The Great Escape - The ballads are what save this album for me. Best Days, The Universal, He Thought Of Cars and Yuko & Hiro are all beautiful.
otm
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:08 (seven years ago) link
13 easily!
― Carlotta's Portrait (Ross), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:11 (seven years ago) link
Is vote for the singles collection if I could.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:12 (seven years ago) link
Those in between tracks made the album feel like the best kind of kaleidoscopic mess when I was a teenager
― Carlotta's Portrait (Ross), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:12 (seven years ago) link
I would like it and the s/t about evenly were it not for "Crazy Beat" which really is just shit
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, March 21, 2017 3:07 PM (thirty-five minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
without "crazy beat" it's a great introverted funk record with gorgeous ballads so yes
― the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience (BradNelson), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:44 (seven years ago) link
Ok, I've decided to vote for the self-titled album. Here's my ranking:
1. Blur - So many great tracks, from "Beetlebum" to "Strange News" to "On Your Own" to "MOR." Of all the Blur albums, this and "13" took the longest to grow on me. The hooks and melodies eventually sank in. From start to finish, their most complete and range-y.
2. 13 - Of all their albums, "13" feels the most of a single piece. I especially love how the back half segues and blends together in a melancholy fog. A couple songs are definitely skippable (ahem, "Swamp Song"), but some of the band's all-time highs are here: "No Distance Left to Run," "Coffee & TV," "Caramel."
3. Parklife - Catchy as hell, moves along quickly and joyfully. And my first exposure to Blur, as a 7th grader, when "Girls & Boys" hit modern rock radio.
4. Think Tank - It's despised in some quarters, but "Good Song," "On the Way to the Club," and "Battery in Your Leg" rival their best, earlier work. And "Ambulance" has some of Albarn's most powerful lyrics: "I was born out of love / It's the only way to come into this world / I know I'm not all there / But I'm getting, getting, getting there."
5. The Great Escape - Would rank higher if it wasn't so bloated and looooong. It loses its steam somewhere around "Ernold Same" but picks up again with the dynamite "Entertain Me." "Country House" won the Battle of Britpop? I would've gone with "The Universal."
6. Modern Life is Rubbish - It's all memorable and catchy, but for some reason it never sticks. Too thin and same-y. I only return to "Turn it Up" with some regularity. But I know many consider it their absolute best.
[big drop]
7. Leisure - The two big hits, "There's No Other Way" and "She's So High," are great. Would also give props to "I Know" and "Sing" (depending on which country you bought the album in). The rest is forgettable.
8. The Magic Whip - Someone said it best upthread... lots of filler surrounding a couple decent songs. And bands shouldn't take a decade off and come back. "Lonesome Street" is the highlight.
― LimbsKing, Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:54 (seven years ago) link
I'd have almost always gone with Parklife but I think the s/t is the only one that's aged anywhere close to gracefully
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Tuesday, 21 March 2017 22:54 (seven years ago) link
I guess I'm in the minority, but I always found the sudden shift from "britpop Blur" to "we wanna be Pavement now" Blur very disturbing, and as a result really haven't enjoyed anything post-TGE
― Wimmels, Tuesday, 21 March 2017 23:49 (seven years ago) link
13 is the only album that's not really uneven and is their best by a long way. Half of Think Tank is some of their very best but the other half is pretty forgettable. The Magic Whip is dreadful, reunion albums can be pretty risky but I was never expecting it to be as bad as it was.
13BlurThink TankParklifeModern Life is RubbishThe Great EscapeLeisureThe Magic Whip
― ufo, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 00:10 (seven years ago) link
13 is definitely uneven, probably one of their most uneven, I'd say. Assuming we're talking about the same 13 here, the one with 'Swamp Song' and 'Trailer Park' on it.
― Coolio Iglesias (Turrican), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 00:21 (seven years ago) link
my ranking
self-titled13 tied with parklifeeverything else
― a but (brimstead), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 00:37 (seven years ago) link
"Trailer park" is excellent, I love it when Blur go trip-hop.
― a but (brimstead), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 00:40 (seven years ago) link
I don't like "Clint Eastwood" though, even though it's got a similar groove as Trailer Park. TP has such a warm understated arrangement/production
― a but (brimstead), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 00:44 (seven years ago) link
I... thought Magic Whip was great. So much beautiful detail in the arrangements. What's the correct number of years between albums?
― geoffreyess, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 02:16 (seven years ago) link
That might be a good topic for a new thread.. what's the longest span between two albums from a band that were actually decent on either end of the hiatus.
