by Ed Biggs
Suede – Bloodsports
Unlike many bands that seem to reunite cynically for the allure of the dollar, Suede (or The London Suede, depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re reading this) genuinely have unfinished business.
Often credited with kick-starting the mid-1990s musical movement known as Britpop, their impressive back catalog was tarnished by the appalling A New Morning (2002), an album not even released in the States, before their extended hiatus that began in 2003.
Fortunately, Bloodsports, released 11 years since their last album, does a great deal to rehabilitate the band’s legacy. Everything is energetic, honed and effortlessly melodic, while retaining that crucial edginess and noir that Suede’s fans so adored them for.
Lead single “It Starts And Ends With You” is the perfect illustration, all dramatic and FM-friendly. The remainder of the tracks do not deviate very far from this template, making Bloodsports a consistent and enjoyable collection that stands shoulder to shoulder with material from their commercial heyday.
“It Starts And Ends With You” – Suede from Bloodsports