Electricity (04:41) 16 Obsessions (04:11) 17 She’s in Fashion (04:53) 18 Saturday Night (04:31) 1 Pantomime Horse (05:50) 2 My Insatiable One (02:57) 3 Killing of a Flash Boy (04:07) 4 This Hollywood Life (03:31) 5 Europe Is Our Playground (05:38) 6 My Dark Star (04:23) 7 Sleeping Pills (03:53) 8 By the Sea (04:17) 9 She (03:39) 10 Heroine (03:20) 11 The Living Dead (02:50) 12 To the Birds (05:25) 13 The Big Time (04:28) 14 The 2 of Us (05:45) 15 The Asphalt World (09:25) 16 Still Life (05:19) 17 The Next Life (03:40) |
 | Album: 11 of 16 Title: Bloodsports Released: 2013-03-10 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:19:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Barriers (03:42) 2 Snowblind (04:03) 3 It Starts and Ends With You (03:51) 4 Sabotage (03:45) 5 For the Strangers (04:12) 6 Hit Me (04:03) 7 Sometimes I Feel I’ll Float Away (04:12) 8 What Are You Not Telling Me? (03:12) 9 Always (04:42) 10 Faultlines (04:04) 1 Barriers (03:42) 2 Snowblind (04:03) 3 It Starts and Ends With You (03:51) 4 Sabotage (03:45) 5 For the Strangers (04:12) 6 Hit Me (04:03) 7 Sometimes I Feel I’ll Float Away (04:12) 8 What Are You Not Telling Me? (03:12) 9 Always (04:42) 10 Faultlines (04:04) |
| Bloodsports : Allmusic album Review : Suede didnt so much disband as unravel. Racked by too many indulgences and addictions, the group faded away in the early years of the new millennium, leaving behind a somewhat tarnished conclusion to what was a glorious career. Brett Anderson slowly got himself back on track, first reuniting with original Suede guitarist Bernard Butler for the rather excellent one-shot band the Tears, then carving out a contemplative solo identity where much of the squalor, sex, and grime of Suede was stripped away, leaving behind contemplative pop and broken-hearted ruminations. Eventually, as it came time to repackage and reissue the Brit-pop glory years and the prospect of high-dollar live reunions lurked, there seemed to be one logical next move: to reunite Suede as a going concern. After all, Anderson had quietly honed his craft on those solo albums, but few noticed; Suede gives him the platform he deserves. He seizes that opportunity on Bloodsports, a reunion of the Coming Up lineup lacking any of that records gleeful, hedonistic trash. Instead, this incarnation of Suede favors the darkly majestic, romantic bent of the Butler era, with a major difference: theyve replaced Butlers operatic sweep by proudly sporting the scars of time. Anderson is no longer romanticizing doomed love, hes soldiering on and his fight against the dying light gives Bloodsports an air of optimism underneath its elegant melancholy. Also, it helps that he, guitarist Richard Oakes, and Neil Codling -- a keyboardist who began his stint in the band serving almost as decoration, and has now developed into a valued collaborator, contributing songwriting credits to over half the album -- have constructed an elegantly lean, quietly forceful collection of songs that emphasize how Suede play ballads as if theyre anthems and vice-versa. Where Head Music and A New Morning felt fractured and confused, Bloodsports is precise and purposeful. By excising the neon-colored glam that came to define the band in the years after Coming Up, Suede wear their middle age with style. Never once do they sound desperate on Bloodsports; they sound confident, and comfortable in the knowledge that this is where they all should be. