Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Album review: Suede, Bloodsports (Warner Music Group)

 

Andy Gill
Friday 15 March 2013 20:00 GMT
Comments
Suede, Bloodsports (Warner Music Group)
Suede, Bloodsports (Warner Music Group)

Though no masterpiece, Suede's Bloodsports is a decent piece of work that stays true to the band's aesthetic while boosting its sound to arena size.

It's just a pity that, as comebacks go, it can't help but seem like a little rowing boat tossed around in the wake of the mighty SS Bowie. Timing, as ever, is everything. But Brett Anderson still has that fallen-angel cadence, dashing off lines like “I fall to the floor like my strings are cut” with insouciant charm; and Richard Oakes' guitar riffs hoist songs such as “Sabotage” to another level, his arpeggios like a street-punk swagger-stalking back alleys.

Producer Ed Buller has given the band a bigger sound that works well on the rolling U2-esque riff to “Barriers”, but parts of the album still sag under expectations

Download: Barriers; It Starts and Ends with You; For the Strangers

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in