The Tears - 'Here Come...' (Independiente)
4/5
By: Matt Tomiak
It's about as unlikely a reconciliation Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer kissing, making up and frolicking arm in arm through Newcastle's Bigg Market. Things may have all disintegrated towards the end for Suede, but (especially for those of us too young to recall the spirit of 1993 first hand) the pairing of erstwhile singer Brett Anderson and guitarist Bernard Butler with band in tow is surely enough to whet even the most cynical of appetites.
Be assured that, musically, it's no return to the pre-Britpop era. As co-writers on 'Here Come The Tears', the pair have substituted yesteryear's seedy vignettes of London lowlife for sweeping, luscious, heroic pop: but, crucially, the essence of classic Suede remains. The opener and first single 'Refugees' sets the tone - and it's an absolute gem, channelling the louche, defiant, us-against-the-world romanticism of yore into three splendid minutes of Spector-ish sound. 'Our love is our saviour, our life is our grave,' croons Brett, starting something of a trend for the whole album.
'Co-Star', part-80s power ballad, part-60s girl group, and the ultimate in let-bygones-be-bygones ('When we're together, the world smiles... Like ice in the sun, we'll melt into one') resumes the theme. It would be a dead cert for the most adoring hetero love song of the year. That is, until a couple of tracks later and 'The Ghost Of You', which finds Brett recalling how he 'threw out the photographs like yesterday's flowers/I erase the past, but it won't go away.' The unfettered buoyancy of 'Lovers' brings to mind 'Coming Up'-era Suede singles such as 'Trash' or 'Beautiful Ones', whilst simultaneously showcasing a virtuoso Butler guitar performance. 'Brave New Century', with its talk of how 'the pages burn and the babies scream' is the one concession to Suede's mid-90s heritage, threatening to turn into 'We Are The Pigs' at any moment. But it's an anomaly - a little bit of old grime on a shiny 21st century exterior.
Even though these songs might not all be chronicling the relationship between Anderson and Butler, it doesn't really matter. Simply dripping with heartfelt affection and sunny optimism, 'Here Come The Tears' is a searingly fine listen. Hatchet-burying never sounded so good.
Artists in this article: The Tears
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment