Dog Man Star

Dog Man Star? More like, uh [brain shuts down for a good forty minutes, only vital signs a rapid flickering of the eyes] Dog Man Blah

Honestly didn't know what to expect but walked away really enjoying this. Very Bowie, very early-era R.E.M., pretty gorgeous in places. Dramatic, but has the chops to back it up. Favorite tracks: "Heroine", "This Hollywood Life", "The Asphalt World"

Dense. I did some reading about this album which sounds like a great stereotypical rock mess fraught with tension, drugs, and pretension. I had an idea of what I'd hoped to hear before I put it on ... and it doesn't really match. The idea of a complex, sprawling album is appealing to me but - and I fully admit that it may be difficult to digest in just one or two plays today - there's not much here that's catchy. I'm not necessarily meaning in a pop-sugary way, but even some of the more proggy and lengthy songs I've liked or loved have something to sink your teeth into; e.g. some hook or theme. This album seems a mass of ~5 minute songs, none of which are bad, but none of which I can really remember. Mid-tempo, massive reverb on overly-emotive vocals, nothing really catchy, edgy, weird, or heck even poppy. If I were to be harsh...much ado about nothing? 3/10 2 stars.

Even though it gets a little complicated in the second half, it’s still incredibly strong. 1st half of the album is enough to give it 5 stars on its own

Grandiose, glam, beautiful guitars and vocals. Peak Suede

THIS ROCKS!!!! I already downloaded a few songs on apple music

Solid 5. It’s up there amongst the best Britpop albums, and certainly Suedes very best. Takes me back to my youth!

This album should be in any Britpop album top 5, together with Coming Up, Now I'm A Cowboy, His 'n' Hers and Different Class.

Never heard of this band. But ended up listening to it 3 times yesterday. Very trippy.

This album was an absolute banger. Disappointed that I have to listen to a different album tomorrow.

This album cover perfectly captures my feelings on this album. Butt. I don't know. There's a lot of activity and it sounds like people are working very hard, but this never left the realm of vanilla to me. Very clearance bin 1998.

Thoroughly unremarkable.

Dreadfully boring.

5 sin dudarlo.

uno de los discos más hermosos de la vida

I will always remember the exact moment i first saw Suede. 93 Brit awards. I was 14. Absolutely blew my mind (and my hormones!). People forget how much they 'blew the bloody doors' off and were a breath of fresh air. Love them. Love this album.

I would have given this a lower score without 3 listens (on YouTube while reading comments about the life-changing impact of each song). Bowie influenced vocals and very different sound to other Brit bands of the day. I like the start of the album but it becomes too ballad heavy for me. Lyrics seem smaltzty, then I read about the William Blake and Lord Byron references in them so WTF do I know?

Surprisingly experimental and enjoyable. I preferred the more lively tracks from (mostly) first half of the album, but overall it was a great experience! Saved tracks: We Are The Pigs, Heroine, Daddy's Speeding, The Power, The 2 Of Us, The Asphalt World

105 / 1069 Took a while to know if I liked this or not. Clicked about halfway through. Lonely, sad, melancholic. Brilliant.

feel good love the vibe

Frábært band og mjög góð plata. Takk fyrir.

I love Suede, a great live band. One of the artists lumped into the original wave of Britpop, but they never were as unsophisticated as Oasis, so this was overlooked at the time as it didnt fit the mould for your average Britpop fan. This is probably why it is one of my favourite albums of 1994 because if you are going to do hedonism, then do it with a bit of style. Although, I do prefer their debut, this is a massive follow-up. Full of glam, drugs, and sleaze provided by Brett Anderson's vocals and lyrics. Bernard Butler's guitar playing is just astounding, especially when you consider how the album was recorded and the state of relationships with the rest of the band. But it all works and brings a cinematic feel to the whole record.

I actually really enjoyed this? Not a single song I disliked on the record, but not quite hitting the 5-star mark YET.

A dark and melancholy album. Some of the guitar work really shines. Some good songs and heavily influenced by Bowie(which is present in almost every song, which is good but for me fails to capture anything new or define their own sound).

