Following on from the well-received ninth album, Autofiction, the purple patch continues.

Suede occupy a slightly funny spot in the grand pecking order of great 90’s bands. They have never enjoyed the out and out commercial success of Oasis, were never as clever as The Manic Street Preachers, as well regarded as Pulp or as well reviewed as Blur. However, they are undeniably an important part of that decade. As much as they tried to distance themselves from the tag, they were also a key part of that initial surge of Britpop that helped give the decade such a strong musical identity. Perhaps their relatively minor seven-year separation, between 2003 and 2010, and further five albums since getting back together means they never quite built the same level of mythos as their peers. Oasis were away for sixteen years, Pulp twice disappeared for nine years and went twenty-four years without an album release, Blur have only put out three albums since the turn of the millennium.

Just coming up to his 58th birthday, singer Brett Anderson seems gripped by some vital need to create right now. There was an intensity of purpose on previous album Autofiction that has carried over here.

Second single and stand-out track of the album, ‘Disintegrate’ gets Antidepressants of to a flier of a start. It has a clever opening, driven guitars and Anderson unleashing his voice to its full extent on the chorus. Most recent single ‘Dancing With The Europeans’ is so utterly 100% Suede it really couldn’t be anybody else. Whilst Pulp’s ‘More’ was a really good album Jarvis’ voice does not quite have the full range it once did. No issues with Brett Anderson here, still hitting the same range of notes as in his youth with that unique warbling inflection that always made him so instantly recognisable.

Title track ‘Antidepressants’ maintains the strong sense of momentum with a balanced discussion on the drugs. It is difficult to tell if it is supportive or critical of them. There is an almost joyousness underpinning it. ‘Sweet Kid’ has a really big sounding, classic intro. ‘Sound and the Summer’ has a similar epic quality to it. ‘Somewhere Between an Atom and a Star’ was initially conceived as part of music they were working on with a ballet company. Brett thought the change of direction would be good for them but ultimately walked away from it after deciding there was a visceral need to create a proper rock record instead.

There is almost something Adam and the Ants about ‘Criminal Ways,’ though those trademark Suede guitar sounds stop it fully slipping into 80’s nostalgia. Having listened to the whole album ‘Trance State’ seems a slightly odd choice of lead single. It is by no means a bad track, it just feels like there are much better moments on this album.

‘June Rain’ has Brett almost sounding like Jarvis Cocker on the start of this with its spoken word open. It eventually opens up into a more typically Suede effort, though it manages to sound effortlessly epic. ‘Life Is Endless, Life Is a Moment’ is the longest track at just over five minutes. Brett describes this one as new sonic territory for Suede, and it is a strong ending to a strong album.

The band set out to capture the strengths of their live performances on this album, feeling some of their earlier recorded work feels quite timid in contrast to how they play them in person. It certainly has a deep, robust quality to it. This one is worth a few listens to really get into it, and overall, it is one of my all-time favourite Suede albums. Not many bands are turning out such essential work on their tenth album, if they even last long enough to release that many.