Parklife

I was always team Oasis growing up that I didn’t listen to Blur. Now in my 30s I have come to appreciate Blur and their latest album was one of my favourites for 2023. Parklife to me sounds like it could all be played over a theatre show. Enjoyed the album and my stand out tracks are End of A Century, To The End, Tracy Jacks and Trouble in the Message Centre

It is CRIMINAL that so many Blur albums are on this list but not a single Gorillaz album.

I'm more of an Oasis fan myself, but this was very listenable. Although my ears are probably tuned in favour of britpop, I know there is a lot of shit britpop on this list. "Parklife" is not that. I was already familiar with "Girls and Boys" and "Parklife" but the other singles are also really great, so it deserves 4 stars in my opinion.

Cool album. Nothing big stuck out to me though.

I was 15 when this came out and Britpop was huge in the UK at this time and me and my friends dived into as many bands as we could. Blur were always one of my favourite Britpop acts (I actually preferred them to Oasis, but didn't tell my friends that as they were all huge Oasis fans) I love there ability to adapt and change musical styles. This Album is fantastic and relistening to it reminds his good. The hits are great Girls & Boys, Parklife, End of the Century and To The End are all great, Tracy Jacks, Bank Holiday, London Loves and Magic America are catchy as hell but stand out This is a Low is swirling melodic and beautiful.

Honestly, I really like some Blur, but this is just too damn much Blur.

Pretty alright

Doggies. “Girls & Boys” is iconic. These other songs are okay. I think I like “Badhead” too. And also “Magic America.”

Ha, I knew some of these songs without knowing that they were Blur. Nice work, guys!

i guess you gotta listen to thirty cruddy britpop albums to appreciate the britpop masterpiece huh

Never really got the 90s Britpop phenomenon. That being said Parklife the song is top shelf ( 4 stars for the single !)

I've tried this album so many times, and this is the time I've enjoyed it the most. Varied and sparkly production, great songwriting, worth its weight in gold. Also, probably one of my favourite album covers.

I tend to agree with the sentiment that there is too much britpop on this list.

It really feels like this dude is pushing as hard as possible to sing with the most obnoxious London accent possible. That aside, it’s pretty good variety of sounds that form a coherent album of songs.

Wow what an interesting listen. I got a lot of influences from older stuff I've listened to on this list. I liked a lot of this, and can see this really growing well on me too. Definitely some Beatles inspiration, and the last track made me think of Green Onions in the beginning.

Can't wait to listen to this one more and I love the title track.

There are some cracking tracks on here. I hadn't heard This is a Low before; I love it. It's kooky and very, very England; glad I listened to it through.

Punk Rock Eines geht. Ab drm frm dritten wird es anstrengend

7/10 Kinda mid

muy playful y divertide como su portada

Me gusta la onda britpop/Beatles q tiene Blur pero tampoco estoy rateando la nostalgia que sentía xq no existía yo en los 90s, igual es valida! Pero hay algunos momentos medios quirkys que no terminan de convencerme, de todas formas gran álbum

пока не послушал оазис, думал, что blur лучшие в брит-попе. отличный альбом

Pretty solid 90s punk-ish album. The Debt Collector is like oompha... Now a ballad? Weird combo of songs.

i always thought Modern Life Is Rubbish was my favorite Blur album, but idk this one has been hitting lately edit: the generator has this new edit feature which is great because the Parklife cd was recently in my car for a month straight on loop... five stars babey!

#273. Another run of the mill britpop album. Nothing to write home to mum about. 2/5: meh. Song added to playlist: Badhead I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Ah Blur, one of the defining acts of Brit Pop. I can sometimes enjoy Brit pop, when it isn’t just a lad from Manchester talking loudly into a mic while his 4 best mates play instruments. Which is why the only song I’d see myself listening to again off this album is Parklife, and perhaps This is a Low.

What a goddamn classic. Wonderful pop songwriting, the Alice of life lyrics, just an absolute gem.

This is not Blur’s best, but because they are better musicians, Blur became better.

Can hear the Gorillaz sound peaking in here and there

I get up when I want Except on Wednesdays When I get rudely awakened by the dustmen

eh. nothing really stood out on this one for me.

Didn’t listen to this one To the End.

I am shocked this album was in the 90s. I thought it was 80s. Anyway not my thing.

