Dog Man Star
Suede
1994
Album Summary
Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. The album was recorded in London at Master Rock studios in early 1994, and was produced by Ed Buller. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler; growing tensions between him and singer Brett Anderson ended with Butler leaving the band before recording was complete. As a result, some tracks on the album had to be finished with the assistance of session musicians. In contrast to their debut album Suede, which exhibited the influences of David Bowie and the Smiths, Dog Man Star exhibits a more varied aesthetic and draws from a wider range of influences. Although it did not sell on the same scale as its predecessor, it reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and was certified as gold by the BPI in November 1994. Described by Rolling Stone as "one of the most pretentious albums ever released by a major label," the record was released in a different UK musical climate to their hitherto discography. Out-of-step with the mainstream music scene, it featured the band diverting away from the "Britpop pack" of bands.While Dog Man Star was acclaimed by many reviewers as a masterpiece, the trend towards "lad pop" saw its chart and sales success obscured. It was generally overlooked at the time, and it polarised American critics, some labelling it as pretentious. The album has over time garnered wider acclaim from critics. In the decade between Suede's 2003 separation and the release of Bloodsports, Dog Man Star steadily gained a strong following as a classic rock record. In October 2013, NME magazine placed the album at number 31 in its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
WikipediaDog 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.
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?
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).
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
105 / 1069 Took a while to know if I liked this or not. Clicked about halfway through. Lonely, sad, melancholic. Brilliant.
Ehkä se vähiten hittilevy eräältä nuoruuden suosikkibändeistäni. Tästä syytä myös luultavasti itselleni etäisimmäksi jäänyt levy, kun nuoruudessa tarttuvat kertsit oli enemmän se juttu kuin taiteellisuus. Vaikkei tämä edelleenkään kuulu ihan Sueden lemppareihini, niin kyllähän tämä on todella hyvä levy. Esim. We Are The Pigs, New Generation, The Wild Ones, The 2 Of Us ovat aivan timanttia. Toki myös heikompia esityksiä löytyy erityisesti levyn loppupuolelta. Kokonaisuutena debyytti ja Coming Up ovat selvästi parempia, ehkä jopa vitosen arvoisia levyjä. Tämä saa tyytyä neloseen.
Not at all familiar with this band, but liking them a couple songs in. Yeah, definitely liking this. "Black or Blue" and "Still Life" stuck out on first listen. They have the emotional thing going on that some 80's bands have, but it seems darker and more unhinged. Finding the sound intriguing, and unique.
The first track sort of turned me off, but then I liked the rest of them. I would listen to more of them.
Me gustó mucho, aunque hay una mezcla de canciones buenísimas con otras medio meh. Creo que tiene un inicio genial y de repente también hay algo de teatralidad (?) tipo Queen, sentí. Me gustaron sobre todo "The Power", "New Generation" y "The Asphalt World". 9/10
Seems like the Smiths but more 90s so I'll give it the same score I did the Smiths.
Pues no, como que yo ando muy gruñón y como que me dio hueva este disco.
I liked the music, would have liked it better if they didn't mumble so many of the lyrics
thick and gritty rock. variegated instrumentation and more of those British rock vocals that this list seems to really like.
good consistent album - goes on for a bit too long but each song is decent like a more? depressed david bowie
I like this album a lot. Even though some tracks are quite long lasting, they don't get tedious. Reminds me of good quality doomer music.
I've never heard of this group before. I thought the album itself was pretty solid. Standouts for me were, the wild ones, new generation, we are the pigs, and heroine.
Not something I ever would have listened to but what a brash style. I found it to be well paced and very unique. It has a confidence and a strength to its lyrics and beats
Pretty solid Sound. (6/10) Favorite Tracks: We are the Pigs, The 2 of us, Still life
genuinely enjoyed this - such a nice change for 1994. glad to have encountered it
Sounded good today played loud. Voice is pretty unique and not always what you want
A huge album, grandiose in scope and ambition, but it manages to pull it off quite capably. It may come off as a tad pretentious, but it's held together by the fact that it just works so well: the sound is ethereal and dreamy while the lyrics sing about dark realities and the juxtaposition just feels right.
Interesante disco, con una gran voz y suaves melodías muy bien acompañadas. Brit-pop total.
A very worthwhile trip back to britpop. When it’s overdramatic it’s at its best.
i actually LOVED this album. the first two songs i didn’t completely pay attention to but then it really grew on me and i enjoyed every single song to follow. it had so many layers, the music and the singing brought everything toveyher to form #beauty! 8.5/10 !
I remember being disappointed with this album when it came out. It was just so different to the youthful exuberance of Suede's debut that I didn't know how to absorb it. Where their first album was a celebration of lust and difference, Dog Man Star was smack laden depression. You can hear the tension between Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler seething behind the music which at the same time adds excitement to the album but also weighs it done. With the benefit of the decades since it was released I think this album is a triumph. How brave for the band to release such a discordant album while their peers were going into "ello guvnor" Britpop shallowness. Not an album I listen to on a regular basis, in fact it was only a couple of weeks ago I listened to it for the first time in many years but I really enjoyed rediscovering it.
