Suede are the progenitors of Britpop; they kickstarted the renaissance of British music, effectively usurping more popular American acts. Their first single, ‘The Drowners,’ was released in May 1992. Before they even released that single, Select famously flaunted their new rentboy, Brett Anderson, on the cover as the new face of Britain. Hype from that ‘Yanks Go Home’ cover piece was stifling, and Suede were poised to take over the world. Well, I’ll leave the rest of their sordid history to David Barnett’s newly republished biography.
Twenty years after their debut, Suede are back with their magnificent sixth album, Bloodsports. Since they are reclaiming their spot as one of the most important British bands of the past two decades, it would be the perfect time to review their rich catalogue of singles. Suede have a justifiable reputation as a band with consistently amazing singles, perhaps only eclipsed by their b-sides. Yes, Suede are definitely one of those bands known for their b-sides and rarities as much as their singles!
The Drowners (1992)
So, do you believe in love there? The ambiguous sexuality of Suede’s debut single, accompanied by its gender-bending video, cemented ‘The Drowners’ as one of their definitive songs. It was the slow, sexy grind of ‘The Drowners’ that initially took over many of Suede’s fans, and it’s still as flashy and intoxicating as it was 21 years ago. The b-sides include ‘To The Birds’ and ‘My Insatiable One,’ two classics of Suede’s canon.
