SUEDE – THE DROWNERS (NUDE)
“The Drowners” is one of those songs that probably shouldn’t be great but at the end of the day it just truly is. Ultimately it just represents a certain moment in time that was defining to a group of people (such as myself) and even though there was better music about at the time that should have been completely occupying my stereo I (and maybe you) couldn’t help but allow this record (and the band) into my consciousness.
Right from the start Suede always felt like something of a one trick pony with a paper thin singer warbling over paper thin guitar riffs while everyone and everything else around them (including me) generally tended to be smelly and aggressive, disinterested in another Bowie fop. Thankfully with their much hyped debut record they delivered at a time when almost all was (quite rightly) American.
I still remember vividly the early days of Suede, of them appearing on The Word doing “Brass In Pocket” and of Brett Anderson doing photo shots that appeared in Select magazine and genuinely made him look like a bird (and not in a good way).
Bernard Butler opens “The Drowners” in glam rock manner akin to “Ziggy Stardust” and this was perhaps probably where all the Bowie clone accusations got started. This then was not helped by Anderson verbally mincing like their apparent hero in a very weedy fashion. How were these people ever going to mature or develop when so dead on arrival?
Then something magic happens to this song: it’s memorable and possesses genuine hooks. Suddenly you get the sense that these two have taken on an idea and actually managed to build on it rather than slip into some kind of lazy homage. When Brett chimes off about drowning and accusing someone of “taking me over” all can be forgiven as the swooping flow of the piece genuinely serves to lift the listener regardless of all the frilliness attached to proceedings. With all the kissing and weirdness it just doesn’t sound like a nice place to be. Brett, is this really what its like to be homosexual?
“To The Birds” occupies second place on this CD single with an almost generic, almost shoegazer type run out that listened to now almost fifteen years later sounds probably more individual and maybe even better than upon release. Here you can see why Luke Haines apparently held the band in such disdain, this was what he was also doing only not with such a pretty band or face. That said by the end of the song I just want it to fucking die.
The final track here is “My Insatiable One” which I seem to remember appearing on a magazine compilation tape or CD. It always reminded me of a Radiohead song for some reason even though listened to now Anderson makes than comparison sound somewhat inaccurate. This is actually a very strong track, perhaps more reminiscent of Blur on helium. Meandering and levitating in a classic indie manner coming full circle it is easy to concede to just how much promise there was to Suede at the beginning.
As with the first three singles the artwork here is striking with a cutting image crashing across a blank white cover and the iconic Suede logo preventing any kind of identity confusion for the purchaser even if there may have been in the music.
These were great times.
Thesaurus moment: capital.
Suede
Nude Records
“The Drowners” is one of those songs that probably shouldn’t be great but at the end of the day it just truly is. Ultimately it just represents a certain moment in time that was defining to a group of people (such as myself) and even though there was better music about at the time that should have been completely occupying my stereo I (and maybe you) couldn’t help but allow this record (and the band) into my consciousness.
Right from the start Suede always felt like something of a one trick pony with a paper thin singer warbling over paper thin guitar riffs while everyone and everything else around them (including me) generally tended to be smelly and aggressive, disinterested in another Bowie fop. Thankfully with their much hyped debut record they delivered at a time when almost all was (quite rightly) American.
I still remember vividly the early days of Suede, of them appearing on The Word doing “Brass In Pocket” and of Brett Anderson doing photo shots that appeared in Select magazine and genuinely made him look like a bird (and not in a good way).
Bernard Butler opens “The Drowners” in glam rock manner akin to “Ziggy Stardust” and this was perhaps probably where all the Bowie clone accusations got started. This then was not helped by Anderson verbally mincing like their apparent hero in a very weedy fashion. How were these people ever going to mature or develop when so dead on arrival?
Then something magic happens to this song: it’s memorable and possesses genuine hooks. Suddenly you get the sense that these two have taken on an idea and actually managed to build on it rather than slip into some kind of lazy homage. When Brett chimes off about drowning and accusing someone of “taking me over” all can be forgiven as the swooping flow of the piece genuinely serves to lift the listener regardless of all the frilliness attached to proceedings. With all the kissing and weirdness it just doesn’t sound like a nice place to be. Brett, is this really what its like to be homosexual?
“To The Birds” occupies second place on this CD single with an almost generic, almost shoegazer type run out that listened to now almost fifteen years later sounds probably more individual and maybe even better than upon release. Here you can see why Luke Haines apparently held the band in such disdain, this was what he was also doing only not with such a pretty band or face. That said by the end of the song I just want it to fucking die.
The final track here is “My Insatiable One” which I seem to remember appearing on a magazine compilation tape or CD. It always reminded me of a Radiohead song for some reason even though listened to now Anderson makes than comparison sound somewhat inaccurate. This is actually a very strong track, perhaps more reminiscent of Blur on helium. Meandering and levitating in a classic indie manner coming full circle it is easy to concede to just how much promise there was to Suede at the beginning.
As with the first three singles the artwork here is striking with a cutting image crashing across a blank white cover and the iconic Suede logo preventing any kind of identity confusion for the purchaser even if there may have been in the music.
These were great times.
Thesaurus moment: capital.
Suede
Nude Records
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