Blur: Classic Or Dud

Listening to TMW now. Ahh it's so good. Actually fewer merely 'okay' songs than I'd remembered.

Magic Whip is honestly top 4 and maybe top 3 Blur for me.

Agreed for top 4, would place Think Tank just behind Parklife and MLIR

Update: just loving this new song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kTR9H-p4cA

Scary Monsters era Bowie feel to this new tune

For years I've been wondering what it is about Albarn's songwriting that has stopped hitting the sides for me compared to his earlier work, and I've come to the conclusion that he has either forgotten how, or is steadfastedly refusing, to write discernible choruses.

So many of his songs, at an increasing rate from 13 onwards, seem to chug along in a stumbling molasses haze with few dynamic shifts or lifts.

I've listened to 'The Narcissist' a fair few times since it came out. And while I generally enjoy it, or at least don't object to it, while it's on, there's very little about it that sticks. I couldn't tell you whether it has a hook or a memorable lyric - there's just nothing to latch on to. Same for everything on The Magic Whip - for the most part it's dirgey, meandering, unmemorable.

The most surprising thing, for me, is Gorillaz. This ostensibly fun and funky cartoon pop, executed for the most part as rainy-day moping. Watching them headline a festival a few years ago was one of the most tedious experiences. After about five or six totally un-fun songs they managed to wheel out De La Soul who immediately got the dance going before they were shepherd-hooked back off the stage so Damon could come back again on to sing like a depressed robot.

You could argue that this is a sign of mature writing, unshackled by trad-pop convention. I've heard a lot of people say this about artists like Bjork - that the music and the presentation is still exceptional, but the total abandonment of pop sensibilities puts them off.

I can forgive Bjork for this: I see her as having transcended pop into pure art music. But Blur? Damon's always been a creative ideas type of guy, but he's not art music, and the stuff he's writing isn't clever or interesting enough to get the benefit of the doubt from me.

I do like this cover of Getting Older though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTlLVL2CdKo

this is the best & only version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72-FPkrWVkw

the only decent album albarn has put out since 2010 is song machine

albarn has still been trying to make pop most of the time, especially with gorillaz, it just hasn't been very good in general

Going full Scary Monsters and I am here for it

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

Exactly that. Graham's really out to play.

It really is. I quite like it. And The Narcissist has grown on me a bit. Still wish they'd deign to write a chorus again though

very scary monsters, but also the s/t

pretty decent album, i might go as far to say it's already my second favourite blur album but that's more commentary on how most of their albums are rather bloated (except 13, their longest & best) which means i never want to revisit them.

It's been eight years since The Magic Whip?!
(are there any new songs about how time gets weird in middle age?)

I'm 25 and I can't believe its been eight years either. It disgusts me really.#

Yes, good album and one I'm excited to relisten to again and again.

Goodbye Albert sounds like Yuko & Hiro crossed with the Dave ident music, for what it's worth (nothing).

The Wembley show I was at was fun, understandably very greatest hits-y given the size of the stadium, though they are finally doing VILLA ROSIE

Graham is still doing backward rolls while holding and playing a guitar; conversely they're tuning down some of the yelpier earlier stuff a step, presumably so Damon can sing it

I've never listened to it, but I dont think they played anything at all off the Magic Whip? lol

I definitely prefer this to The Magic Whip after a couple of listens. It's still missing something though. It reminds me of the second The Good, The Bad & The Queen album where there's some pretty songs, but it just doesn't feel essential like Blur's best work. There's several songs where you can barely tell the other guys are there and Damon still needs to work on his vocal melodies being a bit more interesting. Barbaric is the standout so far and The Narcissist has grown on me. Russian Strings is really nice too, especially that outro.

If i still got excited about this kind of music, i could see being mid-level stoked about the new release. The album cover definitely signals that there's some fan service going on, and tracks like Far Away Island definitely have a glimmer of mid-90's magic in them.

The musicianship can’t quite disguise that they’re working on quite a weak set of songs is my initial reaction.

I'm on second listen. Verdict so far that the first half is strong. I really like 'Barbaric'. It's definitely loads better than Magic Whip.

Second half slides swiftly into "Sad Vague Damon is Sad and Vague". 'Faraway Island' is lousy. 'Avalon' is dull.