Like Damon Albarn and most Blur/Gorillaz, but this didn't pack the same punch that I remembered. Still one of his better albums but most of the songs are just meh outside of a few really good ones (Parklife, To the end, this is a low).

This album is obnoxious. Not good. Fucking shit Brit pop.

I’m a Damon Albarn fan. I think he’s made some really cool music and was way ahead of his time with the inception of The Gorillas. Plus, he’s a bit of a crooner. This album sounds quintessentially British- I mean, a whole song about Bank holidays! - which is obviously why it was so successful over there. I really like the mix of song styles here and find this album to be a really fun listen. 4.0

Thought they were more alt rock, but I guess that's a later. At this point, they're all over the place... some more alt rock, some pop, even the opening disco track. Not really my thing. 3.0

Another solid outing by Blur. Don’t think I’ve heard the is album before today.

One or two good songs but mostly repetitive.

Some familiar surprises. I guess these guys were more popular than I have them credit for

This album is soooooo British. Even though I've never been exposed to the sheer level of britishness, I really enjoyed the listen. It ranges from slower sappier stuff to fast punkier songs, with the former being my favorite. Reminds me a bit of a British ween.

good rock

Meh

scary looking dog on the cover

Damon Albarn album count (not just this website): 6, or 3 Blur (Modern Life is Rubbish, The Great Escape, self-titled) 2 Gorillaz (self-titled & Demon Days) The Good the Bad & the Queen (self-titled) ...And yet at times I still feel I haven't *gotten* it yet. Perhaps Parklife will spark my understanding of the Albarnsphere. There are definitely some sparks happening The racing hound cover is surprisingly accurate to the rate in which this album fires out creative ideas. The Kinks/Bowie comparisons are almost too easy to make, but like what 69 Love Songs does (more aggressively), it also checks in with styles of dance, punk and new-wave that preceded it a few short years prior. Okay, Damon’s voice is same-as-it-ever-was, but... scratch that. "To the End" is the best thing I've heard that guy do vocally. Ridiculously fun album, and I don't even consider myself a Blur fan (*cues up The Ballad of Darren right afterward to possibly contradict myself*) HL: "Girls and Boys", "Tracy Jacks", "End of a Century", "The Debt Collector", "To the End", "Clover Over Dover", "Jubilee", "This Is a Low" June 23, 2024

Really hated at first then kinda eased into it, then finished by hating it

Somes songs are very good, some songs ordinary.. Favorite track: Clover over dover other picks: girls and boys, far out, this is a low

Favourite early blur

This is so British I'm craving Fish and Chips. Other than Girls & Boys, I have no knowledge of the album, but it's very tight. I would 3.5 this, but going 4 for consistency and cultural relevance.

This album was... fine.

Definitely some staples here, not too slick and some really nice quirkiness. If it comes to 90ies Brit Pop, this is a go-to. Surely not a fiver, but entertaining nonetheless. Overall a consistent outing.

One of the if not the best brit pop albums. Eclectic with brilliant guitar work.

3.5

This cover is all I needed to know that this was a 5 star album. Helped that the songs were also really good. Literally all of them are good and some are just amazing. My favorites are "Girls and Boys", "Parklife", "To the End", and "Badhead".

Fun album, but feel like I needed to "be there" to fully appreciate it.

Kept waiting for song #2 or something that sounds like song #2 but to no avail

a metà album si perde un po' il filo, ma è divertente e leggero e molto enjoyable!

Ne avevo sentito parlare molto bene e a ragione. Il massimo dei voti sarebbe un po’ troppo, però un 4 se lo meritano tutto

È stato un ascolto sicuramente divertente, ci vogliono album più leggeri ogni tanto (in più, sono piuttosto anglofila a livello musicale, quindi apprezzo sempre qualche tocco British). Mi è piaciuto abbastanza da dare più di 4/5? Non lo so, devo dire che a metà album hanno iniziato un po’ a perdermi. Per ora, cari amici Blur, vi dò un onesto 3/5.

