Brett Anderson - Slow Attack
by Anthony Strutt
published: 12 / 12 / 2009

Label:
Brett Anderson
Format: CD
intro
Dowb=nbeat and moody, but gorgeous-sounding third solo album from former Suede frontman, Brett Anderson
'Slow Attack' is the third solo album from Brett Anderson, the former frontman with Suede. I didn't like them at all in their early 90's heyday, but saw them the night they signed to Nude at the London Falcon, I was there to see support band, the Werefrogs, and as I was leaving saw in the queue Morrissey, and so I stayed and talked to him and ended up seeing Suede as well. Morrissey was was then very shy but sweet. On 'Slow Attack' Brett shows that he has matured very gracefully now he has shaken off all those vampires that worshipped Suede back then. 'Slow Attack' is, as its title implies, a very slow album. It doesn't speed up at all and requires some listening to, so if you expect to rock out to it you will be dissappointed. 'Hymn' opens the work, and like a lot of the rest of the album is piano-based. It has a vocal from Brett that shows that he has lived his life, but came out of it the other end a wiser man. 'Wheatfields' is a very mature song, beautifully arranged and, played on delicate guitar, also features lovely bass and brass. It is a love song for a woman and nature. Brett has dedicated the album to his wife. 'The Hunted' has a faster pace but only just, and is still slow in tempo. The gorgeous 'Frozen Roads' features moody brass and recalls John Lennon's early solo work and the second half of the Beatles' 'Abbey Road'. 'Pretty Windows' is a slow and elegant piano-based number with moody bass and is a love song for the lonely. 'The Swans' has a great guitar swagger to it, while 'Ashes of Us' is cello and guitar paced with Brett singing on it like an angel in church. On 'Scarecrows and Lilacs' Brett is backed by a twangy guitar and sublime-sounding backing vocalists. 'Julian's Eyes' is guitar and oboe-based with added flute and rocks gently. 'Leave Me Sleeping' ends the album. It is very slow, and sounds very downbeat and moody like the rest of the album, but absolutely gorgeous too.
Track Listing:-
1 Hymn2 Wheatfields
3 The Hunted
4 Frozen Roads
5 Summer
6 Pretty Widows
7 The Swans
8 Ashes of Us
9 Scarecrows & Lilacs
10 Julian's Eyes
11 Leave Me Sleeping
12 With You Within You
13 Forest Lullaby
live reviews |
Bush Hall, London, 7/3/2007 |
![]() |
At only what is his third ever gig as a solo artist, Anthony Strutt is impressed by former Suede star Brett Anderson's set at the London Bush Hall, and finds him at last having grown up |
features |
Brett Anderson (2007) |
![]() |
Best known for being the former singer with the bestselling 90's Britpop act Suede, Brett Anderson recently played his first ever solo dates over the course of three nights at the Bush Hall in London. Anna Gudaniec photographs him exclusively for Pennyblackmusic at one of those dates |
reviews |
Wilderness (2008) |
![]() |
Stripped down and decent second solo CD from former Suede frontman, Brett Anderson |
Brett Anderson (2007) |
Love is Dead (2007) |
most viewed articles
current edition
John McKay - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Cathode Ray - Interview
Spear Of Destiny - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Chris Wade - Interview
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Shrag - Huw Stephens Session 08.12.10 and Marc Riley Session 21.03.12
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleVinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Little Simz - Lotus
HAIM - I Quit
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart