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Bloodsports - Suede
by Jake Speed
Bloodsports is the sixth studio album by Suede. After several years away you could be forgiven for expecting an underwhelming, ludicrously belated and unnecessary attempt to recapture past glories. Their last couple of albums were patchy affairs to say the least and strongly suggested it was time for the increasingly out of fashion Suede ... to permanently retire to a crumbling gothic mansion and read JG Ballard novels with the curtains drawn tight against the sun. Bloodsports is a surprising return to form though and pitched somewhere in between Coming Up and Dog Man Star. You can tell that Suede have their mojo back from the cover art alone. Much care seems to have gone into every aspect of this record and if it does turn out to be a late twilight swansong then it's not a bad place to end at all. Suede are one of the more unappreciated groups in the modern history of British popular music I think and their up and down story is always interesting to read about. They unwittingly invented Britpop (the very English Suede were a reaction against American grunge) but then had to endure the indignity of lesser talents like Blur, Pulp, and Oasis barging in and taking all the headlines. Their sprawlingly epic second album Dog Man Star was supposed to be their magnum opus (and in the eyes of many it is) but was overshadowed by their brilliant guitarist Bernard Butler leaving the group in a huff during the recording process. One could make a strong case for the Bernard Butler incarnation of Suede still remaining the best British group since The Smiths. The Suede b-sides alone during the Butler era (which can be found on disc one of their Sci-Fi Lullabies compilation) are better than most singles put out by anyone else. While Suede were never quite the same without Butler they did make a great album without him in Coming Up and it finally has a worthy successor with Bloodsports. I think if you study the history of Suede you see that they work best when they are outsiders and have something to prove. With Bloodsports, Suede have something to prove again and their low rent sense of glamour is still enjoyably evident. They can still see star constellations in those muddy coffee granules.
The first song on Bloodsports is called Barriers. It begins in somewhat alarming fashion because it sounds like U2 at first, which obviously isn't good, but initial reservations are soon cast into the nuclear skies (as Brett Anderson would have once sang in his younger more pretentious years) and the song becomes very Suede. Anderson's vocals are the sort of arch gothic he essayed on Dog Man Star (there is one line where he sounds almost exactly like he did on Still Life) and when the chorus kicks in Richard Oakes even manages to conjure a guitar riff that sounds like Bernard Butler is back. The vocals and guitars are a great throwback to the early albums at times and a pleasant indication that Suede are Suede again. None of the electronic nonsense that blighted Head Music or any of the strangely bland pop of A New Morning. This album is more linear than the last couple of Suede records and also less pretentious. Barriers is also the first indication that Anderson's short lived reunion with Bernard Butler as The Tears (the excellent "Here Come the Tears" is sort of like the original line up third Suede album that never was in a sense) is also an influence on Bloodsports. There are a couple of songs here that sound very much like the material Anderson and Butler wrote together for The Tears. Snowblind is next and a straight ahead rabble rousing pop song that sounds like a cross between Starcrazy and Together and could easily slot into Suede's enjoyable Coming Up album. I think that is the best thing about Bloodsports. It makes no concession to the passage of time and abandons that torturous sense of experimentation that you got on the last couple of Suede albums before they got bored and threw the towel in to dwindling sales and apathy. This album could have been made at almost any point in their career.
While the Suede landscape lyrics have been toned down (I didn't detect any gratuitous references to gasoline or picnics by the motorway) they are still very Suede-esque in that borderline daft sort of way. "The rumours burn like roman candles, In the broken lights." Snowblind has a great wall of guitar sound here by Richard Oakes. He definitely seems to be much more accomplished here than he was on the previous three Suede albums. The flow and pacing of the songs feels much better here than it was on the last two albums too. Then it was starting to sound like hard work being Suede and writing Suede songs but there is a relaxed almost effortless sheen to the songs here. It Starts and Ends with You (a very Suede title I title) is next and again sounds very much like one of those songs Anderson and Butler wrote for The Tears. This is a big uplifting pop anthem and really good. This album definitely benefits from sticking to Coming Up's blueprint of precise guitar pop with a few weepies thrown in at the end. Anderson's lyrics go a bit wobbly here though. "Like a cause without a martyr, Like an effigy of balsa, Like a hairline crack in a radiator, Leaking life." Hmmn. Sabotage is more low-slung and gently builds into a mildly orchestrated cloud of melodrama with Brett Anderson's Marmite vocals making you feel like you've been mugged by Kenneth Williams. It sounds like one of the b-sides from the poorer half of their Sci-Fi Lullabies flipside double album. It's ok but nothing here really grabs the listener too much and it maybe outstays its welcome a trifle by the end. The guitars sound a bit dated at first but become more complex and intricate as the song progresses. Not really my favourite thing here but this could possibly be a grower with more listens. I like the line "Her touch is like a raven's shadow" though. That's so Suede.
