Bloodsports (studio album) by Suede

After the slightly disappointing album "A New Morning" and a ten-year hiatus, Suede are back in fine form with the album "Bloodsports". The group sound is intact and there are not immediately noticeable differences in their sound anno 2013 compared to "Coming Up" - the group's biggest commercial success; maybe no big surprise considering that the line-up is the same. The album starts off with three typical Suede rockers, with singable melodies. Especially the opening track "Barriers" has something special and magnificent - this clearly must be a new fan favorite. "Snowblind" and "It Starts and Ends with you" come close to those of "Barriers" and both are fine numbers. Less typical is "Sabotage", which is a song that wins on closer acquaintance. Among the actual ballads we find "For the Strangers" and "Sometimes I Feel I'll Float Away" - both songs in familiar Suede arrangements - and both great songs. "What are you not Telling Me" and "Faultlines" are more special and less accessible - perhaps slightly pompous. "Always" is very cute, but not particularly memorable. "Hit Me", which is selected as a single, is a pretty simple rocker, which almost sounds like an outtake from "Coming Up". My choice for a single would have been "Barriers". It seems the most catchy songs are placed first on the album, and that the new ideas are mostly assigned to the last part of the album. At any rate very nice to have Suede back.

https://www.angelfire.com/nv/Badfinger/BANDsuede.html

An enjoyable comeback album. Blood sports, is full of hooks and big choruses that feel like Suede had never been away. The first three tracks leave the listener breathless, although the record does start to run out of steam towards the end. Yes, they've still got it, and they still have something to offer but they'll never be important again, just a lot of fun, and there's nothing really wrong with that. Good album, this should have been the true follow up to, head music.

A magnificent return after 12 years apart

A great comeback. not as good as the first 2 albums but not the worst either

From bojolpif71 01/31/2015 12:20

Retour en force , le rock ne meurt jamais..

Great album!Suede are back with great tunes. Best track: Sabotage.

Last third of the album is VERY nice, first two feel a bit lacking, not bad though.

Doing what Suede do best...

Solid album. Some of the early songs seem underdeveloped to me- chorus heavy. 'What are you not telling me' is a beast of a song.

From Mother Nature's Son 04/22/2013 18:48

What surprises me more than a new Suede album is the fact that it's ranked so high! Wonder how that happened!