Melodramatic and very ambitious.

This is great. Definitely need to listen to more of this band. It’s interesting to me that the 90s were still a time where a band could be popular in England but not really endure in the US.

A great, ambitious album. The guitar work is intricate, the songs are beautiful and diverse and full of pathos (don't ask me to explain). I can't give it 5 stars due to Still Life being fairly dull.

Better (different!) than the other album I've heard from them on this list. Singer found his niche: dramatically belting out a song like it's a musical's closing number. I rather liked "The Wild Ones." "The 2 of Us" is full of anguish. Given how much I loved Queen (and glam rock) when I was a teenager, I probably would have gotten into Suede if I had known about them.

I hate Britpop with every bone in my body and most of it is annoying and very underwhelming like Oasis, Supergrass or Blur which I all dislike to the point that I'd rather listen to Harsh Noise (shoutout to Merzbow) for the same duration. But this album's actually quite alright. It is darker and more introspective than most Britpop and what I like most about it, it isn't as arrogant as some Damon Albarn twat. Another thing that I think is brilliant is the mix between the slightly psychedelic Britpop approach with obvious 70's Glam Rock nuances that really speaks to my David Bowie loving heart, even if I do prefer his experimental period from '76 - '79. 'Introducing the Band' not only introduces the band but also the album with some really Neo-Psychedelia sounding Rock that starts with some noisy and washed instruments that even take some sitar and Raga into the sound. The vocals enter with a layered and echoey sound that are sometimes pretty hard to understand but that just enhances the psychedelic sound that they obviously try to create. The song is beautiful and interesting even if it is pretty short. The vocal performance also reminds at points of 80's goth rock which I also very welcome. The following 'We Are the Pigs' is not only one of the albums biggest songs but also one of its best. It is full of noisy instruments that still leave enough room for vocals and guitar to shine in full clearness. The slightly symphonic approach to the chorus and vocals in general really shows the Glam they were going for. It's an incredible and emotional song with a really beautiful delivery all throughout. The melancholic sound is kept with the intense 'Heroine' that really puts most of the emotional intensity into the chorus that really makes you feel the pain even when the delivery seems rather dreamy. It feels so weird with how the song is made up but weird in a good way. The whole song through I am not sure what exactly I am supposed to feel and that results in a mix of so many emotions that are both clear and washed. I absolutely love the song and especially the clear lead guitar that plays so beautifully. The trilogy of possibly the best songs on the album ends with 'The Wild Ones'. Its vocals are much more present but still with the strong psychedelic sound and an incredible vocal performance and possibly the strongest showcase of the Bowie influence because you cannot tell me the chorus isn't straight up a Bowie song. It is a great song and although I don't love it as much as the previous two, it's still one of my favourites on the entire album especially with the climactic chorus and strings. 'Daddy's Speeding' does have some nice moments with the spacey guitar, the ethereal sounds and vocals but overall I am not really interested in the song. It feels much more "boring" than what already featured on the album. There are some moments that build beautiful tension, the release of that is pretty lackluster and the overall enjoyment is very lowerd by the fact that it's one of the albums longer songs. With 'The Power' they return to the theatrical sound from before and the song is pretty good. It has some nice strings added, the vocals are great, the lyrics and the other instruments are really good. There isn't much bad things that I can say about it but somehow the song isn't as interesting as I would've hoped. It's good but doesn't get much higher than that. 'New Generation' is a song that mainly works because of the chorus and luckily the chorus is both long and really great. It's full of great vocals and lyrics as well as some nice brass instruments that were thrown in pretty fittingly. The lead guitar that switches channels at some points is really adding to the overall sound as well with some really nice playing. A really great song but I do think that they could've done slight changes. Still, a pretty much perfect one. The albums second half starts with 'This Hollywood Life' and some saxophones that fade into a really noisy and bluesy guitar riff that is the main driving force of the song. I just think the song is a little to average in both delivery and structure. I am not really interested in it much but I do appreaciate some ideas and moments. The Piano Rock beauty that is 'The 2 of Us' is the albums most underrated track. The best ones are those that everyone loves and knows but this is a song that isn't talked about much although I think that it's beautifully written and has a really great performed chorus as well as the piano that is just perfect for this song. The slow build-up towards the end adds some really needed diversity and when the flute enters, it gets even better. I don't think it's any type of masterpiece but should be talked about more in conversation around this album. 'Black or Blue' is similar to 'The 2 of Us' except that the verses surrounding the chorus aren't as interesting and the song just doesn't flow as great. The chorus is great, no question, but the song as a whole lacks a lot that I need to love it at its fullest. The nearly 10 minute long 'The Asphalt World' isn't just one of the best songs on the album. It has a lot of influence from Prog Rock and it doesn't feel as long as it actually is. It is beautifully dark and full of incredible moments in both the verses and the chorus that builds more and more tension until it releases for short and goes again into more and more tension before abruptly fading into a quieter bridge. The guitar that drives the whole thing just works so perfectly with how it builds up. A gorgeous track that really is the climax of the album. The album closes on the more laid back and slow 'Still Life'. It really feels like the end credits to a movie you just watched. It has something final and finished about it that just feels like the optimal closing track which it is. It closes the album in the way it should but the song itself isn't one of my particular favourites. It's not as interesting throughout or simply as emotional as other songs have been. It's just a great and symphonic closer. Although it isn't part of the actual album and just became a single-only release, 'Stay Together' is too great not to at least mention. Be sure to listen to that one as well. It's incredible. favourites: We Are the Pigs, Heroine, The Asphalt World, New Generation least favourites: Daddy's Speeding, This Hollywood Life, Black or Blue Rating: strong 8

