749. Dog Man Star - Suede

I've never known much Suede, the big hits aside, and I always viewed them with some scepticism as a poor mans Pulp. Whilst Brett Anderson has a very impressive vocal range, I thought I didn't like him, possibly for no other reason than his name. Whilst judgemental, tell me you haven't turned your nose up for lesser reasons. I had always enjoyed Beautiful Ones and She's in Fashion off those mid/late 90s Indie Compilations that I still own far too many of, so it wasn't like I'd completely shunned them.

Released in 1994, Dog Man Star was the band's follow up to their Mercury winning self-titled debut, which became the biggest selling debut album since 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome'. This success, inevitably, caused problems within the group, with Anderson wanting to make a very different statement, and move away from the commercial behemoth that Britpop had become. Butler, the lead guitarist, left the band during the recording of the album, to be replaced by 17 year old Richard Oakes. The album did reasonably well initially, but sales faded away quickly, and it was a while before it attained the status it now holds as the band's masterpiece.

Introducing the Band sets things off with waves of distorted guitars and a pounding rhythm section overlaid by samples and various instruments. It is quite a statement and not what I was expecting. We are the Pigs is more conventional, with an anthemic chorus and Anderson's vocals front and centre. Heroine didn't quite big the mark, being fairly forgettable, although not bad per se. The Wild Ones is a song I can't ever remember hearing, but did sound familiar. Further to that, it is catchy as hell - a quite brilliant ebbing and flowing record. Daddy's Speeding is a pretty dark opus of sorts, although I'm not sure exactly what the message is supposed to be. Use of phased effects can be pretty off putting, but this track manages to pull it off with a compelling vocal performance alongside the more subtle instrumentation. The Power reminds me of a slower "She's in Fashion", with Anderson using a similar, wavering delivery. The song overall is slightly meandery, especially when compared to New, Generation, which sounds like the Cast at their very best. The horn section really adds something to the chorus, and the classic quiet-loud verse-chorus indie routine works well. This Hollywood Life is a sprawling number that kicks off with a great sax and distorted guitar combo. The slightly mechanical backing vocals work well on the chorus, and whilst I'd be amazed if the falsetto works as well live, it is convincing in a recorded format. The 2 of Us stays just the right side of melodrama, ala Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love. Black or Blue has moments of real brilliance, but is a bit too fragmented for me, with the chorus not quite fitting.  The Asphalt World was a slow-burner for me, as I only realised its brilliance near the end of the week. The organ adds an element of whimsy with a guitar riff that is pure White Album Beatles. Still Life is slightly weaker, relying too heavily on a play on the word 'still'. It's one of the few times that they sound overblown. Stay together (long version) works much better; by having a bit more pace in the delivery, the song sounds more convincing, and the prolonged collapse at the end seems a fitting exhale to the dying breath of this album. And then Whipsnade come along, leaving the album slightly outstaying is welcome.

The variety on this album really impressed me - I was expecting generic Britpop indie type songs, and instead was greeted with a real variety of songs from pop classics to arty epics. I should also apologise to Brett Anderson (like he'd care) as this record makes him sound a far less 2D character then I had labelled him.

Chloe's album rating: 5

Chloe's favourite track: 3. Heroine

Olly's album rating: 8

Olly's favourite track: 4. The Wild Ones

And coming up this week we have an absolute barnstormer - 162. Let it Bleed by the Rolling Stones. It turns out you do sometimes get what you want.