Barriers

Album: Bloodsports (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the first song to be heard from Bloodsports, Suede's sixth studio album and their first since 2002. Speaking about the song frontman Brett Anderson told NME: "'Barriers' isn't the first single but we are proud enough of it to just chuck it out there and thought that its pulsing, romantic swell somehow summed up the feel of the album quite nicely." It was made available as a free download on January 7, 2013.
  • Regarding the album Anderson told NME: "It's about lust, it's about the chase, it's about the endless carnal game of love. It was possibly the hardest we ever made but certainly is the most satisfying. it's ten furious songs for me, we have reclaimed what Suede was always about: drama, melody and noise."
  • Coming off of a 10-year hiatus wasn't easy for Suede. The guys were beginning to doubt whether they should make a comeback at all until this song came together. Brett Anderson told NME: "Writing 'Barriers' was a real tipping point, actually. For some reason, it just sort of, it really hit the real sweet spot of between kind of sounding like Suede but not sounding like self-parody and sounded fresh enough. Suddenly we wrote that song and it felt, 'Okay, we got a record here. We're starting to get a record.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Jon Anderson

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."