Suede - A New Morning

What I have heard of A New Morning is pleasant, relaxed even, and I don't mean that as a criticism. It's Suede having a good time and not making too much of a fuss; the inclusion of Alex Lee hasn't notably changed anything. I think of it this way -- Suede shouldn't be seen so much in the Bowie vein as the Cocteau Twins vein now, not in terms of sonics but generally aesthetic approach. They've established a sound and will do gentle variations on it for the rest of their time still together, I'm guessing. And why not?

Brett's just going through the motions and recycling the same old lyricisms, only now his hoary voice can't hide the fact that he's just a gentrified has-been whose completely lost any of the vim or vigour that actually made Suede interesting once.

And the songs! Oh my.

Total crap.

I was hoping against hope that it would be wonderful, and even got that familiar rush of excitement when the first song kicked in. But one minute into it I realized how very bland it was. Every song is just really generic -- it could be any Britpop band from the mid- nineties (the word "Bluetones" springs to mind). The music is totally unremarkable, and Brett doesn't even sound like his old self. It's like all of the little idiosyncratic vocal tics that made his voice distinctive have been pro-tooled out. Even Head Music had some redeeming moments on it, but this is just too bland to pick any one song out as good.

Of course A New Morning had the distinct disadvantage of coming after Frantic on my mp3 player, and Bryan just seemed to outclass them in every sense of the word.

What Brett should do is swallow his pride and beg BB to come back to the fold, because the interviews promoting the new McAlmont & Butler album indicate he'd be willing to do it.

Anyway, enough of my rambling...

"Positivity" is OK, but a bit weak for a first single. "Beautiful Loser" is crap. "Obsessions" sounds like it wants to be "Trash". Sadly, it isn't. "Lost in TV" is quite good though. I am biased toward songs with lalalas in them, though.

FWIW many folks on the Suede list weren't too thrilled with the new songs at the fan gigs, though a number chalked that up to unfamiliarity with them. I am surprised at how virulent the reaction is here, though -- I think the Bluetones are only supposed to be invoked if the world is in imminent danger of collapse.

That all said, the new Bryan Ferry is quite wonderful. :-)

Did the departing Neil add more than we thought to the dynamics of the group? Was Stephen Street a wise choice? Should Anderson have dropped the whole bass/guitar/drums route? Do we blame Natalie Imbruglia?

I'm only surprised there are people still clinging to the remnants of the Suede flotsam. Suede were merely one of the many Britpop galleon's to crash and smash against the rocks of progress.
Brett humself has, for a long time, seem bored and maybe even slightly embarrassed by his role as decadent, foppish wastrel. And, trapped by rabid fan's expectation, that's clearly what he see's it as: a role. His lyrics have had the air of 'Oh well, this is what Suede fans want to hear, so what can I do?' and he wearily goes through his list of key SuedeWords and fashions another Suede song that matches all the other Suede songs. With obvious diminishing results.
If Brett's heart was in it, they may just get away with it. But it isn't.

Fighting words. But I've vented elsewhere. ;-)

Hm. Who among here does not have someone artistic -- doesn't matter who, doesn't matter what kind of music, might not even be music! -- they cling to obstinately regardless of the array of the world's opinion against them. I suspect nobody here is innocent (or you're liars ;-)).

I wonder if Brett even knows HOW to make a different type of record.

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 !).