Have listened to later Suede albums but not really explored this one before. Not what I expected - lots of their later sound in here but some really beautiful plaintive songs in here too. But I think Coming Up remains my favorite of their albums.
I try not to do too much research before listening to a band or album that I'm unfamiliar with, but I'll usually take a quick look at the Wikipedia page to see what I'm getting into. On this one, I saw phrases like "one of the most pretentious albums ever released by a major label," "pretentious" and "pompous." So I was expecting something Radiohead-like, but after listening to it, I really don't get why it's been labeled in that way. Sure, maybe they went a bit overboard on the production, but overall this feels like a really good, solid, interesting, and listenable album. 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4.
Never really warmed to the faux-Bowie sound of Anderson's voice, but when I can get past that it's a decent album.
What the hell, this is so good. Very Bowie. Very special, but still good. Hmm, this is hard. I'll give it a 4
It's always interesting to find a band like Suede, that have had long-lasting success in the UK, yet are quite unknown here in Australia. I can see why they haven't hit it here, we tend to go for more straightforward music. This is a little bit prog, a little bit pomp, and quite enjoyable.
If you enjoy melancholic British pop-rock this will be your jam. The songs are really varied and I enjoyed their guitar sound. Overall a solid listen.
Sommige nummers zijn fantastisch (Hollywood life zet ik zeker bij mijn favorieten). Andere nummers zijn maar zozo. Al bij al wel een goed Glam/britpop album
Generally, when an English band from the 90s-00s that I haven't heard of before shows up on this list, it turns out to be a baffling selection for this list, as most of these albums would better to have been saved until after I died. The living version of me certainly didn't enjoy them. This album was a notable exception. It's distinctive, I can't think of anything else that sounds like this from the mid-90s. The music is cool, and the lead singer has a great voice. Definitely worth a listen while I yet live 4/5
Sounds like the exact midpoint between Echo & the Bunnymen and Oasis. Little twinges of New Wave drama remain, but one prefers the more distilled pop and faux-glam of the earlier records than the overreaching toward the art song (e.g., “The 2 of Us”) and full symphonic rhapsody ("Still Life") which comes off as much too much (though one half-admires the ambition). There's much like to here – “The Asphalt World” works intriguingly well and “Stay Together” is also quite good. One's glad to know it better.
Overloaded and ambitious and seemingly behind its time in history, but I appreciate its artsy reach.
Tykkäsin aika paljon! Joistakin kappaleista jopa tosi paljon. Kuulostaa just sellaselta musiikilta mitä voisin lisätä omille soittolistoille. Ehdottomat suosikit paremmuusjärjestyksessä: The 2 Of Us, The Wild Ones, New Generation.
One of the precursors to classic Brit-pop, probably suffers a bit in comparison with the abundance of classic albums released by Suede and their contemporaries over the few years that followed. Very very good, but just a bit patchy in my opinion
Interesting album, and decent. Definitely heard lots of Bowie in there, and overall I enjoyed it. 3.5/5
I've definitely heard of them and probably even heard some songs, but somehow Suede is a band I haven't really paid much attention to, possibly due to the britpop tag which is a genre I typically dislike. This is really great though. Theatrical and brooding, killer guitar and vocals. Good shit
Suede has seemingly been a step above every britpop band imaginable. It's electric. Suede's unique rock sound showcases their brilliant songwriting skills, able to pace the songs to great success. It's a dynamic ride and a wonderful piece of 90'a rock. It tends to temper out near the back half, though it picks up on the last two tracks. Fantastic album.
Interesting stuff - a little early U2, some Echo & BunnyM, some psychedelic rock.
Two year later, Mansun would release Attack of the Grey Lantern and, imo, really perfect this sound and style. However, this is still a good listen that has a lot to offer.
After paving the way for the rat race, Suede thought it was best to lock themselves in and plunder deep inside their darkest fantasies. While Cool Britannia was beginning to polish its horn and blare out the windows for those to take notice, Dog Man Star took its stand as the most outlandish, preposterous, nakedly ambitious move the band could make; one of many to come from one of the 90s more prominent British bands yet stark enough to stand on its own nearly thirty years on. Favorites: Introducing the Band, We Are the Pigs, Heroine, The Power, The 2 of Us, Black or Blue, The Asphalt World, Still Life, Stay Together, Whipsnade.
I liked it but it sounded a bit like Bowie but thats fine cuz i like Bowie
Een onverwacht genoegen. Ik had verwacht dat een heel album met deze muziek me dezelfde allergie als bij Placebo op zou leveren. Niet het geval. Mooie liedjes.
Eerste draaibeurt was het meer als achtergrondmuziek, en toen begon ik me er aan te storen. Maar een tweede draaibeurt met meer aandacht was het al een stuk beter. En ik ben nu zelfs aan een derde draaibeurt begonnen met koptelefoon. En ik moet zeggen dat dit toch heel tof blijkt te zijn!
this is pretty cool, sounds like a cross between maybe U2 and something like Oasis? Might even listen to this again at some point.