With a host of big anniversaries of huge indie and Britpop (related) albums in the past few years, and more to come, Suede are one of those bands you should never underestimate, and their influence on that era and beyond is forever laid in stone. With the *whisper and shout it* 30th Anniversary of their debut album, the band have announced a project titled Suede30, which will be released on 7th July 2023.
On that date, music fans of all kinds can look forward to a selection of 30th Anniversary limited edition, special releases, which are newly mixed and mastered, offering up the bands’ genuinely classic self-titled debut sounding as good as it possibly can. Whilst just a couple of years before it hit my teenage mind, there’s no doubt it made a huge impact as it became a critical and commercial hit and went to #1 in the UK Albums Chart in an era where it was a lot harder to hit top spot.
Featuring the iconic front-cover image captured by American photographer Tee Corinne, it became the fastest-selling debut album ever in the UK at that time, which also gave them the even more prestigious Mercury Music Prize in that point. Before we delve a little more into what to expect, we need a word from Brett Anderson, leading the way as ever, with a reflective thought:
“It was a genuinely magical time in my life and one for which I’ll always be grateful. It felt incredible being in what I thought was quite probably the most exciting band in the world at the time, making a record which felt like more than just another band making another album.”
- Suede30 will be released on 180g black vinyl LP, x2CD, picture disc and blu-ray editions, all with audio newly mastered by Phil Kinrade at AIR Studios from the original ½” tapes and production masters, overseen and approved by original album producer Ed Buller.
- The 2CD Deluxe Gatefold edition of Suede will also include the nine B-sides on a second CD, along with a cover of ‘Brass in Pocket’, originally recorded for an NME covermount cassette. The two CDs are presented in brand new seven-inch deluxe gatefold packaging, with an 8-page booklet including lyrics and credits.
- The black vinyl edition was expertly cut using precision half-speed mastering by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering. Pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl, housed in a poly-lined inner sleeve, featuring an obi strip and a 4-page booklet insert.
- The highly collectible limited edition picture disc LP (limited to 1030 copies world wide) features reimagined exclusive artwork by Paul Khera (a black-on-black spot UV version of the iconic cover), with an exclusive picture disc featuring Brett Anderson’s lyrics housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve featuring gold foil detailing, and a classic Kevin Cummins photograph across the centrefold.
- The Blu-ray edition will include a Dolby Atmos Mix, 5.1 Surround Mix and new Stereo Mix, each completed by Steven Wilson, alongside the 1993 Definitive Original Stereo Mix.
- The first of four 7” single picture disc releases begins with the one that started it all, ‘The Drowners’ / ‘To The Birds’ (30th Anniversary Edition). Originally released in 1992 via Nude Records, the NME and Melody Maker both voted it their Single Of The Year.
Matt Osman, added:
“So, 30 years ago, this is where it all began. A mixture of the live songs that had won us a following and our first experiments in the studio. Listening back now it still has that sense of wildness, and drama, and possibility of those early days. So young and so gone, indeed!“
critical popcorn 