In 1994, the British band “Suede” has given the world one good news and one bad news. Good news was that they have released one of their finest work “Dog Man Star” (written by Brett Andersen and guitarist Bernard Butler). If I was to be stationed in a remote island for a long time, “Dog Man Star” would be one of the albums that I would bring along. Songs from that album are timeless and I still enjoy listening to them whenever I am in that mood of melancholy.
That was the good news. Bad news was, “Dog Man Star” was going to be their divorce album. From then on, Suede went on without Bernard Butler and Suede was not quite the same anymore. Suede was unique to me because that was the only band that has a guitar solo track almost throughout each song. Besides this guitar solo sound, Bernard Butler has also put in layers of guitar sound to make Suede’s sound unique. Combined with Brett Anderson’s unique vocal (you either love it or hate it) and the beautiful lyrics, Suede has cursed me with this longing years after years to search for something that sounds like them.
After 11 years of waiting, in the year of 2005, Brett Andersen and Bernard Butler reunited and formed a new band “The Tears”. Old time fans like myself rejoiced. “Hear Come The Tears” – their first collaboration after “Dog Man Star” – was a critically acclaimed piece of work. To be honest, I see “Hear Come The Tears” as an extension to “Dog Man Star”, less darker, and I still prefer “Dog Man Star” hands down.
While “The Tears” may be working on a 2nd studio album, Brett Anderson has released his solo album. At first I was skeptical over his solo work. Written and produced by Anderson himself and Fred Ball, the keyboardist of the album, this solo album has brought a new sound on the table. There are still a fair amount of acoustic guitar sound by Anderson but somehow in this new album, the sound is widely varied. Those who like the upbeat old Suede sound should be able to fall in love with “Dust And Rain” immediately (though it is still a bit far from “We Are The Pigs”). The last song “Song For My Father” reminds me of “The Asphalt World” from “Dog Man Star” – both has a reasonably long instrumental piece within the song. And the lyrics of “Dust And Rain” – I am the dust, you are the rain, I am the needle, you are the vein – has a similar theme to the opening song of their reunion album “Refugees” – You are the dust and I am the rain, let’s go out in the rust and let’s gather the change.
Here is the opening track “Love Is Dead” that probably sums up what the sounds is like for this album. I think I am falling in love with Andersen’s solo piece of work. (Note: Gosh! I have finally finished writing this blog. It took me forever to listen to “Brett Andersen”, “Here Come The Tears”, and “Dog Man Star” side by side with one another.)
Question: Can anyone guess who will be featured in Part 2 and 3? (Hmmm … let’s see how many people actually read my blog and manage to read pass the first line.)
