Spelling the end of Happy Mondays laddishness, Suede were a southern Smiths transported back to the era of Ziggy Stardust. Their songs were vignettes of sad suburban dreamers, set to chords that came straight from the David Bowie songbook. Singer Brett Anderson exhumed Bowie's feyest Anthony Newley voice, while guitarist Bernard Butler took a major leaf out of the Johnny Marr simultaneous-lead-and-rhythm book, underpinning Anderson's wan languor with a gritty verve. "The Drowners" was a glam classic, and "Metal Mickey" as poutingly punky as any of the great T. Rex singles. --Barney Hoskyns
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