Suede are back, back, BACK! After an eleven year hiatus, my favorite band of the Britpop variety, will return with "Bloodsports", their sixth studio longplayer.
Clearly influenced by David Bowie, and to a lesser extent the long shadow of The Smiths, Suede, along with Pulp (who have a new tune out at the mo), were embraced by the artier side of Britpop as opposed to the lads that waved their banners for the likes of Blur and Oasis. Essentially, all four created the Venn diagram of the 90s rock scene in the UK.
References to drugs, alcohol, sex, androgyny and gasoline fueled Suede's lyrical tank. After their "difficult" yet accomplished and hazy, sophomore effort, "Dog Man Star", alongside the departure of guitar guru and songsmith Bernard Butler, the band embraced the flashbulb flicker of full on pop with "Coming Up". Double entrendre and tongues firmly placed in cheek. A big lipstick longplayer that is equal parts gorgeous and raucous.
Earlier this month, Suede roared back to life when they unveiled "Barriers", the first taste from their forthcoming elpee. A thundering, muscular tune featuring Brett Anderson's epic, sweeping, widescreen lyrical beauty.
The first, official single will be "It Starts And Ends With You" which will be available three weeks prior to its parent longplayer.
The following is the tracklisting for "Bloodsports".
1. Barriers
2. Snowblind
3. It Starts And Ends With You
4. Sabotage
5. For The Strangers
6. Hit Me
7. Sometimes I Feel I’ll Float Away
8. What Are You Not Telling Me?
9. Always
10.Faultlines
There is a lot of promise for the album due to the return of Ed Buller who twiddled the knobs for Suede's first three albums. "Bloodsports" hits the "shops" on March 18.
Good to have Suede back, but with Brett's solo work, I was tided over nicely. Ed Buller producing, no complaints, but don't tell that Steve Osbourne produced my favorite Suede album, okay? So Pulp: back. Suede: back. Bowie: back. This is all good news, but I was just looking at an appalling fashion layout in the new Interview with my incredulous wife and remarked, "is it time already for the grunge revival?" I then realized that it had been 20 years, and damn my eyes I had just let the notion slip into the collective unconscious!!
ReplyDeleteSuede sounds strong. The were always, by far the best thing to come of the "britpop" era. They were always the least Rockist (thank you Barney Hoskyns for that one) of that era's offerings - even Elastica were more rock musos than Suede.
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