Album: Suede, Bloodsports (Warner)
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Well, what did you expect? A sad attempt to recapture former glories? You were half-right.
Bloodsports, the first Suede album since their ignominious fizzle 11 years ago, is an exhilarating attempt to recapture those glories. Recorded with early producer Ed Buller, it's what everyone wanted: a Suede album in every respect, from the brash, vibrant guitars and Brett Anderson's thrilling vocals right down to the b'boom-boom before each chorus.
Lyrically, we're straight into Suede-world too: there may be no poison rain or nuclear wind, but there are aniseed kisses, roman candles, dandelion clocks and aerosol cans, gutters and drains, scratches and scars, references to Penguin Modern Classics and "a hairline crack in a radiator, leaking life".
Bloodsports repeats the Dog Man Star trick of loading the barnstorming glam-indie anthems – typified by the single "It Starts and Ends with You" – towards the front, and ending on a run of showstopping slowies.
In the canon, Bloodsports is effortlessly superior to its predecessor A New Morning, and averages out roughly on a level with Head Music (though more consistent in quality).
Suede aren't just back. Suede are Suede.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments