Suede [30th Anniversary Edition/Half-Speed Master]

by Suede

Overview

Suede's self-titled debut found the band riding a crest of success; their first three singles were steady chart-climbers, their faces adorned the covers of countless magazines, and their live appearances were flashy, glamorous, and packed. Behind all the glitter and gold, the band constructed a sound that took in the stomping splendor of glam rock, the feathery excess of art rock, and the street-level grime of punk, and gave it a joyous post-everything update. Listening to the group swagger and sway through the uptempo songs on the record is like having helium blown up your skirt -- the effect is one of weightless enchantment. Making it through the waggish "Metal Mickey" without sashaying around gleefully is a test few would pass; certainly it sounds like Brett Anderson was giving his best effort while recording the vocals. The band, especially guitarist Bernard Butler, imbue the songs with a sense of drama and excitement that matches Anderson's gymnastically rakish vocals and louche lyrics to a tee. When they aren't strutting through songs like the eternally cheeky "The Drowners" or the romping "Animal Lover" as if they were winding up to give the dour music landscape a swift arse-kicking, the band delved into much more dour, somewhat gloomy territory where Anderson's bitterly sad swooning is perfectly mirrored by the glimmering tones Butler exudes like shiny tears. Check "She's Not Dead" for a good example. In between these two extremes are songs that split the difference and come across like glitter-prog gems. "So Young," for example, takes the moody melodrama of the Smiths, the slithering guitar lines of the Stone Roses, and the kitchen-sink epic nature of Pulp, then melts it all together into something bold and shiny. Credit to Anderson for a daring performance here, and throughout the album, that feels like he's not only walking a tightrope but doing it backwards with eyes closed. Even more love for Butler's guitar playing. Not only can he dole out chunky power chords like Marc Bolan, uncork whopping riffs like Mick Ronson, and drift mystically like John Squire, but he constantly explores his array of pedals and comes up with a wide range of sounds that never fail to surprise and amaze. It's a huge part of the album's magic that every song exhibits a different tone or new effect, from the paint-peeling fuzz on "Animal Nitrate," the swirling phase on "The Drowners" and the Byrds-y jangle of "Animal Lover" to the echoing sweep heard throughout "Moving." It seems like there are about 12 guitarists and they are all geniuses, but even so, Butler fits in just right with the rest of the group and never overshadows the singer. Perhaps his playing even propels Anderson to greater heights. Taken altogether, the record is a shimmering snapshot of a perfect moment in time where the band, the songs, the sound, the production, and even the surrounding culture all teamed up to produce an album that's about as flawless as one could imagine. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2023
Label:	Demon Records
UPC:	5014797909069

Tracks

1. So Young
2. Animal Nitrate
3. She's Not Dead
4. Moving
5. Pantomime Horse
6. The Drowners
7. Sleeping Pills
8. Breakdown
9. Metal Mickey
10. Animal Lover
11. The Next Life

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Suede   Primary Artist
Justine Frischmann   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Bernard Butler   Piano,Guitar
Ed Buller   Keyboards,Synthesizer
Brett Anderson   Vocals
Simon Clarke   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Caroline Barnes   Violin
Trevor Burley   Cello
Phil Overhead   Percussion
Mat Osman   Guitar (Bass),Bass (Electric)
Simon Gilbert   Drums
Shelley Van Loen   Violin
Lynne Baker   Viola

Technical Credits

Bernard Butler   Composer,Group Member
Chrissie Hynde   Composer
James Honeyman-Scott   Composer
Gary Stout   Engineer,Assistant
Ed Buller   Arranger,Engineer,Producer
Brett Anderson   Composer
Pennie Smith   Portraits,Photography
Andy Crabb   Video Director
Matthew Amos   Video Director
David Lewis   Video Director
Mat Osman   Group Member
Jon Buller   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Suzanne Bramson   Session Coordinator
Pat Pope   Portraits,Photography
Andrew Biscomb   Design,Cover Design
Simon Gilbert   Group Member
Peter Barrett   Design
Tee Corinne   Photography
Pedro Romhanyi   Video Director
Lindy Heymann   Video Director