A year and one album after being heralded as England's "next big thing," The London Suede is hurting. Forced by a lawsuit to change its name in the U.S. and suffering from the mid-recording defection of wall-of-sound guitarist Bernard Butler, the band's second album makes you wonder what the fuss was about. dog man star is flaccid, melodramatic glam-rock that cribs even more heavily than the group's debut from vintage David Bowie. Brett Anderson's posing and emoting simply isn't enough to carry a tune, and none of the 13 songs here approach the fiery drive of the debut album's "Metal Mickey" or "Animal Nitrate." --Jim DeRogatis
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