― LimbsKing, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 02:32 (seven years ago) link
...rather, both ends of the hiatus
― LimbsKing, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 02:33 (seven years ago) link
mbv, next
― an uptempo Pop/Hip Hop mentality (imago), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 02:33 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, the MBV follow up wasn't a letdown
― Carlotta's Portrait (Ross), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 02:34 (seven years ago) link
The Magic Whip was especially disappointing because the two Parklife-esque tracks they did in 2012 were decent enough and there wasn't really a drop in quality from Blur to Gorillaz (though Everyday Robots was pretty awful and is closest to The Magic Whip)
― ufo, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 03:10 (seven years ago) link
I'll take an EP of the best four or five songs on The Magic Whip over the entirety of Everyday Robots.
― Coolio Iglesias (Turrican), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 03:22 (seven years ago) link
Blur is funny for me, i own all their albums expect the one from last year and about 25 singles. loved them at the time but never have the desire to play them now. even when we were running the Blur poll i thought it would be a good time to listen all over again. i never did get around to it and ended up not submitting a ballot.
voting Modern Life.
― To Live and Die In L.A. (Bee OK), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 05:01 (seven years ago) link
Parklife > Blur > Modern Life is Rubbish > The Great Escape > 13 > Think Tank > The Magic Whip
I've never bothered to listen to Leisure.
― enochroot, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 17:24 (seven years ago) link
Think Tank is one of those albums would be perfect if only it weren't for a few utter crap songs like Crazy Beat
all the same remains my fave, gets my vote.and Out of Time is fantastic
― niels, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 17:27 (seven years ago) link
This thread has made me pull out my Blur albums. Never realized how much "Mr. Robinson's Quango" sounds like Syd Barrett's "Octopus"
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 17:28 (seven years ago) link
never understood the love for parklife, i was quite disappointed when it came out. "modern life is rubbish" gets my vote, it hit me directly in the guts, there is an englishness to it i love. "13" is almost as good but it impressed me slightly less, maybe it was too close to prog-rock for my liking.
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, 22 March 2017 17:31 (seven years ago) link
I like "The Magic Whip" would place it in the middle probably.
Having said that, I don't want any more.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 18:44 (seven years ago) link
never understood the love for parklife― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, March 22, 2017 1:31 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, March 22, 2017 1:31 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
It might just be a case of first exposure to the band leaving the biggest impression, but Parklife seems to highlight their strengths. It has some of their best drone-y ballads ("This Is A Low", "To The End"), zany interstitials ("Lot 105", "Bank Holiday"), Kink-y slice of life songs ("Tracy Jacks", "End Of A Century"). As an album, it's fun and it gorgeous. Whenever someone says another band/song sounds like Blur, they're not talking about "13" or "Think Tank", they're talking about Parklife. Plus, "Girls & Boys" -- I could vote for it on that song alone.
― enochroot, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 19:16 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, its 'one for all the family' innit?
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 19:38 (seven years ago) link
13 was the first and only album by this band I listen to. Pretty remarkable record all things considered. Tender is all time for me.
― octobeard, Thursday, 23 March 2017 01:01 (seven years ago) link
Kinda sad that nobody (save Mark G) likes Magic Whip. I find it beautiful and satisfying. Would never claim it as their best, but for a long time to come it'll be my favourite to listen to just on account of it being fresher.
― Eyeball Kicks, Thursday, 23 March 2017 10:39 (seven years ago) link
This thread has prompted me to do a highly-subjective Spotify list of songs by this band that I am still happy to listen to and don't set my teeth on edge. Surprising amount off of Think Tank actually:
https://open.spotify.com/user/1153731601/playlist/7BjfkncJBdfSK1L79CWu4d
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 14:37 (seven years ago) link
I have a lot of time for Blur's b-sides.
Here are my Top 10 Blur b-sides:
1. Young and Lovely2. Polished Stone3. Theme From An Imaginary Film4. One Born Every Minute5. When The Cows Come Home6. All Your Life7. Supa Shoppa8. A Song9. St Louis10. Peach
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:35 (seven years ago) link
Young And Lovely could have been an A-side really
Black Book is my favourite Blur b-side and also their longest song
― an uptempo Pop/Hip Hop mentality (imago), Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:45 (seven years ago) link
Are you trying to PVMIC yourself here?
(I don't think I've heard Black Book)
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:45 (seven years ago) link
Listening now... Hmmm it reminds me of Susan's House by Eels.
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:46 (seven years ago) link
Y&L is p much just as good though yeah
― an uptempo Pop/Hip Hop mentality (imago), Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:47 (seven years ago) link
it really is. Coxon's guitar is especially detailed. For me, that's what make Blur Blur, more than any Albarnisms, it's Coxon's guitar-style that lends it to these songs.
