Blur: Classic Or Dud

My first impression is that I like how this is a guitar song, front and centre, with distortion and stuff. Some of the lyrics sound like they are trying too hard except for the chorus which is very fine.

Is Coxon involved in this album?

^ yeah that's my question

Vocals so boring they sink the song.

So are we angling for an ilx pre?

So, sounds like Coxon has had a fair bit of input: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/19/blur-announce-the-magic-whip-their-first-new-album-for-12-years

I've gotta say, I'm a bit wary about this release because it hasn't felt like any of the members of Blur have considered the band a "priority" for a long time. It especially feels like Albarn considers the band just another one of his projects, rather than his main project. It's going to be interesting to hear what they've come up with at the very least.

I can't help but notice that there's a lot of negativity surrounding this release on the comments section of that Guardian article and the album hasn't even come out yet. They've certainly picked an interesting time to bring a new album out, merely a year after heavily critical articles appeared regarding the anniversary of the Britpop time that Blur were undoubtedly a huge part of. It seems that Blur are bringing out an album into a climate that may not be entirely receptive to a Blur album, unless you're a dedicated fan or liked a couple of their tracks "back in the day".

I'll have to admit, I wasn't exactly hankering after a new Blur album, and was more than under the impression that the ship had long sailed. I'll still be giving it a listen though, out of curiosity to hear what they've come up with.

I dunno, I just can't help but feel that if they were going to do this, it would have probably been the best time to do this last decade.

what's a best time to release an album?

The advance track sounds OK, could slot in nicely as an album track.

"Go Out" sounds fine to me. It doesn't blow me away by any means, but we all know it could have easily been much worse. Besides, I doubt it's an actual single (of course, no one even knows what an "actual single" is in 2015).

I've just got around to hearing 'Go Out' now... it sounds like a crap B-side, IMO.

this song is fine, think i will like it when it comes up on an album. sort of love the bass.

Is Coxon involved in this album?

― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Thursday, February 19, 2015 7:20 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Involved? He's pretty much the driving force behind this record even seeing the light of day! Coxon and Stephen Street pretty much took the stuff they'd recorded in Hong Kong and moulded it into some kind of releasable shape while Damon was off touring his solo record. Damon (somewhat reluctantly, by the sounds of it based on how he came across discussing the record during the press conference with Zane Lowe) then added vocals and lyrics to the re-shaped backing tracks. Seems to me that the record is based on a lot of jamming which has been cut and pasted together, a la 13, with Coxon and Stephen Street in the William Orbit role. The record probably wouldn't have seen the light of day if Coxon and Stephen Street hadn't decided to try and make something of it... seems like Alex and Dave thought that nothing was going to come of it, and Damon didn't see it as any kind of priority.

I thought it was terrible as well.

Not a Blur fan but I quite liked the new one. As usual, the sticking point for me is Damon's voice which on some tracks I like and on others I can't stand. Here, I dislike it and he sounds way more old-manny than he should since he's still mid-40s.

quite like this yeah

needs different chords in the chorus maybe but it sounds juicy, glad a bit of sonic maximalism has been restored

Going off the general attitude of some of the band members in the press conference, and details of how the album was put together, I'll be very surprised if this comes across as something more than a collection of B-side quality material. If there's anything as good as 'Caramel' on here, I'll be amazed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQQObIQ63T0#

tom petty could sue blur as well!

(it sounds a bit like 'you got lucky')

I like this song a lot. Like A LOT a lot.

I liked the other song but I love this new one. Very XTC.

The song is pretty good, but honestly, the lyrics really suck.

And they're really noticeable. I wouldn't care otherwise.

this is great yeah. reminds me of a Supertramp song but god knows which.

Goes on a bit long and does not do enough with the idea for me. I have no issue with the lyrics - this being pop music after all and these kinds of general slogans are what makes the single sing.

this song IS great, we will need a new thread for a new Blur album. never thought i would see the day.

See, I have all those nice 2cd boxes of all the Blur albums (see the fopp thread for when and how much) but this new one is mot going to be like that is it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eR-SzHggms

See, I have all those nice 2cd boxes of all the Blur albums (see the fopp thread for when and how much) but this new one is mot going to be like that is it?

...do you mean "the music on this new album is not going to be like the music on all the previous Blur albums, which I own, is it?" or "this new album is not going be reissued in an expanded historical edition before it comes out as itself, is it?" ?

Not into this track at all.

Sadly I agree. Sounds like a Great Escape era B-side. Very throwaway.

nice but they're coasting.

thought experiment: what if a new blur single was this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrQpymNPfFU

Eew, I always hated that sweeping ballady with strings Blur, so I'm glad nothing has sounded like this^ so far.

...do you mean "the music on this new album is not going to be like the music on all the previous Blur albums, which I own, is it?"

No. I sincerely hope it does not.

or "this new album is not going be reissued in an expanded historical edition before it comes out as itself, is it?" ?

Actually, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it did.

Kind of getting the sense this album is not going to be good after listening to 3 songs. There are only 10, right? Yikes. I'm a pretty big Think Tank apologist, so I was optimistic.

I like 2 out of 3 so I'm looking forward to it.

'Go Out' is probably the worst song I've heard by anyone this year.

don't understand the love 'There Are Too Many of Us' got here, that synth string sound is quite ugly and the vocal melody only has a single mediocre idea the whole time.
i heard a low-quality recording of the album performance show and it didn't seem to really succeed either as pop (being fairly lacking in hooks and choruses except for 'Ong Ong' i think) or as something more experimental like 13 or Think Tank so i'm not really sure what they were going for. maybe there'll be more interesting details that will come through in better quality?

I like all of it so far tbh. It sounds like a Blur album, unlike Think Tank, which in retrospect was sort of a Gorillaz album in disguise.

I'm going to assume there are no obvious singles on this album, so the ones they've selected are very likely to disappoint out of context. Being Blur, people are naturally tripping over themselves in a hurry to be massively disappointed, as is fashionable

I don't think I'd like to be disappointed. I really like Think Tank, so as far as I'm concerned they went out on an up note. It wasn't as great as Think Tank, but I have no complaints about an album that contains a song like "Out of Time."

As 13*. I really need to proofread my posts.

Think Tank was extremely shit

I mean, it was good for two tracks, then it dived off a cliff

Well, yeah, but then after Crazy Beat it did climb back up every now and then.

"Battery In Your Leg," "Caravan" and "Ambulance" are prob in my top 20 Blur tunes

yeah those are the other two sings I'll allow

something like Brothers And Sisters has aged about as well as corporal punishment

Out of Time, Caravan and On My To The Club are great (though the last one outstays its welcome)

Being Blur, people are naturally tripping over themselves in a hurry to be massively disappointed, as is fashionable

― PaulTMA

Don't agree with this at all. I think most people want this to be really great, myself included. Suede pulled off a great comeback album there's no reason Blur shouldn't either. This latest song is the only one I've disliked so far so really not sure what to expect.

Think Tank was almost great. I could lose Crazy Beat, We've Got a File On You, Brothers & Sisters and Jets but the rest of it is solid. Ambulance, Battery In Your Leg and Sweet Song are up there with the best songs they've ever done.