Search - London Suede :: Stay Together

The album that should have been

Damon Denys | Salt Lake City, UT United States | 12/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This modest collection of 6 tracks is, as the other reviewers have indicated, a shining example of Suede's Bernard Butler-era prowess. Every track, with the possible exception of the somewhat clunky but still fun "Dolly", is Suede at their melodramatic and melancholic best. "The Living Dead" alone is a soulful masterpiece that justifies purchasing this disc.Oddly enough, "Stay Together" has been long identified as singer Brett Anderson's most hated Suede single. But despite that, the song seems to be a longstanding favorite among devoted fans. The full version is definitely a beautiful and powerful finish to a songlist that falls curiously short of a full length album.This begs the obvious question: Why an EP and not a full-length record? Suede have a reputation for producing copious amounts of A-side-quality B-sides with every album. They certainly had enough of them drifting around between their debut record and "Dog Man Star" to fill out a complete playlist. So why was "Stay Together" destined to be a hidden gem within their prolific repertoire, instead of a brilliant second album that would fully predict their following magnum opus, "Dog Man Star"?The answer to that is probably part of what makes this EP so entrancing and mysterious, and is possibly also the explanation for why Brett Anderson is so unpleased with the title track. We'll likely never know. But for devoted Suede fans, an almost-secret and forgotten EP containing the only recorded version of one of their best songs is maybe even better than the Suede-album-that-never-was. Maybe.If the EP had been filled out with powerful B-sides like "Asda Town", "This World Needs a Father", "My Insatiable One", "To the Birds" and "Killing of a Flashboy", I wager it would have given "Dog Man Star" devotees a very serious run for their money as the best album in Suede's register. Alas, that was never meant to be. But for all its ellusiveness, you definitely don't want to miss this one. EP or not, it's very very good."

Must headphone listening

stv | nj, usa | 02/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a moving record, a life changing one. The long version of stay together is a sweeping melancholy rollercoaster of emotion that has never been duplicated. From the whisper to a scream pleading vocals (take me somewhere else..) to the drone of the horns bringing you up at the end to the simple piano exit, there is no better ride than this. my dark star is brilliant as well, as are most of the songs on this ep. I cannot recommend it any higher. Exhilarating."

Classic early-period Suede

Sakos | United States | 06/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This single, Stay Together, was a non-album one-off single in between Suede's first two albums. And it is just as vital as anything else the band ever recorded and released. The title track is available here in two forms, the 4 minute radio edit and the unavailable-anywhere-else-absolutely-essential 9 minute full version. The song captures the doomed romanticism of early Suede perfectly and even though the band have since slagged the song off as being the product of hype, it is an astounding piece of music, lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally. The other tracks are exquisite as well (ALL of Suede's b-sides are must-hear for any fan). Dolly is a classic rocker, The Living Dead is an aching and haunting ballad about heroin addiction, and My Dark Star, one of Suede's best SONGS EVER, is just too good to not hear. Even if you have all of Suede's albums and b-sides (like I do), you need this simply as it's the only place you can get the full version of Stay Together. Well worth the money."