Bloodsports (album) explained

Bloodsports
Type:	studio
Artist:	Suede
Cover:	Bloodsports album cover.png
Released:	18 March 2013
Recorded:	2012
Genre:	Alternative rock^[1] glam pop^[2]
Length:	39:46
Label:	Warner Bros.
Producer:	Ed Buller
Prev Title:	The Best of Suede
Prev Year:	2010
Next Title:	Night Thoughts
Next Year:	2016

Bloodsports is the sixth studio album by English alternative rock band Suede. It was released on 18 March 2013, via Warner Bros. Records. It is their first studio album since A New Morning in 2002.

The album was the first since Coming Up to be produced by their longtime producer Ed Buller, and also the first album to feature keyboardist Neil Codling since his departure in 2001.

Background and production

Frontman Brett Anderson commented that the album would sound like a cross between Dog Man Star and Coming Up.^[3] He stated that Bloodsports is "about lust, it's about the chase, it's about the endless carnal game of love. It was possibly the hardest we've ever made but certainly the most satisfying".^[4]

The band performed new material in 2011, most of which got scrapped when they went into the studio with Ed Buller, the producer of their first three albums.^[5]

Release

In January 2013, Suede released a free download of opening track "Barriers".^[4] The lead single, "It Starts and Ends with You", followed in February.^[4] Second single "Hit Me" was released 27 May.^[6] Third single "For the Strangers" was released in October on the same day the band released The Vinyl Collection, a box set of the band's six studio albums and b-side collection on vinyl.^[7] Bloodsports debuted on the Official UK Albums Chart at number 10,^[8] on first-week sales of 10,453 copies. It went on to sell 22,410 units after 12 weeks.^[9] A 7-inch double a-side of "Barriers"/"Animal Nitrate" was released 20 April on Record Store Day.^[10]

Critical reception

Bloodsports has been very well received by critics, their most acclaimed album since Coming Up in 1996. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 80, based on 29 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".

Year-end lists

Bloodsports has been included in many Best Albums of 2013 lists including:

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
ABC News	US	The 50 Best Albums of 2013^[11]	2013	29
AllMusic	US	Best of 2013 – Top 50 Albums^[12]	2013	N/A
PopMatters	US	The 75 Best Albums of the Year^[13]	2013	57
Q	UK	50 Albums of the Year^[14]	2013	22
The Quietus	UK	Albums of the Year^[15]	2013	42
Rough Trade	UK	Top 100 Albums of the Year^[16]	2013	67
Under the Radar	US	Top 125 Albums of 2013^[17]	2013	23

Personnel

Suede

• Brett Anderson – vocals
• Richard Oakes – guitars
• Simon Gilbert – drums
• Mat Osman – electric bass
• Neil Codling – synthesisers, guitars

Technical

• Ed Buller – production, engineering
• Andy Hughes – engineering
• Paul-Édouard Laurendeau – engineering
• Joel M. Peters – engineering assistance
• Andy Wallace – mixing
• Paul Suarez – Pro Tools engineering
• Howie Weinberg – mastering
• Dan Gerbarg – mastering

Artwork

• Jonathan Baron – cover
• Matthew Holroyd – cover
• Brett Anderson – cover
• Mat Osman – cover
• Blommers/Schumm – artwork photography
• Roger Sargent – band photography
• Studio-Baron – design

Charts

Chart (2013)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[18]	181

External links

• Bloodsports at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

Notes and References

1. Web site: The best albums of 2013 (so far) . . 5 July 2013 . 22 January 2016 . Lakhani, R..
2. Web site: Suede – Bloodsports . . 12 March 2013 . 26 January 2014 . Matusavage, Philip.
3. Web site: Suede Unveil New Album and Live Show Countdown. NME. Cooper. Leonie. 30 November 2012. 23 June 2017.
4. Hart . Tina . Suede to Release First New Material in 10 Years . . 7 January 2013 . 16 September 2020.
5. Neighbour, Flora . "Suede Ditch All Material Recorded for New Album". Gigwise. 11 May 2012.
6. Web site: Cooper . Leonie . Suede add dates to autumn UK tour – ticket details . NME . 16 September 2020 . 14 May 2013.
7. News: Suede - For The Strangers: Exclusive video . 16 September 2020 . . 27 August 2013.
8. Web site: Recently reunited indie rockers Suede are back with their first Top 10 album in almost 14 years. Official Charts Company. 24 March 2013.
9. Williams . Paul . Going It Alone . . 21 June 2013 . 14–16.
10. Web site: Newall . Phil . Full list of Record Store Day 2013 releases unveiled… . louderthanwar.com . 19 April 2019 . 21 March 2013.
11. Web site: Raible . Allan . The Year in Review: The 50 Best Albums of 2013 . . 2 May 2019 . 30 December 2013.
12. https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/allmusic-best-of-2013 Best of 2013
13. https://www.popmatters.com/best-albums-of-2013/2 The 75 Best Albums of the 2013
14. https://www.brooklynvegan.com/arctic-monkeys-46/ "Q Magazine's '50 LPs of 2013' List; Arctic Monkeys top it"
15. https://thequietus.com/articles/13960-albums-of-the-year-2013 "Albums of the Year 2013"
16. https://www.brooklynvegan.com/rough-trades-to-2/ "Rough Trade's Top LPs of 2013"
17. https://thequietus.com/articles/13960-albums-of-the-year-2013 "Top 125 Albums of 2013"
18. Web site: Suede ARIA Chart history complete to 2024. ARIA. Imgur.com. 26 July 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.