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:01 (seven years ago) link
Yes, and hopefully you got to the bit of Black Book where Coxon takes it to the next level :p
― an uptempo Pop/Hip Hop mentality (imago), Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:04 (seven years ago) link
Here are the results of the ILM big Blur poll from a while back. Some very interesting placements here. Badhead at 6 and Blue Jeans beating out The Universal show that even their most understated deep-cuts were quality. Out Of Time bringing TT out of its perceived slump. Loads of great B-sides (good to see Theme From An Imaginary Film do so well - I really like that song).
1 This Is A Low 5852 For Tomorrow 4903 Beetlebum 4694 End Of A Century 3705 Sing 3576 Badhead 3407 Out Of Time 3038 Girls & Boys 2969 Blue Jeans 27410 The Universal 26411 Tracy Jacks 26412 Coffee & TV 25513 On Your Own 25114 To The End 23815 Tender 23116 Trimm Trabb 22017 Best Days 21618 Chemical World 20519 Clover Over Dover 19620 Trouble in the Message Centre 19321 Yuko & Hiro 19022 There's No Other Way 18923 He Thought Of Cars 18124 Popscene 17725 Death of a Party 16826 Battery In Your Leg 15227 Oily Water 14928 Resigned 14929 Theme From An Imaginary Film 14830 Battle 14431 Sweet Song 13432 Young & Lovely 13433 Caramel 12334 Advert 12235 Me, White Noise 12136 Bugman 12037 You're So Great 12038 Entertain Me 11739 She's So High 11540 All Your Life 11441 Starshaped 11242 Strange News From Another Star 11143 No Distance Left To Run 10044 Country Sad Ballad Man 9945 Song 2 9846 Essex Dogs 9747 1992 8748 Ambulance 8449 Charmless Man 7750 Parklife 7551 Country House 6952 Miss America 6953 Inertia 6254 Globe Alone 5855 Coping 5356 Magic America 5357 One Born Every Minute 5258 When The Cows Come Home 5259 Colin Zeal 5160 Intermission 5161 Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club 51
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:45 (seven years ago) link
On Your Own is such a good single, oft forgotten
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:46 (seven years ago) link
"Don't Be" and "Music is My Radar" were also great b-sides from the Think Tank era
― LimbsKing, Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:50 (seven years ago) link
sorry... "Money Makes Me Crazy." "Music is My Radar" is from the 2000 comp. But a great non-album cut as well.
― LimbsKing, Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:51 (seven years ago) link
those poll results are interesting, 13 seems fairly ignored - Caramel at 33 is so low. wouldn't have expected Sing quite that high either.
Black Book is great, has to be one of their most underrated tracks. Music is My Radar is quite good too, wish they'd been able to explore that direction a bit more
― ufo, Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:03 (seven years ago) link
― niels, Wednesday, March 22, 2017 10:27 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
hell yeah twins
― the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience (BradNelson), Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:14 (seven years ago) link
"on the way to the club" is suuuuuch a good song
as is "caravan" holy shit i nearly forgot
― the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience (BradNelson), Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:15 (seven years ago) link
"Caravan" is one of their best songs, the...melodicas?...or whatever that come in are so beautiful
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:19 (seven years ago) link
yeah that part!!!!
― the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience (BradNelson), Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:22 (seven years ago) link
really upset that they felt the need to put "we got a file on you" on this record though. why do they have one of these per record starting with the s/t
Think Tank is pretty great if you drop Crazy Beat, definitely top 3 for me
― ufo, Thursday, 11 October 2018 03:16 (five years ago) link
^^
― niels, Thursday, 11 October 2018 07:00 (five years ago) link
and with modern technology, you can drop crazy beat!
― niels, Thursday, 11 October 2018 07:01 (five years ago) link
Although I choose not to, because I enjoy the track and find it odd how it's always been singled out for criticism as if it's one of the worst things the band have done, which of course it isn't.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 11 October 2018 18:09 (five years ago) link
They did worse earlier.
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 11 October 2018 18:17 (five years ago) link
Yeah, there's a couple of things on Leisure that are worse, and some real stinkers among the b-sides.
Although, Blur were a far better b-sides band that they're generally given credit for.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 11 October 2018 18:26 (five years ago) link
*than
Hmm, I'd go MLIR > Parklife > Blur > TGE > Leisure > TT > 13. I struggle to recall anything from the last two, and 13 in particular has so much flab, and really only three good songs.
― dorsalstop, Thursday, 11 October 2018 19:27 (five years ago) link
13 is the least dated
― Ross, Thursday, 11 October 2018 21:44 (five years ago) link
Blur and Modern Life is Rubbish are the two I find myself returning to the most. I like 13 more now than I did almost 20 years ago.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 12 October 2018 06:27 (five years ago) link
I liked it better then, I think - it was my #17 album of the year. I imagine it would struggle to make the top 40 now, although the thought of having to listen to tons of 1999 music to find out is depressing. Maybe next year, after the inevitable Pitchfork article about how it was a pivotal year in popular music, uncoincidentally written by someone born in 1982.
