Album Review: Suede - Bloodsports
- Written by Ben Gibson
When Suede broke up in 2003 Brett Anderson famously told journalists he needed to “get his demon back”. It is easy to see why, as aside from a couple of songs, Suede's final two albums (Head Music and A New Morning) were serious disappointments.
It's fair to say that despite some good signs - the band seemed fired up in interviews, the return of long standing producer Ed Buller - this reviewer was sceptical about new material. Two minutes in to lead single 'It Starts And Ends With You' and all fears dissolved. This epic slab of punchy glam rock is as good as all but the very best Suede songs. It seemed to indicate the return to form fans had been hoping for.
Disappointingly for those hoping for a record as great as their classic self-titled debut, 'It Starts And Ends With You' gets my vote for album stand out. However that doesn't mean the single is a false dawn. There isn't a bad song on here and some, like 'Sabotage' and 'For The Strangers' are revelations. In fact, all of the first six tracks are beautifully crafted rockers capable of kicking your night off in style.
Bloodsports has an accessibility not seen since they first reinvented themselves with hit party album Coming Up. But it is also more joyful, more euphoric, and just as fun. Despite the lack of any obvious 'Beautiful Ones' style hits, this record is the more musically accomplished and dare I say it, better album.
Much of this is down to the herculean efforts of Richard Oakes, who finally steps out of the shadow of original Suede guitarist Bernard Butler with an utterly astonishing series of performances. From the majestic, uplifting 'Hit Me' to stunning album closer 'Faultlines' there isn't a second here that isn't improved by his masterful riffing.
The rest of the band are on top form too. The eternally overlooked rhythm section, particular bassist Mat Osman, put on a career best performance in Bloodsports.Not only that, but the sweeping orchestral arrangements which decorate the tracks are the cherry on top of an already delicious treat of an album.
Also to their credit is the inspired choice of Ed Buller as producer, who makes Bloodsports feel like a Suede record, and not a Brett Anderson solo project for the first time since 1997. With a lead singer as powerful as Anderson there is a tendency to allow him to overpower the rest of the band. Buller avoids this pitfall, allowing all the layers of the Suede sound to bubble through the mix.
Just as importantly, this means you don't have to listen too hard to the lyrics, which are often melodramatic and nonsensical. We'll never get our heads around what “like a cause without a martyr” means. We doubt the man himself really knows what he's on about. Anderson may be a great singer but he is far from a great lyricist (following a correction of that lyric snippet we realise this may not now be the best example to illustrate the point - Ed). Still, at least he's stopped singing about bad sex in council flats.
Another problem is the sequencing. The choice to put all the ballads at the end of the album is bizarre. Aside from making the record sound less varied it also leaves us with an odd impression provided by a number of false endings. Still, it's hard to be too upset when listening to an album without a single bad song. Although the ballads are a step behind the first half of the album, they are still frequently interesting and often inspiring. Looks like they got their demon back.
Bloodsports is out now and available from amazon