Suede - A New Morning

It goes through the motions, all the while adhering to a certain style so as to constantly remind the listener that - like previous albums do you see - it came directly from the Suede Factory and, therefore, must be As Good.

Only it's not. In fact, it sucks. Hence, it sounds like Suede, only crapper.

(But I guess we know that they sleep in clean, comfy linens now...)

I have no problem with comfort, and Suede sound comfortable on A New Morning and that's quite all right with me. Depeche Mode have found a way for comfort and exploration to coexist, for example, so I'd rank Exciter as the more satisfactory listen all around, say. But I have no reason based on what I've heard to now chuck Suede out the window with a curse. If "Positivity" didn't stick I'd say so -- but stick it does. :-)

Maybe they're on autopilot. Maybe they ARE past it. But really, anyone who ranks this as being even in the top HALF of embarassing post-success Britpop flops clearly hasn't listened to it on its merit.

oh is it fixed now ?

Listened to a bit of this again the other night. It's so much better than anyone would tend to imagine. 'Obsessions' and 'Lonely Girls', in their way, as powerful and direct as any songwriting BA had ever done.

Eheh same for me today : I barely remembered this album since I was definitely past Suede at the time but it's surprisingly... er not that bad !
Relaxed/satisfied and even positive Suede is OK with me although I agree that they don't make much effort, especially in the lyrical department, so it's not exciting, great or anything.
This is also appreciable after revisiting Head Music too which is borderline awful/unlistenable to me (and I had some hopes there would be some good b-sides from that period to make an alternate decent album/playlist... but at most they had a good EP in them at that time apparently !).
It might be their We Love Life (only not as good).

I've wasted many an hour listening to this album trying to find some enjoyment in it, but it really is an uninspired sad state of affairs.

I listen to "New Morning" and "Head Music" so infrequently that I get them mixed up. Which I did again this morning, so looked up the track lists and learned that it's "Head Music" that actually has a few songs I like.

Honestly think Head Music is pretty excellent with the exception of a couple of songs (Head Music and Elephant Man)

After listening to ANM again, I like it (except the ridiculous copy of a part of "Metal Mickey" that is "Beautiful Loser" and "Streetlife" + maybe "Astrogirl" which is not bad just boring).
The rest is nothing great (although "Lost in TV" comes close) but it's nice and smooth (lol at the Peanuts inspired "When the rain falls").
Head Music I can only accept "Everything Will Flow" (which is a great song), "Down" and mayyyybe "She's in Fashion" (but the production is atrocious, like on the rest of the album).

"Everything Will Flow" is the one that's always stuck in my head.

Yeah, it's very good. Certainly the best song on this album (and of that period of theirs).
The lyrics are limited and full of BA's usual words but it has a soothing almost spiritual touch.

"She's in Fashion" is amazing! I know it's not their most loved single, but I find it a rush, and as a late discoverer of the band, it was one of the first tracks that grabbed me. "Everything Will Flow" also great. Love the shiny production on both tracks, though have never given the album a listen

"Head Music" def. continues in the OTT eccentric production vein of "Coming Up."

re : "She's in Fashion", I remember reading at the time that BA was certain it was going to be a big hit/n°1. It wasn't.

xp I should get around to checking it out then! I've never been put off by the production of Coming Up

I am with BA on that one

Well the production on HM is OTT in a different way + the songs are simply (mostly) not good.

"She's in Fashion" is nice but besides the production, it lacks something to be very good.
It's too superficial/shallow imo (well, that's fasion for you !).