― dorsalstop, Friday, 12 October 2018 16:19 (five years ago) link
Almost every album sparked the same contradictory emotions, you admired them, then you wanted to strangle them. It has to be Modern Life for Blue Jeans, don't you think? Out of Time is also damn near perfect.
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Friday, 12 October 2018 20:52 (five years ago) link
Some bands I like to name check,And one of them is BLUR,Classic songs with a long historySouthern boys just like you and me.Be-El-You-AreFlashback to 1991,Leisure was their first LPLater on came Modern LifeMallard art, and titles to match: Chemical World, Starshaped, For Tomorrow, Blue Jeans,Kazoo kazoo you are mine, Oily Water was my least favourite song,Oily Water was my least favourite song.
― dorsalstop, Friday, 12 October 2018 23:16 (five years ago) link
Taken from the Blur tracks poll I did in 2011 - not votes for albums, but aggregating the votes for tracks to the albums they came from:
1. Parklife (2,786)2. Modern Life Is Rubbish (1,808)3. Non-album tracks (1,535)4. Blur (1,491)5. Great Escape (1,341)6. Thinktank (1,221)7. Thirteen (1,174)8. Leisure (738)
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 12 October 2018 23:39 (five years ago) link
If you swap #1 and #7 the results of the poll may be just about right. As an album Modern Life Is Rubbish is the most cohesive though.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Saturday, 13 October 2018 17:40 (five years ago) link
Of course I refer to the aggregated tracks results.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Saturday, 13 October 2018 17:42 (five years ago) link
Parklife was always a stronger end-to-end listen compared to Modern Life is Rubbish, which I always felt outstayed its welcome by a few tracks (it seems to fall off a little after 'Oily Water' for me) ... Nowadays, I'm far more likely to listen to Modern Life is Rubbish over Parklife, which feels like it's aged quite badly.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Sunday, 14 October 2018 09:29 (five years ago) link
I mean, I don't want to say Parklife sounds dated, but it is strongly evocative of a very specific time which is at odds with now.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Sunday, 14 October 2018 09:30 (five years ago) link
I always found Parklife a big drop-off after Modern Life Is Rubbish. Girls & Boys is such a crap song, I found it ridiculous the first time I heard it just when it had come out and the whole album was such a mixed bag and not really holding together.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Sunday, 14 October 2018 11:47 (five years ago) link
This is crazy talk afaic - "Girls & Boys" is one of their standout tracks, and Parklife is pretty much their most cohesive album. I do agree with Turrican that it is too much of its time for it to resonate with current tastes, and I doubt I'll have the desire to listen to it again some time soon. (I do in fact think it also sounds "dated", but I've never understood why that's such a pejorative. Revolver sounds dated, Thriller and Bandwagonesque sound dated, "In da Club" sounds dated. So what?)
― dorsalstop, Sunday, 14 October 2018 12:56 (five years ago) link
I'm listening to Think Tank for the first time in years. It could definitely do with editing and there are tracks here that do absolutely nothing ('Jets'?) but also it hold up a lot better than I expected
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Monday, 14 November 2022 17:09 (one year ago) link
I'd say Out Of Time is up there with the best of their stuff. Actually, I probably did say that (in that poll more than a decade ago).
― Nasty, Brutish & Short, Monday, 14 November 2022 18:52 (one year ago) link
Is this the current Blur thread? They have just had a disastrous set at Coachella.
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 14 April 2024 21:22 (one week ago) link
the crowd for blur at coachella was so embarassing damon im so sorry i wasn't there pic.twitter.com/k60LxJj8a7— nicole (@cupidschok3hold) April 14, 2024
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 14 April 2024 21:25 (one week ago) link
with all due respect (I quite enjoyed the set and Blur in general), it was sort of weird that they were on the main stage
― brimstead, Sunday, 14 April 2024 21:32 (one week ago) link
i dont really understand who coachella is supposed to be for?
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Sunday, 14 April 2024 21:55 (one week ago) link
they have gen z fans aplenty throughout the world but idk if many of them were likely to be at coachella
a happier vid from a few days back
Audience member nails “Parklife” with @blurofficial on 4/10/24 at Fox Theatre in Pomona. #blur pic.twitter.com/rNmXXf7Dmy— Beaker (@Beakerlives) April 11, 2024
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Sunday, 14 April 2024 22:04 (one week ago) link
They were the best set that I saw yesterday, don't care how it coma across live. We're talking about it on the Coachella thread while it was happening.
― Bee OK, Sunday, 14 April 2024 22:21 (one week ago) link