![the act of just being [t]here](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!McXN!,w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab2fad98-6f90-4e0d-bd57-65f637318d2f_500x500.png)
![the act of just being [t]here](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Cdwc!,e_trim:10:white/e_trim:10:transparent/h_72,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5847ef94-3036-47ca-9b03-809c7e95fb65_1344x256.png)
Re-Introducing the B-Sides: 10 Best from Sci-Fi Lullabies Vol. 2
Suede: a retro-flection, FOURTH INTERMISSION
Back when Suede’s first run of B-sides trickled out on CD1s, CD2s, and limited 7"s, part of the thrill was the chase. Back then, being a completist meant scouring import bins, swapping with friends, or paying too much for a single just to hear one elusive track. That is why, for so many fans, Sci-Fi Lullabies was such a godsend in 1997, and why it's remained a seminal release in their catalogue all these years.
It’s also why the announcement of Sci-Fi Lullabies Vol. 2 as an exclusive Record Store Day 2025 release hits entirely differently than its predecessor. Many of these post-reunion B-sides and bonus tracks belong to the digital age, where discovery is only a click away, and you can bet that someone has uploaded even the most obscure and rarest of these tracks to YouTube.
What many of the songs on Sci-Fi Lullabies Vol. 2 lose in scarcity, they make up for in the story they help tell about how, even though the reformed Suede has evolved beyond the band they were the first time they released a B-sides compilation, they continue to rack up a treasure trove of rare and unheard gems worth getting to know.
“The Sadness In You, the Sadness In Me”
(2022, Autofiction digital deluxe edition; 2023, Autofiction: Expanded Disc 2)
“The Sadness In You, the Sadness In Me” served as an unofficial single when Autofiction received a 3-disc expanded edition in 2023. An instant fan favourite, it is a synthy slice of urgency that could easily have stood on its own. The strain in Anderson’s voice, while divisive for some, adds depth and a vulnerability that suits the band well.
“Let Go”
(1999, B-side to “Can't Get Enough” CD1 single)
“Let Go” is Suede at their most unabashedly pop—a charming anomaly that sounds nothing like its A-side. Its duality is what I like most: the way it unexpectedly gets you snapping your fingers and tapping your toes. I’ve found myself humming this song out of the blue a lot lately, which is saying something.
“Crackhead”
(1999, B-side to “Everything Will Flow” CD2 single)
One of two on-the-nose named B-sides from the Head Music era, “Crackhead” is a rawer, more vital track than much of Head Music. It captures the destructive grip of Anderson’s addiction with honesty that’s hard to fault.
“Still Waiting”
(2022, Autofiction digital deluxe edition; 2023, Autofiction: Expanded Disc 2)
Another bonus from Autofiction: Expanded, “Still Waiting” features cinematic and orchestral touches that suggest it may have originated during the sessions for The Blue Hour. At just under three minutes, it feels like a sketch of a larger idea, but one that hints at the expansive storytelling Suede excels at.
“Manipulation”
(2018, The Blue Hour box set 7" vinyl)
A spunky, rugged blast of proto-punk, “Manipulation” has melodic roots that echo The Blue Hour, even if its jagged urgency feels more aligned with Autofiction. Having been a vinyl-only release, there was much early anticipation that “Manipulation” would end up on Sci-Fi Lullabies Vol. 2. Those same fans are eagerly hoping this compilation gets a wider physical release as well.
“You Don’t Know Me”
(2022, Autofiction Japanese CD edition; 2023, Autofiction: Expanded Disc 2)
“You Don’t Know Me” was a Japanese bonus track for Autofiction that eventually appeared on the expanded edition. It’s brimming wit hallmarks of Suede’s best work: restlessness, a sense of alienation, and rough-edged urgency.
“Days Like Dead Moths”
(2022, Autofiction digital deluxe edition; 2023, Autofiction: Expanded Disc 2)
Many fans argue that Autofiction would have been stronger with “Days Like Dead Moths” in place of weaker inclusions, and I tend to agree. It blends Dog Man Star’s dystopian dreamscapes with the cinematic scope of Night Thoughts.
“Heroin”
(2011, Head Music remastered and expanded version)
Some prefer Dog Man Star’s “Heroine” to the Head Music B-side “Heroin,” but Anderson seems to value the latter’s emotional honesty. When revisiting Head Music in 2011, he admitted the record might have benefitted from more of this kind of raw resonance. Like “Crackhead,” it is one of the sharper moments to come out of the Head Music sessions.
“The Prey”
(2022, Autofiction digital deluxe edition; 2023, Autofiction: Expanded Disc 2)
“The Prey” is a beautifully restrained moment that shows what Suede can achieve when they follow their quieter instincts. Its acoustic textures might have felt out of place on Autofiction, but hints of “The Wild Ones” make for an intriguing listen.
“Blinded”
(previously unreleased)
“Blinded” closes the compilation as a haunting and emotionally resonant new recording. Echoing the grandiosity of “Still Life” and the muted ache of “Sleeping Pills,” it is spectral and intimate, with delicate acoustic textures and layered vocal echoes giving it a final, reflective weight in the Suede canon.