Effettivamente come dice qualche review il britpop/rock ha un suono distinguibile, le band possono somigliarsi un po’, con una bella produzione e voci un po’ più sgangherate. Comunque l’ascolto ha avuto i suoi bei momenti, è un suono giocoso, un po’ ruvido ma comunque apprezzabile. non sono un fan dei Blur ma mi stanno a cuore dopo aver visto un documentario sul loro attivismo (tra l’altro il cantante è la voce dei Gorillaz, what?), quindi forse ho ascoltato con la bilancia già un po’ in loro favore. Unrelated ma quanto erano gnocchi? Ridateci boybands composte da twink

TWO BLUR ALBUMS IN A ROW? Overall like this less than Blur (1997). Girls and Boys is one of my favourite songs of all time. The rest of the songs sound a bit off to me, and the band overall sounds a bit more annoying on this. 3

Most of it was generic radio rock that sounded the same. A few songs had some quirky electronic music. All in all it was way too long. Stand-out: This is a Low

Girls & Boys I recognized, I heard covers of this back when! This is a good album for workin'.

Holy crap they toned down the British-isms in their later work. This is almost unlistenable.

great album Next!

Was ok, not really my thing, would listen to again but not anytime soon.

Surprisingly good. Very varied I was surprised at the quality of the music.

Classicaço do brit-pop tem algumas pérolas e outras músicas enjoadinhas, mas é um belo álbum

yay blur

Blur is always a good time, this is no exception

I liked some of the songs well enough, but too many that didn’t click with me. 3.5

Some good stuff here for sure

Some great stuff here. “Girls and Boys” was one I already knew, but really enjoyed hearing “End of a Century” “Badhead” “To the End” “Jubilee” and “This is a Low” for the first time. Some skippable tracks, but overall really enjoyable.

I’m definitely team Oasis but you can’t deny how good this album is!

Britpop is not for me so I never got into this album. It’s good I guess? It just feels boring in some places. I think the sound is consistent and it’s a solid project but it wasn’t interesting enough for me to come back to.

I was a bit surprised and slightly disappointed. That another blur album popped up within a couple weeks of the last. But I did enjoy this one more than the previous. Was the whiskey finer, was I just in a better mood or is the album actually superior. I don’t know but giving this one a 4.

I like Blur, Damon Albarn is a great musician. I like his later stuff more like the Gorillaz but this is some catchy stuff

Features a guy from Quadrophenia yelling about pigeons and joggers, which kind of sets the tone. It’s Britpop doing a full English breakfast—nothing standout, but solid enough to eat.

Such a strange album. I felt it never found a real groove and stayed there. Lot's of different things going on. I did tap my foot to a few - not all bad. This is one of those you just wonder why is it on this list???

Fun album. I enjoyed some songs more than others, btw never for bored.

Quirky! 3.75

Decent!

Even though this is very POP, it's varied, and rather experimental sounding. I actually like it but wouldn't listen to it very much. 3 stars.

Very British, very 90s ... and very good. There's maybe a little bit too much whimsy in places like The Debt Collector, and Parklife has been played to death and I can well do without Bank Holiday but there is so much sublime stuff here the less good just disappears. End of a Century and To The End are real standouts, but there is a lot to love in all but the exceptions noted above. I'll dock it one point out of ten for the minor crapness, but that still makes it a good 5 star album.

Very nostalgic album. First side is strong ( except for 'parklife' which still feels like a novelty record) . Second side has a quite a few dips but finishes on the incredible 'This is a low '.

Twee at times.

A likeable album but not "where its at" these days.

Жесть, как же долго я не хотел слушать блюр. Окей, я послушаю! А в целом с кайфом. Этот альбом лучше другого что я слушал.

Really quite a cool album. Not as good as their self-titled, but the way all their synthmelodies, funky guitar solos and classic britpop vocals blend together is somewhat unique. I especially enjoyed the track London Loves.

Bouncy and fluffy. In the best way. Or sometimes moody and fluffy, which isn't as enjoyable.

Third time's the charm, I guess. And it is indeed full of charm. I absolutely loved this album and would listen again and again.

That was fun. I really enjoyed this one!

All right. Here we are at album #1001. Not quite done but a milestone nonetheless. About 900 albums and 2.5 years ago, back when I had the stamina and interest to listen to the albums multiple times and write long explanations justifying my ratings, we had our first blur album. There was a lot I liked about Modern Life is Rubbish but I was frustrated because I couldn't quite pin down why I didn't love it. I listened to Parklife at a friend's recommendation and found that it had the element that Rubbish was missing. This is joyful, unapologetic, poppy poppy Brit pop. I loved this one easily and immediately. A great callback for album #1001.