Man this is a tough one for me. I mean if you put it on I wouldn't necessarily protest but there are things about it that irk me throughout. For example the singing, which is often the make or break it factor, I find right on the edge of tolerable. But the music has just enough inventiveness and interesting touches to bring it back up a notch again somehow. It is such downer of a record though, I know I would never intentionally choose to play it.

I don't know this band. It's a good listen. The tempo switches gears a lot as guitar volumes are turned up, down and off and go from rock and roll style to a more mysterious and cryptic Robert Fripp like style. The distinctive Bowie like voice keeps continuity throughout the gyrations. I like the album cover. OK, first and last time I ever say I like a photo of a guy's arse. The photo really captures the tone of the album. I guess this is what some folks were listening to while I was listening to Nirvana in the 90s. Hey we all did what he had to do to escape CHUM.

Dog Man Star is certainly more audacious than much of the 90’s British rock that litters this list, so it gets points for creativity and risk taking. However, I find it hard to disagree with…I can’t believe I’m going to say this…Rolling Stone’s assessment that this record is “one of the most pretentious albums ever released by a major label” - well, at least when viewed through the lens of the timeframe it was released, that is. I’m sure there have been more pretentious releases on major labels in the intervening years, but there is a definite air of haughty self-importance going on here with Suede. Which is fine, I guess, but rarely do the songs here have the energy, urgency or unpredictability that would justify such a sense of inflated self. It’s a record that feels very labored over and unnecessarily calculated at times - particularly with some of the interstitial choices: Whether it’s by way of a seemingly impromptu children’s choir or a bizarre saxophone riff that devolves into overly processed effects, you might be left wondering “What purpose did that serve?” and it seems like “We did it to show people that we could,” might be the only reason.

Yuck! :) Can’t stand too much more of this nonsense. This is unimaginably derivative, insincere, and almost always unbearable. There are moments of pleasure, the instrumentation and writing are nice. The vocals and lyrics are what they are. Could give more, but it is what it is. Maybe just not a phan of this genre. 3/5

Hear a lot of early Bowie influences here, especially one of the songs sounds like the ending to All the Madmen. Never heard of this band before, so must have been more well known across the pond than here in the US. Decent listen.

Just okay...Nothing memorable to me.

just a bit indistinct, really didn't like the production. Tried it on several speakers to see if it was just my usual set up, but no.

oof. this might not be SFW. I dont remember this which is a bad sign. I think it gave me strong david bowie vibes that i was not here for.