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 16 Title: The Vinyl Collection Released: 2013-10-21 Tracks: 95 Duration: 6:51:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 So Young (03:38) 2 Animal Nitrate (03:27) 3 She’s Not Dead (04:33) 4 Moving (02:50) 5 Pantomime Horse (05:49) 6 The Drowners (04:10) 7 Sleeping Pills (03:50) 8 Breakdown (06:02) 9 Metal Mickey (03:27) 10 Animal Lover (04:17) 11 The Next Life (03:32) 1 Introducing the Band (02:38) 2 We Are the Pigs (04:19) 3 Heroine (03:22) 4 The Wild Ones (04:50) 5 Daddy’s Speeding (05:21) 6 The Power (04:31) 7 New Generation (04:37) 1 This Hollywood Life (03:50) 2 The 2 of Us (05:45) 3 Black or Blue (03:48) 4 The Asphalt World (09:25) 5 Still Life (05:24) 1 Trash (04:06) 2 Filmstar (03:25) 3 Lazy (03:19) 4 By the Sea (04:16) 5 She (03:38) 6 Beautiful Ones (03:50) 7 Starcrazy (03:33) 8 Picnic by the Motorway (04:45) 9 The Chemistry Between Us (07:04) 10 Saturday Night (04:35) 1 Electricity (04:38) 2 Savoir Faire (04:37) 3 Can’t Get Enough (03:59) 4 Everything Will Flow (04:40) 5 Down (06:12) 6 She’s in Fashion (04:53) 1 Asbestos (05:17) 2 Head Music (03:23) 3 Elephant Man (03:06) 4 Hi‐Fi (05:09) 5 Indian Strings (04:21) 6 He’s Gone (05:35) 7 Crack in the Union Jack (01:56) 1 Positivity (02:56) 2 Obsessions (04:11) 3 Lonely Girls (03:13) 4 Lost in TV (03:39) 5 Beautiful Loser (03:38) 6 Streetlife (02:51) 7 Astrogirl (04:34) 8 Untitled (03:45) 9 …Morning (02:16) 10 One Hit to the Body (03:06) 11 When the Rain Falls (04:47) 12 Oceans (04:02) 1 Barriers (03:42) 2 Snowblind (04:03) 3 It Starts and Ends With You (03:51) 4 Sabotage (03:45) 5 For the Strangers (04:12) 6 Hit Me (04:03) 7 Sometimes I Feel I’ll Float Away (04:12) 8 What Are You Not Telling Me? (03:12) 9 Always (04:42) 10 Faultlines (04:04) 1 My Insatiable One (02:57) 2 To the Birds (05:23) 3 Where the Pigs Don’t Fly (05:33) 4 He’s Dead (05:13) 5 The Big Time (04:26) 6 High Rising (05:51) 7 The Living Dead (02:48) 8 My Dark Star (04:27) 9 Killing of a Flash Boy (04:07) 1 Whipsnade (04:22) 2 Modern Boys (04:08) 3 Together (04:29) 4 Bentswood Boys (03:15) 5 Europe Is Our Playground (05:38) 6 Every Monday Morning Comes (04:28) 7 Have You Ever Been This Low? (03:52) 8 Another No‐One (03:56) 9 Young Men (04:37) 10 The Sound of the Streets (04:59) 1 Money (04:04) 2 W.S.D (05:46) 3 This Time (05:46) 4 Jumble Sale Mums (04:15) 5 These Are the Sad Songs (06:20) 6 Sadie (05:24) 7 Graffiti Women (04:51) 8 Duchess (03:55) |
 | Album: 13 of 16 Title: Royal Albert Hall. 24 March 2010 Released: 2014-05-12 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:34:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:54) 2 She (03:27) 3 Trash (04:09) 4 Filmstar (03:26) 5 Animal Nitrate (03:12) 6 Heroine (03:21) 7 Pantomime Horse (05:48) 8 The Drowners (04:01) 9 Killing of a Flashboy (04:24) 10 Can’t Get Enough (04:00) 11 Everything Will Flow (04:26) 12 He’s Gone (05:55) 13 The Next Life (03:22) 1 The Asphalt World (04:08) 2 So Young (03:36) 3 Metal Mickey (04:22) 4 The Wild Ones (05:39) 5 New Generation (04:38) 6 Beautiful Ones (04:49) 7 The Living Dead (04:27) 8 The 2 of Us (07:00) 9 Saturday Night (05:37) |
 | Album: 14 of 16 Title: Dog Man Star. 20th Anniversary Live. Royal Albert Hall. Released: 2015-09-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 57:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Introducing the Band (02:53) 2 We Are the Pigs (03:46) 3 Heroine (03:10) 4 The Wild Ones (05:08) 5 Daddy’s Speeding (05:18) 6 The Power (04:10) 7 New Generation (04:25) 8 This Hollywood Life (03:42) 9 The 2 of Us (06:02) 10 Black or Blue (04:03) 11 The Asphalt World (08:31) 12 Still Life (06:13) |
 | Album: 15 of 16 Title: Night Thoughts Released: 2016-01-22 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 When You Are Young (04:16) 2 Outsiders (03:53) 3 No Tomorrow (03:51) 4 Pale Snow (02:42) 5 I Don’t Know How to Reach You (06:12) 6 What I’m Trying to Tell You (04:11) 7 Tightrope (03:51) 8 Learning to Be (03:21) 9 Like Kids (03:36) 10 I Can’t Give Her What She Wants (04:45) 11 When You Were Young (02:19) 12 The Fur and the Feathers (04:40) |
