some of you might be in a bit of a rush, or what have you, so to clarify it is so that the title of this post pertains to the album autofiction off of suede. it is far better than any other released this year, look you see, and for the life of me i cannot see anything coming out for the remainder (or duration) of this year what will come close to it. full and true is it that i am well aware my declaration of what is the best or greatest of this (or any) year is of little consequence, but should one ask, there is the answer.
right, then. i suppose a bit more detail to substantiate this claim, of varying value, may well be wanted by anyone prepared to read on, and thank you for doing so. there is, of course, every chance of me simply being biased as an unashamed suede fan. but then i am a proud fan precisely because they, inexplicably, keep releasing albums like this one.
a slight history then. suede commenced, at least as a well known band, some thirty (30) years ago. they unleashed three albums which were an astonishing, breathtaking statement of intent, brandishing sexuality, indulgence, vice and assorted emotions as all which should be at the forefront of life. which got followed by two albums not quite so great, the band effectively ending, them coming back after a decade or a dozen years, and making incredible music. addictions, departures and many other last names have somehow not ever stopped suede from being suede.
for what reason, or why, is this album so good? in essence there's not a single moment of a single song wasted, it is brilliant from start to finish and my inclination thus far has been to play it two or three times in a row, rather than listen once and move on to something different. and that's been happening for well over a week now, and is likely to continue. sure, oh yes, there are songs here which are "more better" than others, but there isn't a weak moment here, not a single "this will do to fill time" song.
in interviews and what have you (well, interviews) the band have spoken of this being their "punk" album. not for me to argue or disagree with. certainly it is as some dramatics and theatrics have gone, this is the band (almost) alone, no fancy orchestrations or studio trickery. such didn't feature too much in all that many suede albums, but the one prior, the blue hour, yeah, i suppose so. without doubt an unexpected, and very welcome, turn is the predominance of some really heavy bass on a few of the songs. slightly out of character for the "suede sound", whatever that may be. at times the bass is so awe inspiring one could imagine Mani hearing and going "f*****g hell", in instances the bass is so downright dirty one could imagine, and oh if he were still here with us, Prince would blush.
writers tend to write best when they write of what they know. coming off of a spell of autobiography typing, brett anderson sings of such writing. kind of. again, in interviews and things it is spoken of as to how this, he (and the band) feel this is their "most autobiographical" work yet, but autofiction as a title tells a story too, does it not. however much is truth absolute, or a truth any would prefer, really doesn't matter. this is a band playing and singing with an unmistakable, cannot quantify belief in the music. not unusual, but rare (in this or any other day) for it to come across so stark and so bold as one finds in this record.
not sure what to write of select songs which wouldn't simply be an echo of comments the band have made themselves. and they have gone into a bit of a promo overdrive with this one, not that they were ever particularly aloof or inaccessible. the three songs most routinely spoken of (and i think they were issued as modern day equivalents of singles) are easily the most identifiable as brett autobiography or partial autofiction, which are she still leads me on, 15 again and that boy on the stage. each is as good a representative of the album as any, but then so are all the other songs.
my struggle would be to name a clear favourite track. except maybe black ice, for reasons of bass outlined earlier. wow. also some lovely symbolism, or metaphors in the song. or you know, whatever the fancy term is for f*** that sounds good and makes sense. similar true of personality disorder about which brett has been suspiciously vague sounding about, except he is actually right when he says it doesn't matter what the words mean, it's how they sound and make you feel.
should it be so that i were to list, or name, one "regret", then it is that what am i without you is on this album without its natural partner. go back a couple (or so) albums to bloodsports, which featured the incredible opener barriers. that song was a beautiful, inspired homage to just what it is to love and follow a band, a kneeling worship at the altar of what music can do for you. here is the natural bookend, or other side of that, which is the artist responding in kind. it may be a bit too melodramatic for some, but should i ever make a mixtape (disc) of suede, it will start with bloodsports and end with what am i without you.
being mindful of the way music works in this modern world, i suppose anyone with an immediate interest in suede purchased this the week, if not the moment, it came out. this album warrants a braver and bolder fate than the disposable ways vibes are treated these days. quite simply autofiction has the markings, the sounds, the brilliance and sheer passion to stand as a classic. it is an album i shall play long beyond the calendar year in which it was released, it is an album i hope people will come to discover in tales of future legend.
right, well, anyway, off i go to listen to it some more, then. never quite sure if i get across in words all proper how i feel about records like this one. i probably should have written "this record is f*****g amazing go listen to it" and left it at that.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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