For the Strangers is Suede back to their best and could easily have been from their first incarnation with Bernard Butler. I love the languid vocals and guitars on this and the Suede outsider theme, the litter on the breeze if you will, is perfectly encapsulated here. It feels like a vague attempt to make a new version of a brilliant early Suede song called To the Birds and while it doesn't have the complex melodrama that Bernard Butler brought to the table with his guitar it's still very good and Richard Oakes continues to impress here with his contributions to the music. I think if you listen to the last couple of albums it's clear they seemed to have lost this precise shorthand way of writing songs but this is great. "Lips like semaphore to my heart, We slither and slide and slip, Stings like aerosol in my eyes, And nothing compares to this." One other important factor to consider is that keyboardist Neil Codling (who joined Suede for Coming Up and left before A New Morning) is now back and so Bloodsports has a three pronged team in Anderson, Codling and Oakes writing the songs. It gives them more strings to their bow and makes the music stronger. Hit Me is Suede in irresistible pop mood with a chorus that is like being injected with a can of Fanta that has been shaken to within an inch of its orange life. Sounds like a mash up of Metal Mickey, She, Beautiful Ones and Can't Get Enough. I love the chorus here and the swooning guitar sound captures past glories but doesn't let them float away in fleeting fashion. "Come on and hit me, With your majesty, Come on and hit me, With all your mystery." There are even some la la's by Anderson to complete the Coming Up aura. Sometimes I Feel I'll Float Away is next and floaty and beautiful. Not a million miles away from Everything Must Flow, which was one of the brighter spots from Head Music.
What Are You Not Telling Me? is a big weepie ballad with keyboard chimes to accompany the weary restrained vocal by Brett Anderson. This is reminiscent of a b-side called Another No One but only not as good. It's rather short and sruggles to register before it ends. Always is next and the longest song on the album. It's a claustrophobic heartfelt one with fuzzy guitars. Astral darkness. You wouldn't have thought that in 2026 with Bernard Butler long since retired from the music industry and running a small pet shop in Huddersfield that Suede would still be able to have a crack at The Asphalt World part II but not only do they try they actually succeed. "I will always be near, like a sniper in the wings," sings Brett Anderson. Great stuff. Faultlines is a rambling gothic ballad to end the album. Very Dog Man Star. The subdued music is very atmospheric and Anderson's almost spoken vocal manages to be affecting and moving as the song progresses and it grows on you more. Overall, Bloodsports is better than anyone really had a right to expect from Suede at this stage in their storied history. Save them a cloud in British guitar pop heaven. At the time of writing you can buy Bloodsports for about seven pounds.
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Big Country: Dreams Stay With You Edinburgh 2011
by jeffjen
Scottish rock band Big Country have always been my favourite band ever since their formation back in 1981 by the late guitarist/singer/songwriter Stuart Adamson, who some may remember previously playing guitar in The Skids. As a fan of The Skids, I always thought Stuart Adamson was a very talented guitarist and when he left and formed ... Big Country, with friend and fellow guitarist Bruce Watson, I was eager to continue my support of him and hear the new material. Mark Brezezicki (drums) and Tony Butler (bass) were recruited and the debut album 'The Crossing' was released in 1982.