| Night Thoughts : Allmusic album Review : Night Thoughts is a quintessentially Suede title: specific yet vague, a notion that seems either romantic or sad depending on perspective. Twenty years, a decade of which was spent in a split, certainly has shifted Suedes perspective, particularly that of leader Brett Anderson. In his younger years, Anderson couldnt resist the tragic but as he settles into middle age, his work bears an unmistakable undercurrent of gratitude: no longer racing against a nuclear sunset, hes meditating upon the elongated stillness of night. Its a shift of attitude, a maturation mirrored by Suede consolidating their strengths. Leaving behind frivolous trash -- it is, after all, a sound that suits the young -- Suede embrace their inherent glamorous grandeur, playing miniatures as if they were epics while reining in excess. In a sense, Night Thoughts functions as the Dog Man Star to Bloodsports, an album that dwarfs its predecessor in both sound and sensibility. If Dog Man Star threatened to topple upon its own ambition -- part of its charm is how it meandered into endless darkness -- that makes the precision of Night Thoughts all the more impressive; it is the work of a band whose members know precisely how to execute their ideas. Here, the longest epic crests just over six minutes ("I Dont Know How to Reach You"), and the 12 songs seem interlocked, if not precisely conceptually then certainly thematically, with each element elegantly playing off the last. Sometimes, there are echoes of their past but this is knowing; "Like Kids" cascades like an inverted "New Generation," pulsating with the same passion but with an eye toward the past, not future. Despite this glance over the shoulder, theres a sense that Suede are happy not only to be through all the turmoil but to bear the scars of well-fought battles. With that past behind them, Suede can still dwell on big issues of love and mortality, but now that the past is in perspective, it all means a little bit more and what lies ahead is a little more precious, and that wide view makes Night Thoughts all the more moving. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 16 Title: The Blue Hour Released: 2018-09-21 Tracks: 14 Duration: 12:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 As One (?) 2 Wastelands (?) 3 Mistress (?) 4 Beyond the Outskirts (?) 5 Chalk Circles (?) 6 Cold Hands (?) 7 Life Is Golden (03:58) 8 Roadkill (?) 9 Tides (?) 10 Don’t Be Afraid If Nobody Loves You (04:24) 11 Dead Bird (?) 12 All the Wild Places (?) 13 The Invisibles (04:10) 14 Flytipping (?) |
| The Blue Hour : Allmusic album Review : Having established that their 21st century reunion was not a passing thing, Suede decided to stretch themselves with The Blue Hour, the third record theyve made since reuniting in 2013. Unlike that years Bloodsports or its 2016 sequel Night Thoughts, The Blue Hour isnt produced by Ed Buller, who helmed their three big records of the 1990s (Suede, Dog Man Star, Coming Up), its the work of Alan Moulder, the veteran producer whose fingerprints were all over alternative rock of the 90s that had little to do with Brit-pop. Truth be told, Suede always stood slightly apart from the Brit-pop pack, sounding a little too louche and glamorous to be part of it, but this decadent romanticism also serves them well in middle age, as it offers avenues for exploration and reflection -- avenues that the band seize here. The Blue Hour isnt as streamlined and assured as Night Thoughts, which wound up as an elegant refinement of the ideas offered on Dog Man Star, yet thats its charm. Suede decide to ratchet up the melodrama on The Blue Hour and seize upon any opportunity to take a detour, dressing the album with layers of strings, choirs, electronic voice, and poetic digressions. That some of these accouterments wind up detracting from the stylish foreboding thats the records primary color seems to be the point: Suede realize theyve mastered such sustained moodiness, so theyre taking opportunities to break the spell, or perhaps stir up dreams or nightmares. If the results are occasionally patchwork, that only adds to the albums appeal and it also suits Suede, who always found majesty within secondhand threads and hand-me-downs. Twenty-five years after their debut, they still retain that power, while finding ways to surprise within their firmly defined style. | ||