Review/Classics 28: Rock Trendsetters

Suede, Suede (1993):
Another one of the albums I picked up in those cool budget re-release bundles, Suede was a wise purchase. Any proper fan of Britpop or even just British music in general will tell you that Suede's debut was a pivotal moment. Their self-titled first album is often cited as the record that began Britpop, preceding giants like Oasis and Blur by a matter of years. With one listen, it's easy to see how one 11-track record was able to kick start one of the biggest movements in rock music. Right from the start, with the yearning hooks of opener "So Young," it's impossible to deny that Suede are a unique set. With lyrics both timeless and perfectly in tune with their day and generation, backed by intricate, pop-driven rock melodies, Suede instantly defined the sound of the next decade, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in UK history at the time. Breakthrough hit "Animal Nitrate" is one of many moments on the record that stick with you for ages after hearing them, and the pacing and balance remain perfect nearly the whole way through the rest of the disc. So many sounds and styles populate the songs that it's pretty easy to understand Suede's broad influence. On tracks like "Moving" and "Metal Mickey" it's possible to pinpoint where dozens of bands have pulled inspiration from over the past fifteen years. The slow songs on the record, especially standouts like "She's Not Dead," "Breakdown" or closer "The Next Life," present a depth and range of delivery that paved the way for much of the alternative rock of the 1990s. Suede has been included in numerous "must-hear" album lists for a good reason, so don't miss out on this landmark record.

Suede, "Animal Nitrate" [YSI]
Suede, "Pantomime Horse" [YSI]
Suede, "Metal Mickey" [YSI]

Radiohead, The Bends (1995):
With all the hype surrounding last year's In Rainbows, I was kind of turned off of Radiohead for a while (despite how good their new album really is). I guess that's a downside of blogging and being constantly overexposed to the latest hip music at all times! Luckily, I haven't stopped liking them, and finally got around to picking up The Bends a few weeks ago. It seems that everything said about the album is pretty dead-on. Blowing their debut album out of the water, The Bends is an alternative rock touchstone. While never approaching the scope of subsequent milestone OK Computer, it established Radiohead as a rapidly-evolving leader of the genre. The album ranges from all-out rockers ("The Bends") to subtle, dreamy pieces ("(Nice Dream)," "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"). Classic singles like "High And Dry," "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Just" hold the record together well, with absolutely no space given over to filler. The Bends ends up being a highly contemplative, yet entirely natural album with none of the pretensions or overarching desire to be experimental that plagued some of their later albums (with a wide range of results). It's the sound of Radiohead just being themselves and focusing on their songcraft while developing their niche in the rock world, and ends up sounding nothing like the transitional album that it essentially is. For those who aren't that into Radiohead, don't get bogged down by their overwrought later work (like I briefly did) and go back to their roots. It's a starting point well worth revisiting.

Radiohead, "The Bends" [YSI]
Radiohead, "High And Dry" [YSI]
Radiohead, "(Nice Dream)" [YSI]

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