From the debut album 'The Crossing' to the last album 'Driving To Damascus' before Stuart Adamson tragically took his own life in 2001 having battled alcoholism and depression for a long time, I was hooked on the Big Country Celtic rock sound of rousing anthems and heartfelt ballads, all with beautiful lyrics penned by Adamson and was lucky enough to see them perform live a few times too.
Stuart's death, although not entirely a shock at the time, had a massive impact on fans of the band as they had to come to terms with the fact that their hero, who sang of the working man, loss of industry and peace and hope for everyone, whilst touching hearts and minds with his thought-provoking and often deeply moving lyrics, was no more.
Big Country came to an end, although the band's website remained and was visited regularly by fans as well as the remaining band members, as all remained as passionate as ever about Big Country, sharing stories and memories.
As the band's 30th anniversary approached and along with fan pressure for the band to reform and maybe do something to mark the occasion, Bruce Watson picked up the phone in the summer of 2010 and asked The Alarm frontman Mike Peters to do what he had previously been reluctant to do and sing with Big Country officially. In order to celebrate 30 years since the band was formed, Mike (a longstanding friend of Stuart's who credits the words of 'In A Big Country' as literally inspiring him to 'Stay Alive' through two very public cancer battles), instinctively agreed and dates were booked. The first was fittingly in Glasgow, Scotland on New Years Eve 2010 and the second in the band's hometown of Dunfermline. There was instant chemistry with the band who were also joined by Bruce Watson's son Jamie on guitar, to recreate the unique Big Country twin guitar sound as the band once again sought solace in the music and the freedom to express their love and admiration for Stuart Adamson. As a mark of respect Stuart's usual space at the centre of the stage was and still is left symbolically vacant.
A tour followed the successful gigs and one of these dates was Edinburgh HMV Picturehouse in April 2011. I had already enjoyed a very emotional gig in Newcastle in January , but ventured up to Edinburgh for this gig also. It was recorded for a dvd/cd release and this box set cd/dvd 'Big Country - Dreams Stay With You' was the result. Of course I purchased this as soon as it was released and now have another memory of a gig I actually attended captured live on cd/dvd.
The dvd was the first thing I played when it arrived and I also popped the accompanying cd's in my car to listen to.
There are 4 discs inside, 2 dvds and 2 cds, playing out the concert to a packed, enthusiastic venue. The filming and sound cannot be faulted in my opinion and it was mixed and mastered by band member Tony Butler.
From the opening riffs of '1000 Stars' it was as if Big Country had never been away prior to these gigs. Stuart's loss was felt by everyone, but the band made up for this as much as they possibly could in terms of enthusiasm, respect and of course great music. Stuart was such a focal point of the band, it was hard to imagine how they could perform without him, but with the very talented young Jamie Watson backing up his dad Bruce on guitar and Mike Peters taking on the vocals, they blaze through a set list of Big Country favourites.
I closed my eyes for a moment or two and the sound, that Big Country sound I never thought I would hear live ever again, was there. It was almost as if when I opened my eyes again, Stuart would be standing on the stage. It was a weird mixture of celebration and sadness as the emotion was felt from the band to the fans and back again.
There are a number of stand out moments to mention here, such as 'The Storm' with Jamie and Bruce playing very well, the unique guitar and e-bow which Stuart and Bruce once played, with a haunting backing vocal from Jamie too. The pounding 'Steeltown' with its thumping bassline courtesy of Tony Butler is played to perfection and one of my favourites 'Lost Patrol' which has the whole crowd jumping as 40-somethings tried to relive their teen years once more. So many of the fans in attendance were those who would have been jumping around to Big Country in their youth, myself included, and this made for a lot of laughs and a great atmosphere amongst the crowd.
There is a very touching tribute midway through the set to Stuart Adamson as the band performed a rendition of 'Never Take Your Place,' an apt and fitting tribute and not a dry eye was to be seen.
The tributes to Stuart do not stop there either as Mike Peters recalls his memories of when he first met Stuart Adamson and why he said yes to performing with Big Country, before the band launch into another tribute: 'Porrohman.' Indeed Stuart is mentioned throughout the concert and much credit should be given to Mike Peters for his respect and enthusiasm he shows for Big Country.
