Album Reviews

Album Review: Suede – The Best Of Suede (Ministry Of Sound)

By | Published on Friday 5 November 2010

Suede

More often than not, a chorus of mutters about record boss fat cats and cash-ins accompanies the release of a best of, and often it’s not hard to see why. I don’t know whether that applies here, but either way, this Suede collection is more than welcome.

Refreshingly, this ‘Best Of’ has been complied by lead singer Brett Anderson himself, offering a more, well, Suede feel than with many compilations complied apparently on a whim by label bosses. Meanwhile, all the tracks have been digitally remastered by Chris Potter, with both Anderson and former guitarist Bernard Butler involved in that process. Although for the most devoted of Suedophiles – of which there are many, who are very, very devoted – there’s probably nothing new, the inclusion of a second disc of album tracks and b-sides will be welcomed with open arms.

The hits – all of the band’s singles excluding ‘Positivity’ and ‘Attitude’ – creates the perfect inroad for new listeners, and a timely reminder for the die-hards of how breathtakingly brilliant this band was and is – not only for the quality of their singles output, but for their astonishing breadth. But it’s the second disc that showcases Suede at their unashamedly grandiose best, demonstrating that while they excel at instant gratification with glammy, pomped-up singles, their b-sides are an experimental, introverted ying to their pop yang.

So, all in all, while there will always be wails of omissions (notably ‘This Time’ in this case) and huffs of “this is totally unnecessary” from certain corners, there’s little to fault in this neat surmise of one of the best bands of the 1990s: reminding us that Suede resonate as potently now as ever. EG

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