Suede - 'A New Morning' (Epic)
4/5
By: Toby L
Stripping away from the trashy, glam guitar-antics of yesteryears, with 'A New Morning', the UK's most up and down of guitar-packs, Suede, are back - as contemplative and tuneful as ever.
So, gone are the greasy haircuts, the arse-slaps and suspect references to elephant men - and, instead, bring on the receding hairlines, wrinkly faces and a matured approach to song-writing that results in possibly the band's finest and freshest clutch of songs since, gasp, 'Dog Man Star'. Recorded so starkly simple and graceful that every one of the ten tracks present (well, eleven tracks, if you have the special-edition, luvvie - and that's excluding 'Oceans', the secret-track) glows with epic beauty, the theme of the LP throughout is that of uplifting serenity.
From the opening mid-pace aloofness of 'Positivity', the record shimmers and improves as it advances. The sumptuous pop of 'Obsessions', beguiling choral harmonies of 'Untitled', restricted Bowie-isms of 'Astrogirl' and Anderson's opening croon of 'I see you in my life/I see you on the screen' within 'Lost In TV' - all of it: priceless. By the time they hit mid-stride in '...Morning', you'll be officially certified paralytic if you don't feel your heart moving from within.
And, even when proceedings quicken up and the blood pumps harder, as within the almost-stomp of 'Beautiful Loser' and mildly rousing 'Streetlife', the effect is still that of uplifting grandeur, a renewed vigour, confidence and elegance that was last seen associated with this group in 1994... Remember then? Yet, although frontman Brett Anderson may not quite possess the exact same shrill in his voice, there's still the aching shrill and urgent sincerity that's been the most consistent winning factor since year-dot in this act's history.
It is true, then. A new morning. A rediscovered dawn. And classic Suede throughout.
Artists in this article: Suede
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment