SUEDE ENVISAGE ESCAPING EVERYDAY LIFE THROUGH LATEST RECORD
ALBUM REVIEW | SUEDE – ANTIDEPRESSANTS by Morgan Hermiston
While they stray away from the “britpop” label, Suede instigated and influenced a whole era of music. Their 1993 self-titled debut not only won the Mercury Prize, but was the fastest selling debut record in a decade. Since then, Suede have gone from strength to strength. In their tenth studio record, ‘Antidepressants‘, each of the eleven tracks are evidence that Brett Anderson and co are not backing down anytime soon.
As with many bands, Suede did have a hiatus. It would be plausible to presume that this would change a group’s style or sound, but this break only enhanced what works best for Suede. ‘Antidepressants‘ follows three singles, and a series of live performances that have generated momentous anticipation, and it’s easy to argue that this hasn’t fallen short by any means. Life is full of turbulence and turmoil, but ‘Antidepressants‘ is Suede’s offer of an escape to this everyday endurance.
One of Suede’s many strengths is soulful songwriting. Throughout this record, there are many standout lines that emphasise the understanding undertones of feeling lost, and struggling to navigate life. In opening track ‘Disintegrate‘, “you hold your love like a weapon in your hand” is particularly memorable. ‘Broken Music For Broken People‘ sees Anderson voicing that, “it’s broken music, and it’s broken people, that will change the world“. The album’s title track talks of how harsh and self-deprecating we can be, “there’s a room in the back in case you get scared, prisoner“.
The latter song, alongside ‘Sweet Kid‘ fuse sentimentality with a striking simplicity. In ‘Antidepressants‘, the chorus contains the same repeated, line, “I’m on antidepressants, I just lie awake“. Alliterative language like, “teenage tribes in the bathroom again” paint vibrant visuals to accompany already vivid melodies. ‘Sweet Kid‘ is of a more reflective feel, but still relatable to many, “oh sweet kid, all the changes that you’re going through“. Suede identify how innocence and ignorance can coincide, joining forces with instantly recognisable instrumentals.
‘Dancing With The Europeans‘ and ‘The Sound And The Summer‘ explore how many of us yearn to yield the experiences of being free. The first of these appeals to an audience who long to be elsewhere, “to belong to the rhythm“. A similar atmosphere follows in ‘The Sound And The Summer‘, depicting the free feeling of driving with the windows down and stating, “if this goes on forever, then forever is where we’ll go“. ‘Somewhere Between An Atom And A Star‘ combats feeling lost, perhaps due to this search for freedom, “between an atom and a star, you’ll find me“.
Alongside incorporating wonderful writing into their work, Suede are masters at making their music intriguing to listen to. Mat Osman‘s bass riffs in ‘Criminal Ways‘ and ‘Trance State‘ are easy to spot, but not as easy to forget. ‘Criminal Ways‘ is short, snappy, and would sound sensational live. Each song, including ‘Trance State‘, is a carefully curated construction of Osman’s bass brilliance, Anderson’s distinctive vocals, thumping tempos by drummer Simon Gilbert, guitar work from Richard Oakes, and multi-instrumental talents by Neil Codling.
Suede are nothing if not intentional. If you play ‘Antidepressants‘ from start to finish, ‘June Rain‘ and closing track ‘Life Is Endless, Life Is A Moment‘ seamlessly segue into one another. Both incorporate gradual crescendos of instrumentals, evolving in momentum as they progress. ‘June Rain‘ ends with Anderson talking of a “walk into the traffic“, with the sound of said traffic joining the tunes together. ‘Life is Endless, Life Is A Moment‘ is a five minute outro that offers an escape that, like life, is temporary but leaves a long-lasting impression.
Suede have built a reputation for being unequivocally and unapologetically emphatic. From Anderson’s incredibly distinctive vocals, to lyrical goldmines, there is power and persuasion behind every meaning and melody. Britpop, rock, or however you wish to describe Suede, they are British music legends. Every album they release further cements them in history as pioneers, and pinnacles of timeless, on-theme observations. ‘Antidepressants‘ is a record of raw resonance, a truthful tale of relatability. There will never be another band like Suede, if you think they’ve done it all, you’d be sorely mistaken.
