

After the fizzing energy of their debut, Suede tumble into darkness. Dog Man Star indulges self-loathing, paranoia, failing love and addiction–and sounds magnificent for it. It’s often brilliantly overblown: the proggy “The Asphalt World” clocks in at nearly ten minutes and “The Next Life” employs a full orchestra. But outsider anthems “Heroine” and the optimistic “The Power” are consumingly melodic, while “The Wild Ones” synthesizes virtuoso playing and a crumbling psyche into arguably their finest five minutes.