Yea.....some times new stuff surprises you and you get excited to listen to more. In this case, not so much. Seemed to start with a little potential, but then I couldn't wait for it to end. Just nothing there that got me excited or wanted to listen to again 1

Very boring album with super uninteresting songs.

I once had the misfortune to see Suede - then just an "upcoming band from Horsham" - supporting The Fall. I didn't like them live and I don't like them on record.

Does anyone else feel like the 90s are over-represented on this thing?

Just mid-90s drech.

not my style

not for me... a little bret anderson goes a long way...

I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS

this felt long, which isn't a good sign for an album lol

Dated

Overwrought and overly ambitious. I don’t think the band’s lyrics can back these arrangements up. This felt like listening to a soap opera. There were a couple of songs that were alright, though. Overall, there was nothing on this album that seemed significant to me and I’ve already largely forgotten it.

Es ist unfassbar, dass da ein Schmock sitzt und sich für kompetent genug hält, ein Buch mit diesem Titel zu schreiben und ausgerechnet DAS für unbedingt hörenswert hält. Verzichtbare Petitessen, wie so oft.

Listened to about half of it and wasn't really feeling it but also wasn't paying a ton of attention Currently have to do my whole seven samurai essay in an hour + change Why is boyd such a japanophile

It’s hard to appreciate the sound of pop punk or post punk without the context of what it existed alongside. Then again, maybe it’s just not for me

The sounds on this album are really interesting, but overall probably not something I’ll come back to. It’s alright, not really one of my favorites though.

The singer tried way too hard to mimic Bowie with little success--it actually made it hard to listen to. I didn't finish this. I got away from it and saw little reason to come back to finish it. 1.5/5

This was just bad was a rap variation and almost said I’m not finishing it.

"a startling record: an album surrounded by the white heat of something close to genius." He added: "the songs of Dog Man Star are grand designs, enacted against grandiose backdrops." - John Harris, NME "With Dog Man Star the group has vindicated just about every claim that was ever made on their behalf. A long, sprawling and not entirely flawless album, it will be hailed in years to come as the crowning achievement of a line-up that reinvented English, guitar-band rock'n'roll for the 1990s." - David Sinclair, Q ITS FUCKING SHITE

Sucked

Have to say that I am absolutely shocked that this album is on this list... And I thought Emerson, Lake, & Palmer were pretentious and bloated - but they have NOTHING on The London Suede... You could tell that there were some redeeming qualities in there somewhere, but any goodness was just completely over-run by all of the bloat... Lyrics were often whiney, the lead singer's voice did not help (i.e. trying to sound like Bowie but not having the voice for it...), and most songs were just a mess... Like I said, there was some goodness in the guitar section near the end of "This Hollywood Life", and the last minute of "Stay Together" was pretty decent - and I'm sure there were a few others - but those moments were few, and WAY too far in between... Only song that I actually thought was decent, was the last one "Whipshade" - probably because it wasn't bloated, and was fairly straightforward...

Just doesn't do much for me. Have to admit, I was bored.

I barely heard what this album as, just kinda drifted past without standout tones.

lekker cinque stelle

New generation and we are the pigs. Great album through and through

Their greatest, no doubt.

3.02 average??? (This album definitely doesn’t deserve this low)… To anyone who gave this below 3 stars 🖕 Sorry but honestly this album is perfect It’s a grower yeah but it’s certainly worth the time. Not a bad track on it and the b sides make it even better. Brett’s voice can be a make or break for some I get that but the instrumentation would’ve made up for that I would think. Also maybe if you don’t like any 80’s or 90’s rock then this might not be for you but I don’t get why anyone wouldn’t like those things. I didn’t see any ‘uuurgh britpop’ comments on this one which is good because while yeah technically britpop it’s not the same sorta thing as oasis, blur and pulp were doing at the time. If I was to name an underrated but still kinda popular band it would be suede it seems so many people have overlooked this masterpiece and the debut by extension. Best tracks: heroine, the 2 of us, the asphalt world Worst track: black or blue 5/5

I miei preferiti: We Are the Pigs e The Asphalt World

That was really cool. Varied and interesting throughout. I will definitely be listening to more Suede

