Sci-Fi Lullabies

Infobox Album | Name = Sci-Fi Lullabies
Type = Compilation album
Artist = Suede


Released = flagicon|UK October 6 1997
Recorded = 1992 to 1996
Genre = Britpop
Length = --
Label = Nude Records
Producer = Ed Buller
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:6wtqoawaiij9 link]
*Pitchfork Media (8.8/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22094-sci-fi-lullabies link]
Last album = "Coming Up"
(1996)
This album = "Sci-Fi Lullabies"
(1997)
Next album = "Head Music"
(1999)
|

"Sci-Fi Lullabies" is a compilation album by Suede, consisting of b-sides from the singles that were released from the band's first three albums.

The album spans two discs and displays the band in its most prolific era. The first disc is dominated by tracks written by the Brett Anderson/Bernard Butler songwriting partnership (the exceptions are "Together," "Bentswood Boys" and "Europe is Our Playground") while the second showcases the various inter-band songwriting variations (Anderson/Richard Oakes and Anderson/Neil Codling, plus Anderson solo and compositions contributed to by the whole band) that emerged following Butler's departure and the subsequent recruiting of a new guitarist, Richard Oakes and keyboardist Neil Codling.

The album is considered an important one for fans of the band, partially because of the wealth of material and partially as many of the songs on the compilation are considered to be as strong or even stronger as the singles from which they came.

The album is not quite comprehensive, missing out around half a dozen exclusive songs released as b-sides by the band during the period it covers. Missing Anderson/Butler b-sides are "Painted People" (from "Animal Nitrate"), "Dolly" (from "So Young"), "This World Needs a Father" (from "The Wild Ones" Disc 1). Tracks featuring Oakes and/or Codling omitted include "Asda Town" (from "The Wild Ones" Disc 2), "Sam" (from "Beautiful Ones") and "Digging a Hole" and "Feel" (from "Lazy").

Live performances released as b-sides (on "New Generation" Disc 1 and "Filmstar" Disc 2) are also not included, neither is Suede's cover of the Pet Shop Boys' "Rent." The track "Together" (Anderson/Oakes) is included despite technically being a double-A side (with "New Generation") not a b-side, while the non-album single "Stay Together" is not present despite its b-sides being included and it not being available elsewhere. The track "Eno's Introducing The Band" (from "The Wild Ones" Disk 2) is also not included.

The title of the album was a phrase considered as a title for the band's second album, "Dog Man Star", and is a phrase used in the lyrics of the song "Introducing the Band" from that album and also, strangely, the b-side "This World Needs a Father" excluded here.

The album cover features a destroyed English Electric Lightning aircraft abandoned and used for target practice on a military range in Northumberland.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Sci-Fi Lullabies" has sold about 19,000 units in the U.S. as of 2008 despite never placing on any of "Billboard"'s charts. [Caulfield, Keith. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003855686 "Ask Billboard: Blue Suede Shoes"] . billboard.com. Sept 26, 2008]

Track listing

Disc one

#"My Insatiable One" (Brett Anderson, Bernard Butler) – 2:57
#"To the Birds" (Anderson, Butler) – 5:24
#"Where the Pigs Don't Fly" (Anderson, Butler) – 5:33
#"He's Dead" (Anderson, Butler) – 5:13
#"The Big Time" (Anderson, Butler) – 4:28
#"High Rising" (Anderson, Butler) – 5:49
#"The Living Dead" (Anderson, Butler) – 2:48
#"My Dark Star" (Anderson, Butler) – 4:26
#"Killing of a Flash Boy" (Anderson, Butler) – 4:07
#"Whipsnade" (Anderson, Butler) – 4:22
#"Modern Boys" (Anderson, Butler) – 4:07
#"Together" (Anderson, Richard Oakes) – 4:29
#"Bentswood Boys" (Anderson, Oakes) – 3:15
#"Europe Is Our Playground" (New Version) (Anderson, Mat Osman) – 5:39

Disc two

#"Every Monday Morning Comes" (Anderson, Oakes) – 4:28
#"Have You Ever Been This Low?" (Anderson, Oakes) – 3:52
#"Another No One" (Anderson) – 3:56
#"Young Men" (Anderson, Oakes) – 4:35
#"The Sound of the Streets" (Anderson) – 4:59
#"Money" (Anderson, Oakes) – 4:04
#"W.S.D." (Anderson) – 5:46
#"This Time" (Anderson, Oakes) – 5:46
#"Jumble Sale Mums" (Anderson, Oakes) – 4:15
#"These Are the Sad Songs" (Anderson, Oakes) – 6:20
#"Sadie" (Anderson, Oakes) – 5:24
#"Graffiti Women" (Anderson) – 4:51
#"Duchess" (Anderson, Neil Codling) – 3:55

References