Well, you’ve got your answer. Happy now? Through those extended final years of Suede, soldiering on adequately, always a shadow if not a tribute band to what hey once were, there was always that question. What if Bernard hadn’t snuck out the back door after one tantrum too many from Brett? What if they’d reconciled? What if they’d gritted their teeth and continued regardless? It was one of the top fantasy questions from the 90s indie fan, along with, what if Richie just came back and stopped the Manics being shit, just for a while? But sometimes, you think, these are better as questions. The reality might actually only ruin things. It’s not like Bernard had matched his best work post-Suede, though his first solo album was an amiable comedown from the split. This is no Graham Coxon vs. Damon Albarn style situation. But here we are, here is the answer to your question. Ready?
The good news is that this is the best Suede album since ‘Dog Man Star’. Because of course that’s what it is, in all but name. It feels like Suede, it’s got Suede’s lyrics, Suede’s flourishes, Suede’s confused twisted stare, the same old Suede publicity shots and every other aspect you’d care for, aside from the other two. And you’re not going to let that ruin things are you? It’s only that Brett would have egg on his face reforming the band only a few breaths after finishing it for good. But we’re just splitting hairs here, though The Tears is a rubbish name. What differs here is that it’s not an urgent album, it has more consideration to it, more maturity for want of a sexier word. And that album couldn’t have been made by that Suede, back then, not with such an ostentatious Brett Anderson anyway.
He still writes lyrics in the same way, mind, though he might not try to shove them down your throat in the same way. ‘Autograph’ sees the first of many “cigarette” appearances, like their existence defines him, and ‘Imperfection’ sees him dragging up the animal metaphor he was so fond of early on. They still fit Bernard’s musical flamboyancy like a silky glove though and are less awkward than they were capable of being before. Some tracks like ‘Ghost Of You’ and ‘Fallen Idol’ lilt along like Bowie at his most Stardust serene, but the majority are here to make a grandiose mark and are as reminiscent of McAlmont & Butler’s camp orchestration as they are Suede. This especially applies to ‘Lovers’, ‘Apollo 13’ and the triumphant ‘Brave New Century’ which is all sorts of epic. So you’ve got your answer, and it’s not nearly as bad as you were expecting.