Following their debut, this album is full of Bowie-inspired vocals and riffs and lush ethereal upbeat melodies from the earlier shoegaze and Madchester movements. With their debut and next album Coming Up, I pick out my favorites and tune out the rest. But this has pulled in my attention in nearly every song. Blur's Parklife and Pulp's Different Class did the same thing, so I'm glad (most of) the Britpop movement has insane talent. Great introduction followed by the anthemic "We are the Pigs" setting the theme for the rest of the album. "Heroine" embodies the britpop spirit, with dirty resentful Beatlesesque harmonies and an eclectic guitar style reminding me of Pulp. Shows their artistic spirit, cramming a bunch of styles in a fast-paced 3.5 minute song. "The Wild Ones" is a really emotional pop track with a powerful closer. I'm usually not a fan of ballads, but "Daddy's Speeding" took me by a surprise, likely due to the constant key changes, strong bass, creepy ethereal effects, unsettling vocals, and a dramatic closer. It was a good follow up to the mood of "The Wild Ones." We shift back to a few upbeat pop tracks. "The Power" has a catchy chorus, strings, and drums that pack a punch. "New Generation" is just an all-around excellent britpop song, nothing really stuck out in particular. "This Hollywood Life" has a dirty guitar style and vocals that definitely look back to 70s glam rock like T Rex. We go back to two minimalist ballads which honestly is my least favorite part of the album, especially since "2 of Us" goes on for 6 minutes. But they're pretty, and I'm a fan of the lush strings in "Black or Blue." Nearing the end, we reach the most technical proggy song on the album: "The Asphalt World." I really like how it stops in the middle then gradually picks up to a glorious finish with a really sick guitar solo. "Still Life" ends with a whole orchestra in a satisfying closer full of life. Almost like a musical. Incredible production. The triumphant ending reminds me of Sgt Pepper. There are also two bonus tracks on Spotify. The first is the full version of the hit single "Stay Together" which does feel like it belongs more on their debut. It's good, catchy chorus, but I'm not sure it really warranted its length. The other is "Whipsnade" which is a really cool mellow fast song, also has a pretty chorus, and I'm a love the double tracked vocals, but it goes by a bit too quickly. Super groovy second half.

Suede's finest hour and one of the indisputable peaks of the nineties. Pop in its more inventive approach, magic melodies and creative arrangements. As it was habitual with the band in the period, B sides are as strong as anything else in the album

Really good britpop, slower in the second half though. Lyrics make the songs feel like epics. BT - We Are The Pigs - Heroine - The Wild Ones - The Power - The Asphalt World

Soooo coool

Huhhuh, täähän on aivan tajuton. En muistanutkaan. Annoin näiden debyytille 2/5 ja aloin kyseenalaistamaan, että olikohan tämäkään sitten niin hyvä. Mutta mitä vielä. Ihanaa melankoliaa tuollaisella Bowie-energialla. Ja onnistuu vielä kantamaan noin pitkään, lähes tunnin. Nyt kyseenalaistan sen debyytin arvioni, täytyy kuunnella uusiksi :D

Höpsis, eihän tää rokmusiikkia ole ollenkaan, vaan brittipoppia ripauksella glamia. Eka levy vielä parempi, mutta on tää niin upea, että itkettää. Iloa ei kieltämättä kauheasti tästä löydy, mutta kaikkia muita tunteita kyllä. Heroine on ehkä mun suosikkibiisi ikinä. Tai no yksi todella monesta.

Bought this when it was released on the strength of their debut album and I think I was a little bit let down by it, that debut is incredible, so incredible that it lived up to the hype foisted on the band by the British music press. It stands to reason that Dog Man Star might have a difficult time as a follow up, so pretentious, right? According to Rolling Stone, the most pretentious album ever released by a major label. I get it but you know what? Fuck that, over the years I've come to appreciate the brilliance of this album. Like I said I love the debut but this is the one I come back to most often.

Out of the 100 albums on this list I've gotten so far, this is without a doubt the best one that was completely off my radar beforehand. I mean to reserve a 5 for albums that are legendary. Is this legendary? Maybe, probably not, but it's been so long since I've heard an album and immediately wanted to listen to it all over again that I have to give this a top score.

