And about time too. After eleven years of a very public hate/hate relationship, former Suede stars Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler have decided to bury the hatchet. Or give it a shallow grave anyway.
Their past differences notwithstanding, the pair are agreed on one thiing at least: that The Tears shouldn’t be compared to Suede. They waived that right, however, when they managed to make Here Come The Tears sound exactly like Dog Man Star, the last album they recorded together under the Suede banner. ‘The Ghost Of You’ is an updated version of ‘The Power’. ‘Refugees’ is ‘New Generation’. ‘Apollo 13’ is ‘The Asphalt World’. Only not as good.
But that’s okay, because god, how we missed Brett’s ever so slightly fractured vocals, punctuated with Bowie-esque yelps, and set to Bernard’s trademark wanga-wanga guitar licks. That was the essence of Suede, and if you loosen the threads slightly, that’s The Tears too.
What’s moved on is their outlook. They were once disillusioned twentysomethings able to be depressed and elated in the same fifty minutes, but now they’re two people who have mortgages and life partners, and sound like it too.
Most of Here Come The Tears comprises toned down, mid-tempo tracks which for all the world suggest two very strong songwriters going through the motions. Even ‘Imperfection’, a song that clearly draws on personal experience, is not quite heartfelt enough to be breathtaking.
But it’s Brett Anderson! And Bernard Butler! Indie-rocking out together! For that we should be more than grateful.