a harsh critic of the album. In contrast to the band's earlier work, he wrote: "two albums and one guitarist later, they sound utterly mined out." He added: "in many ways, it's a step back from Dog Man Star – and their manner grows increasingly obnoxious." Despite its success in the UK and Europe, Coming Up did not win an audience in America, partially because of its later release in April 1997 and partially because Suede only supported it with a three-city tour. Critical reception, however was generally positive stateside. Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle wrote: "Oakes more than fills the boots of his predecessor, and the new CD is a pure pop pleasure, thick and sinewy and terribly, British." Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club had similar views, saying: "The London Suede should, by all laws of musical logic, have disappeared by now. However, after surviving a name change, the replacement of co-songwriter/guitarist Bernard Butler with an obscure 17-year old, and more than a few changes in musical fashion, the band has returned with a third album that's more consistent and accessible than anything it's produced before." James Hunter of Spin said that "the band pushes its case by ascending to heights of absolutely lucid songcraft that, in this often fuzzy era, feels exhilarating." Rolling Stone critic Elysa Gardner noted their "concise melodies and taut, brashly energetic arrangements". Other critics were favourable, however with the caveat of highlighting the album's simplicity. In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote: "The most striking thing about Coming Up is the simplicity [...] As a statement of purpose, Coming Up is unimpeachable. Though it doesn't break any new ground for the band — unless you count the new-found sense of optimism." With similar views, Kevin Courtney of The Irish Times wrote: "Sometimes the songs seem a little too simple and throwaway, but Anderson tosses them aside with such aplomb, you can't wait to pick up after him." Suede embarked on a short tour of the US and Canada in May 1997 to support the album, but fell upon bad fortune when their equipment got stolen after playing a sold-out show in Boston, Massachusetts on 17 May. Commercial performance Coming Up was a commercial success. It spawned five top 10 singles in the UK and charted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album was certified as platinum