Perfect album

Whilst not delivering as many singles and big "moments" as the follow-up album, "Coming Up", this is a fantastic album. More experimental than you might expect from Suede if you're only familiar with their bigger singles, but it's just a great journey from start to finish.

This album might be Suede’s best. It is a remarkably variable album that spans glam rock, art rock, post-punk, and Britpop. The album has a grandiose anthemic feel throughout and the production is stunning. The ambitiousness of the album pays off, and in it, the listener can hear the roots of some of the greatest albums that came a few years later from Radiohead and Spiritualized.

Love it!!

I wasn't overly familiar with Suede coming into this, but was very pleasantly surprised. I loved this album. Probably my fav album of the day thus far.

good

Worth to keep on relistening... Will not get through just listening once

Megamegamegamega bangers. Mega fan potential, too

This thing exceeded my expectations so god damn much. I was genuinely surprised how good this was. Amazing songwriting throughout, blunt and deep lyrics, the depressing sound, it all wraps itself in one for a sad masterpiece. Amazing!

LOVE this album. I think this band is a new favorite over all. Big Smiths vibes with 70s psych guitar mixed in. Huge fan

Epic! This was a game changing album on the alternative rock scene when it came out. Still has quality, musically and lyrically

One of my favourite albums

Starkes Album. Kannte die Band nicht, aber hat mich direkt abgeholt.

Proto the end of brit pop and Radioheads rise. Glammy

One of my favourite Britpop Albums!!

9/10 it took me a while to get into the album and start appreciating its vibe, but when I did, dude, this album HITS banger after banger, crazy good production I really really love this

This album surprised me because it was so good even though I had somehow never heard of Suede before. There was a high production quality, overall thoughtful lyrics, and diversity in sound from song to song. The highlight for me was definitely "Still Life," a song that had a powerful orchestral build and ended with a reference to Ravel's Bolero.

beef wanted this to be a 4

Man I love these guys. They make music that just gets me the right way. I’m so glad that I was able to listen to their first two albums in order. This album has what I loved about the first: an interesting set of instrumentals which isn’t afraid to be twangy, sporadic, and kind of whimsical, along with a bunch of just fun songs. I’m this album they get more cinematic with some orchestral backings to the lyrics in the second half of the album. Don’t know who the lead singer is, but I love his vocal inflection. My standouts are most of the songs here because I can’t decide which to throw out: Heroine, The Wild Ones, The Power, New Generation, The 2 Of Us, The Asphalt World, Stay Together, and Whipsade.

5/5. A pretty excellent, drug-infused britpop album that is not quite exactly that with new instrumentation and actually catchy songs lol. There wasn't a bad song on here and I'm hard pressed to believe this may be the best Britpop album I've listened to. It feels new and unique despite it's release date. Best Song: We Are The Pigs, The Power, This Hollywood Life, Still Life

This album was a fun surprise! I'd never heard of it and was generally blown away. It was like 90s grunge mixed with the beatles mixed with prog. It wasn't perfect, but it was great! Best Songs: We Are the Pigs, Heroine, New Generation, The Asphalt World, Worst Songs: Daddy's Speeding

Very nice album! There are two tracks - The 2 of Us and The Asphalt World - that are the masterpieces! I never heard them before.

5/5

Great!

Another grower. I have other Suede albums but had never heard this one. You can definitely hear the influence of Bowie on this album. A cracker!

I liked the previous Suede album… but do I need to hear another from them? Yes! This album is really impressive. Melodramatic in all my favorite ways, this album has terrific songcraft that defied my questioning mind. It seemed to just continually get better and better and leaves me no choice but to give it a 5. Fantastic! Lots of songs I liked at first listen - immediate stand-outs: We are the Pigs, The Wild Ones, The Power, New Generation, The Two Of Us, The Asphalt World, Still Life.

I wasn't super excited to see another Suede album so soon after having a tepid response to their eponymous debut but this won me over with its strong start and even stronger finish. Well done.