SUEDE - SWITCHING STYLES READY FOR A HOOK-HEAVY THIRD ALBUM
september 1996
The high-profile return of Suede will commence on July 29 with the release
of a song called Pisspot. "How very appropriate," their detractors will no
doubt murmur. In fact, this powerful comeback single has had its earthy
working-title upgraded to the more acceptable Trash and reactions to the
song have been vociferously positive.
Its flamboyant space-pop sound will test the water for the band's third
album, Coming Up (scheduled for UK release on September 2), arguably the
keynote British guitar-band release of the autumn. Recorded in London
either side of Christmas, Coming Up is the follow-up to Dog Man Star,
which was rush-released in October 1994 after the summer departure of
guitarist/ songwriter Bernard Butler. The album introduces new Suede
keyboard player Neil Codling, who has co-written two of its 10 songs, and
is the first album to feature Butler's replacement, teenage guitarist
Richard Oakes, who has co-written six - the remaining two tracks are Brett
Anderson compositions.
The mood of Coming Up is one of optimism and confidence, something of a
contrast to the melancholic grandeur of Dog Man Star. The new mood extends
to the people around Suede; Saul Galpern, head of Nude Records, hopes
Coming Up will sell a million copies - which would be a 400p/c sales
increase on Dog Man Star and its predecessor, 1993's number one debut
album, Suede. Galpern says, "Dog Man Star was possibly too challenging. I
think in 20 years' time it will be seen as an important record. But this
one's much more positive; less down; less deep. They've made a fantastic
pop record."
Producer Ed Buller, who has worked with the band on all three albums,
reveals that an important influence on the sound of Coming Up was the
early Seventies work of Tyrannosaurus Rex. He says, "When Saul asked me
what kind of album I thought they should make, I said they should make The
Slider for the Nineties. Suede had done their indie LP. They'd done
prog-rock. It was time to do an accessible pop record." Galpern adds,
"There was never any intention to repeat Dog Man Star. This is not the
same Suede, remember. This is a different band entirely."
Buller was not the band's first choice to produce Coming Up. Brian Eno and
Flood were among several candidates investigated, but their schedules
proved immutable. Buller even welcomed a parting of the ways. He explains,
"I felt that it would have been very difficult for them, after what we all
went through on the last album, to say, 'Right, [Butler's] gone, let's
carry on'." However, in friendly discussions with Anderson, Buller found
that his ideas about a possible new Suede direction tallied almost exactly
with the band's own: to write less complex, more immediate songs; to use
heavier drum sounds, play fewer guitar solos and only employ string
sections on a couple of songs (one of which, the marvellously cinematic
She, is a highlight of the album).
Buller was re-hired and veteran producer-engineer Dave Bascombe was
brought in to mix the album alongside Buller himself. The upshot is a
record that is recognisably Suede, but harder and more good-humoured.
Buller admits, "We actually left one of the songs, Young Men, off the
album because we felt it was too dark. We wanted something that was poppy,
in your face, very immediate and just full of hooks. We have to make
people realise that Suede are a big band and should be treated like one.
They are a very important part of our national culture and they should
sell lots of records. So I think we can have a bit of fun with this album,
have a load of hits and establish Suede once and for all as major players
in the market."