There were only two bands worth listening to in the Britpop movement and neither of them were called Oasis. This album transcends the genre effortlessly, providing the definitive soundtrack to a generation for whom the alienation of the after party comedown became a lifestyle. Bernard Butler, a guitarist and arranger of prodigious talent and singer Brett Anderson looked set to take the world by storm. Instead they imploded after two albums. Suede went on to record another three, but this was surely their finest hour.
OK, I can’t sit by while you criticise Oasis. In the drought of ’93 where the best group around was D:Ream the album Suede by Suede was superb. It gave us all hope and was full of exciting meaningful pop songs. In ’94 Oasis came along and coincidentally Suede committed suicide by releasing Dog Man Star, a load of self indulgent half hour long orchestral pieces. Whilst the acoustic versions of the songs had substance it was impossible to find in the album versions. Brit pop was defined when Blur released Parklife. Suede, to me, were gone by then so I don’t think of them as part of the Brit pop movement. Anderson and Butler reformed as The Tears in ’04 which was quite good.
Posted by Sam Garforth | November 9, 2010, 4:31 pmah but i disagree! Where Oasis were copyists, Suede were derivative. Where Suede were unashamedly romantic, Oasis came across as unashamedly loutish. And in their later years utterly deluded (“When we were the biggest band in the world….” Noel Gallagher). They were very successful, but to me, they were to be taken no more seriously than the Rutles! Quite liked the Tears album.
Posted by Chris Wright | November 9, 2010, 6:57 pmOasis? Who? I love the Rutlles comparison, but frankly that is an insult to the genius that is Neil Innes!
Suede (and Blur) were pure and unique experimentalists. Oasis were nothing but Xerox extortionists. Thank God they are dead and gone! x
Posted by djbethell@gmail.com | January 22, 2011, 10:59 pm@djbethell You’re right! Neil Innes is a genius – “How Sweet To Be An Idiot” was a great album in its own right.
Posted by Chris Wright | January 23, 2011, 11:41 am