Suede

I guess it's good but I'm never gonna get into this version of Suede. I prefer e.g. Can't Get Enough or Savoir Faire to any Suede song post 2000. And I don't even like those songs that much. No point in me hoping for another Metal Mickey or New Generation or Flashboy – it's no shame of theirs they can't provide it, more mine for wanting it.

I like that you can see Oaksy playing an axe solo on top of one of the tower blocks.

https://i.imgur.com/ICCmPv7.png

Oh that song is very good - like making a whole song out of a "Wild Ones" verse.

Also, the video is kind of perfect for Suede, inhabiting the same empty and depopulated world of emotional desolation as the 'Sci-Fi Lullabies' cover. It would have been perfect if they had left out any Cyrillic letters to make the location less obvious.

I'm quite surprised at how great the whole package is, speaking as someone who liked the album but truly hated the Night Thoughts film

So, the new album. Both long songs are really good (yeah yeah vmic) but I'm not sold on the rest yet - feels like a step down from Night Thoughts

I found Night Thoughts ok (but never went back to it).
This one, I couldn't bother to listen to more than a few seconds of each new track.
I guess I simply don't like THIS band (as it is now).

Love Night Thoughts, can't remember Bloodsports (but liked it iirc), thanks for the bump on the new one! Us Yanks need to pay attention!

they went full vintage-Scott-Walker for this one huh

I don't hear 'vintage Scott Walker' at all tbh.

The opener is a grotesque dud, but the rest is.. not bad?

Couple of plays in and it sounds like Night Thoughts with a choir. Not quite the out-there experience they said they were going to make, but probably another worthy addition

The second track Wastelands is the closest they come to recapturing the glory of I Don't Know How To Reach You

Wan't "IDKHTRY" a kind of remake of "He's Dead" ?

Not related to the new album but I get a weird but obvious Suede circa « Let’s stay together » from L del Rey’s « Venice Bitch » instrumental guitar break !

Wan't "IDKHTRY" a kind of remake of "He's Dead" ?

― AlXTC from Paris, Friday, 21 September 2018 13:45 (five hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I don't hear the lift - but they're both among Suede's best songs

Guitar arpeggio, same syncopated drums part, same kind of bassline. It seems pretty obvious to me. And « He’s Dead » is indeed one of their most fabulous songs.

I still get frustrated that they're using the same combinations of chord changes, melodies, arrangements. As with the previous two albums, every single song has brittle, arpeggiated guitar from start to finish (I realise this is their signature sound, but they used to apply more varied textures – Coming Up, for example, only has four songs built around this kind of guitar line). Even some fucking strummed acoustic guitar would sound novel and exploratory in the context of their current work.

BUT I still really love this new record! There's rarely a hint of spontaneity or accident anywhere, but it's till so much more alive than the last couple. And within the parameters they don't move much beyond, these are excellent songs. In particular, Wastelands, Mistress, Cold Hands, Life Is Golden, All The Wild Places... but there is no dud. It's 50 minutes of highly comforting pleasure.

yeah when i said this was a step down from Night Thoughts I was kind of wrong....this is growing on me with every listen. I think Brett and the gang probably need their comfort zone to turn out stuff this consistently good even when Suede are no longer the coolest thing going

Their best since Scary Monsters

Seriously, easily the best since Coming Up. Proper pretentious mess, thank god.

Probably the best since DMS

Coming Up is great though

I hadn't heard Coming Up until a couple of days ago! Having given it several listens I think I prefer the last two to it, although it's still good

No ruinous Beautiful Ones to stink the place up with reheated Oasis on the new records

Whaaaaat o_O

"We're tra-ha-hash, you and me"

Maybe you had to be there :)

xp

From what I can tell they didn't release any b-sides from Night Thoughts singles, and nothing so far from Blue Hour aside from the 7" bonus track in the deluxe package, is that right?

xp yeah Trash is a great song

'By The Sea', 'Picnic by the Motorway' and 'Saturday Night' would all be on a 15 track best of of mine

I think this is a good album.

Picnic By The Motorway is my favourite thing on Coming Up and would probably make my own Suede compilation.

Really? It's only the second longest track on there! ;)

The longest track is kind of a disappointing dirge tbh

It is.

I also listened to their 'bad albums' today. Actually, Head Music was more obviously a 'bad album' than A New Morning - the latter was much more cohesive and minding of its own business - but I guess the former had more personality. Neither were particularly great or bad, but they certainly lacked spark

A New Morning has a lovely sound to it, shame they couldn't have hooked up with Stephen Street earlier. The problem I have is it feels like the songs are going through the motions for the most part, Suede without the drama. It's a bit like when Pulp dropped all the sleaze and darkness on their final album, losing a lot of what made them appealing in the first place.

Brett's singing is really good on it, compared to now. I don't know what's happened to his voice more recently but I find it a bit uncomfortable to listen to it, like he's straining for something he can't quite reach anymore.

I think Head Music was a credible attempt to reinvent the band that didn't quite come off for a few reasons(Brett's smack habit and Neil's illness can't have helped). It has it's moments.

I like this new one, though on first listen it sort of sounds like the second side of an album.

http://thequietus.com/articles/25392-suede-interview-the-blue-hour

good stuff doran

yeah good interview, and the record sounds really interesting too

their new sound is not really for me but would love to see a live show

I'm trying to listen to it following all the raving reviews I have read/heard lately.
A few songs in, I still don't like the sound and arrangements (otm Eyeball Kicks !) but a few songs seem OK.
I have a very hard time understanding how it could be considered one of their best after DMS, though.
It seems to lack substance.
And Brett's singing on the opening track is simply cringy !

yeah DMS and debut clearly in a league of their own, Coming Up v different but almost great, the rest nowhere near

imo

Obviously the first two albums are a notch above but I really think this is the best one since then - both of those things can be true!

Yeah, I was talking about the many comments I read (not here, I think) saying it is their best after, not since, DMS !
(btw, my favourite is not DMS but the first one)

Agreed - the first album is not just my favourite Suede album but one of my favourite albums period

coming up is great & Beautiful Ones is one of their best, anti Coming Up fans confuse the hell out of me

The most baffling thing to me is why Brett keeps mentioning in interviews him digging up a dead bird to show his young son, as if that's a good idea

idk the decay of life is a p metal thing to teach your kids

The kid will end up with a heavy metal stutter then

Yeah that digging up a dead bird to show his young son the skeleton/corpse is... heavy.
That’s his goth/dark side (or star), I guess.

Btw I’ve listened to the whole album and... really don’t understand the hype.

Second volume of Anderson memoirs forthcoming:

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/suedes-brett-anderson-pens-sequel-memoir-871436