But yeah, it's a mercifully short album and it has a good few highlights. I am enjoying the overall sound of it, especially compared to MW. Could do with a bit more Graham in the mix, and a few less Sad Damon tunes (no bangers on this one!) So a solid 6.5 album

Yeah, after a few more plays it's definitely the second half where things fall apart. Those last four songs feel like Damon on autopilot and the rest of the band have nothing to do.

I don't know, I loved The Magic Whip (arguably my favourite Blur record) and this feels like a pretty big step down.

Sorry, much as I loathe to argue with anyone about their subjective tastes, let alone use sanist language, but that is totally barking mad

lol.

interested to try this one, and maybe spin Magic Whip and 13 again. Coming across Blur at any point the last decade has been like... what did I ever like about them?

My friend was repping for Avalon yesterday, which to me is a pretty nothingy song. I think Barbaric is easily one of the best things they've done in ages though

But it's frustrating me that Barbaric sounds very similar to some other song I can't quite place

This album's no 13, which is my personal favourite.

Whilst it's a pleasant listen, it's so much focussed on a single mood of wistful regret and the concerns of aging that it just mostly washes over me unmemorably. It needs more changes of mood, and more Graham.

The Bowie influence is a bit too obvious for St Charles Square, and do I hear his influence again in "Russian Strings" with 'where are you now" echoing Bowie's 'where are we now?".

Another vote for The Magic Whip being probably their best album

Thought I Was A Spaceman and Pyonyang alone are top 10 Blur songs

they're tuneless dirges that answer the question "what if 13 was bad"

Thought I Was A Spaceman and Pyonyang alone are top 10 Blur songs

― PaulTMA

Those are the two songs I remember liking from that album, but the rest left me cold.

yes 13 is the best one but an awful lot of you need to be quiet and relisten to Modern Life Is Rubbish as a matter of urgency tbh

will get around to this one when I've properly steeled myself but imo Damon's brain went to mush decades ago so I'm not expecting anything

Strange to leave off The Rabbi and The Swan off this one. They'd easily fit

the cd presents them like they're part of the main album, didn't realize at first they're extra tracks. they fit well enough in the sequence, too, even after that culminating noise.

Graham song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xtzkToqKJQ

Baffling that these weren't included. Sticks and Stones is easily better than, say The Eveerglades

I will say: I've already listened to this album more times than Magic Whip

Agreed that the bonus tracks are all better than a few songs on the actual record. Especially strange considering that this is already by far Blur’s shortest record - and *still* would be if they were all on it! It would be greatly enhanced by their inclusion.

That said, after loving the singles and being initially underwhelmed by the second half of the record, I am finding new depths and layers to enjoy about it with each listen.

I’m a card-carrying Magic Whip defender, and miss that album’s “all the different eras of Blur at once” eclecticism - but there no denying that there is an emotional depth and consistency that isn’t present on any Blur record besides 13 and maybe (the very underrated) Think Tank.

In short: a grower, in the best way. Thankful for this unexpected return.

Agreed that the bonus tracks are all better than a few songs on the actual record. Especially strange considering that this is already by far Blur’s shortest record - and *still* would be if they were all on it! It would be greatly enhanced by their inclusion.

That said, after loving the singles and being initially underwhelmed by the second half of the record, I am finding new depths and layers to enjoy about it with each listen.

I’m a card-carrying Magic Whip defender, and miss that album’s “all the different eras of Blur at once” eclecticism - but there no denying that there is an emotional depth and consistency that isn’t present on any Blur record besides 13 and maybe (the very underrated) Think Tank.

In short: a grower, in the best way. Thankful for this unexpected return.

Despite reservations, it's good to have a new record.

I was caught up in a personal wave of Blur nostalgia by this record and regretting that I didn't get it together to see them at the recent Wembley shows. But seeing the twitter clips of audience interaction bit for Girls and Boys turned me right off the idea.

I agree that this album is a big grower. Several of the songs I wrote off before have started to poke their leaves out the ground. It's really hard to separate something like this from their previous work though.

"Blur Night" on BBC 2 next Saturday, including archive performances, and a new concert for a small audience recorded earlier this month - for those who aren't fully sated by the new record.

Jeez that encore is a hardcore fan's dream:
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/blur/2023/eventim-apollo-london-england-7ba48ea4.html

Wow. Mr Briggs? I don't even remember how that one goes and I'm a fan fan

I should really go listen to those Leisure B-sides again

Theme From An Imaginary Film has got to be up there with the least expected songs they could play. Would have freaked out had I managed to be there