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Blur — Blur


Year Released: 1997

Label: Food

Year Bought: 2012

AND WHEN SHE LETS ME SLIP AWAY....

The opening track of Blur's fifth album is undoubtedly one of their best. I remember when "Beetlebum" came out that it felt like a gear shift from the band. Later in the same year, Radiohead did the same with 'Paranoid Android'. Oasis's big comeback single in 1997, "D'You Know What I Mean" didn't have the same vibes.

Anyway, the self-titled album from Blur sees the band pretty much withdrawing from the Britpop battle. The chopping guitar of "Beetlebum" in many ways tells you everything you need to know about the record. Lo-fi, rough, a bit aggressive, the album sees Graham Coxon's love of US alt-rock, particularly Beck, dominating the sound.

Take "You're So Great", a Coxon penned and performed tune that sounds like it was recorded on an old tape player. This is no "Country House".

"Country Sad Ballad Man" sounds like a Beck tune, and the drum sounds and vocal delivery of "On Your Own" make it basically a prototype Gorillaz tune.

There are some strong echoes of the Britpop days though. "M.O.R" is basically "Boys Keep Swinging" by David Bowie (he and Brian Eno even get a writing credit), while "Look Inside America" is absolutely drenched in Beatles backing vocals, even if the lyrics are very un-Britpop: "Look inside America. She's alright, she's alright."

"Death of a Party" is a tune that Pulp would have liked on their hangover album "This is Hardcore", and also gives early Gorillaz vibes.

As with most Blur albums, it's a couple of tracks too long. I can live without "Essex Dogs" - the 8 minute long ending track which is a spoken word poem over soundscapes. 

Putting this alongside the so-called 'Life' trilogy that came before it just shows what a turn Blur made. In fact, if you were in any doubt, it underlines the fact that Albarn is probably the closest we'll have to another David Bowie. Britpop Blur was a persona that worked until it didn't, and Albarn and the rest were determined not to be the ones left clearing up the party.

Oh yeah, "Song 2" is on it. Woo hoo.

8/10


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