Bloodsports (album)

Background and production

Frontman Brett Anderson commented that the album would sound like cross between Dog Man Star (1994) and Coming Up (1996). 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".

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.

Release

In January 2013, Suede released a free download of opening track "Barriers". The first single proper, "It Starts and Ends with You", followed in February. Second single "Hit Me" was released in May and a third single, "For the Strangers", was released in October. A 7-inch of "Barriers" marked Record Store Day on 20 April, the studio version of "Animal Nitrate" its b-side.

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."

Commercial performance

Bloodsports debuted on the Official UK Albums Chart at number 10, making it the band's first top 10 album since Head Music in 1999.

Accolades

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

Personnel