Fan favourites are all included here, with soaring renditions of 'Wonderland,' 'Fields of Fire,' and 'In A Big Country' as well as the big ballad 'Chance' with the crowd singing along as fervently as ever.
Add to this a blistering performance of 'Restless Natives' and you have another Big Country gig to treasure. It is never going to be the same as it was, it can't be, but if you appreciate it for what it is then enjoyment is guaranteed. And it is something I personally thought I would never witness ever again.
Owning this box set is not only a souvenir of the gig, it is also the chance for folk to hear the Big Country live sound once more. The dvds and cds capture well exactly what the essence of Big Country is.
As Bruce Watson himself said... "When we are playing it is as if we never stopped, but I know we have, I know we suffered a great loss. But you heal . . . slowly. I can assure you that Stuart will be there with us every night, in our thoughts, in our words, and in our hearts. And now we find ourselves maybe not fully healed, but whole enough to hear the calling to continue this story. And time has made me realise that this story has always been about our fans, the love we have for our fans, and the love they have selflessly given us back."
Those words from Bruce sum up perfectly what Big Country is about. The love for the band from the fans is like being part of a big family and every performance is a continuation of the journey the remaining band members began 30 years ago. It may not have panned out as they thought, but the music and spirit of Stuart Adamson lives on in their work today and long may it continue.
Tracks:
Disc: 1
1. Thousand Stars
2. Harvest Home
3. Driving To Damascas
4. The Teacher
5. Just A Shadow
6. Look Away
7. Never Take Away Your Place
8. Porroh Man
9. Inwards
10. East of Eden
11. Steeltown
Disc: 2
1. The Storm
2. Where The Rose Is sown
3. Wonderland
4. Field of Fire
5. Lost patrol
6. Chance
7. Restless Natives
8. In A Big Country
As well as the concert there are also some extras on the dvd discs here including a filmed interview with the band and a photo gallery.
Big Country - Dreams Stay With You box set is available from Amazon priced at £16.24
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Murder Ballads - Nick Cave
by dangaroo
My first encounter with the dark poet and musician obsessed with the macabre that is Nick Cave came on Top of the Pops, when the lanky, withdrawn looking artist appeared as an odd couple with fellow Aussie, Kylie.
They were of course singing "Where the Wild Roses Grow" a melodic number that plays a big part in this ... album - Murder Ballads. For a pop song, it's haunting and I still think Kylie's struggled to do anything of comparable worth since.
Stagger Lee is Cave's take on the folklore number Stagger Lee, the infamous St. Louis pimp who was supposedly shot to death over a hat. Laced with explitives this track is not for the light-hearted but then again, not much of Cave's work is. What's amazing about this album is how Nick manages to evoke beauty in what should be a horrible topic. Henry Lee, a dark yet moving ballad about a female killer who bares no connection to the infamous American serial killer. The female vocals are exquisite and almost manage to erase The Shirehorses fantastic parody from my mind.
That of course was the ballad of Franny Lee. If you think that converting such grim material into pleasant sounding music is a one-off you need look no further than the opening track, "Song of Joy", a slow moody number. Lovely Creature has a mild electronic edge to it, a fantastic bass line and again nice backing vocals courtesy of PJ Harvey, Cave's then girlfriend, even if it is mostly the words 'la la la'.
The Curse of Millhaven is an upbeat folky number and does come across as rather Gogol Bordelloish today. Again, fantastically descriptive lyrics but it does seem to go on for a bit too long. For gory details of a victim's life, look no further than 'The Kindness of Strangers', musically it's a bit dull and sounds like it's made on a child's Casio. Crow Jane is slightly jazzy and lyrically yet another example of depravity, with female light female backing vocals.
O'Malley's Bar is a narrative, Cave's voice seems a bit stretched as he returns to the explicit nature of Stagger Lee. He details the murders of everyone in a bar, some of which are really rather sick, at 14 minutes long, it's like a small horror film script. The final track of the album is Death Is Not the End, which sounds like a christmas song and it's a bizarrely cheesy finale that features an array of talent like PJ Harvey, Minogue and Shane MacGowan. Overall, a good album that geats weaker from track 6 onwards.
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