Dog Man Star
A year and one album after being heralded as England's "next big  thing," The London Suede is hurting. Forced by a lawsuit to change its name  in the U.S. and suffering from the mid-recording defection of wall-of-sound  guitarist Bernard Butler, the band's second album makes you wonder what the fuss  was about.dog man staris flaccid, melodramatic glam-rock that cribs  even more heavily than the group's debut from vintage David Bowie. Brett  Anderson's posing and emoting simply isn't enough to carry a tune, and none of  the 13 songs here approach the fiery drive of the debut album's "Metal  Mickey" or "Animal Nitrate."--Jim DeRogatis