I was not happy to see a third Blur album. But I really enjoyed this one! I should have suggested dropping the others because this one is great! Girls and Boys has been a long longtime favorite and the rest of the album is chock full of catchy creative tunes. Terrific!

This album sounds really good. It's pretty soft and enjoyable. Tracks I liked: Girls & Boys, Parklife, To The End & Magic America I consider this to be a high 3/5.

I wanted to like it, and can tell that some of the songs hit the numbers for being solid pop jams. It just could not hold my interest.

01) Girls & Boys - 10,0 02) Tracy Jacks - 7,0 03) End of a Century - 8,0 04) Parklife - 10,0 05) Bank Holiday - 7,0 06) Badhead - 8,0 07) The Debt Collector (instrumental) - 6,0 08) Far Out - 7,0 09) To the End - 10,0 10) London Loves - 8,5 11) Trouble in the Message Centre - 8,5 12) Clover Over Doveri - 8,0 13) Magic America - 8,0 14) Jubilee - 7,5 15) This Is a Low - 7 5 16) Lot 105 (instrumental) - 6,0 TOTAL: 7,94 (79/100)

Another surprise for me. It is clear that some good music flew under my radar during those transitional years through law school, marriage, new jobs and two moves in the 90s and has eluded me since. Until now.

I'm hoping for some more Blur on the list, since there are way better Blur albums

so beautiful and of its time, in the best ways, 90's to the core, and I'm in love with the vibe, but it can kind of drift into meaningless in my head sometimes with its carefree attitude

Got bored enough I gave up somewhere around song 4.

Has some solid bops in here, but mostly I just liked the singles. As an experiment and transition in Britpop I appreciate it and I can also see the cultural satire in it. However, as a project I prefer the Gorillaz.

This was an actively unpleasant listen. Lyrics intended to just sound silly and mean nothing, music that gives me a headache, and this entire vibe of "cheeky British" that I detest. I have nothing positive to say.

A mix of 90’s British malaise and some Beatles inspiration. Some of these tracks were hard to listen to but all in all, pretty okay.

Just had their self-titled album three days ago and I loved it. This one isn't as creative or interesting as that one, but it's still a really fun listen. Sometimes you just really need to sit down and listen to Damon Albarn singing about what he had for breakfast or whatever. In the "Top 3 Most British Albums Ever Written" list, and the other two spots are both taken up by Kinks albums.

Not a great record. But I would say that to every Britpop record out there.

Sounds good on decent speakers. Still a bit annoying

Britpop has never really been a preferred genre for me. Oasis is fine. I found from this list I surprisingly enjoy Suede. Blur, I've appreciated, but never really loved. I think I can see why this is the magnum opus for them: a wide swath of styles and genres, all feeling cohesive yet fresh. It's just a good album. Favorite tracks: "Parklife", "Clover Over Dover", "Magic America", "Girls & Boys"

A very hooky, yet really bloated britpop album. So business as usual for the genre. The singles are spectacular, while everything else is really meh. Did this have to be 52 minutes long, Damon? You could cut out five tracks and have a much better product.

This album was so fun to listen to especially for my run this morning. Shoutout to Brit Pop 🔥

could i write poetry to this? n

Of all the Alt-Rock albums that came out between 1990 and 1995, this is one of them.

3.5. Can understand now why Doug is a fan.

Not my favorite Blur album, but pretty good

I’m not listening to this god damned album again and getting.. Parklife! Ahhh fuck me now I am going to be yelling Parklife randomly the rest of the week. 4/10

# 246 : Another britpop album. What a surprise. Honestly, all of these bands are starting to sound exactly the same. Much like their food, British pop music seems to be mostly bland and uninspiring. Average at best.

What an interesting sound for 1994. The official reviews call them 90's Brit Pop but I hear more 80's influence with synth sounds and dissonant vocals. Boys & Girls has the most clever lyrics and is a catchy af tune. The rest is bouncy and fun but unmemorable.

Solid 90s Brits at it again

"When our third album comes out, our place as the quintessential English band of the '90s will be assured. That is a simple statement of fact. I intend to write it in 1994." -Damon Albarn, 1990 WTF is that sorcery?!?!? It’s the UK’s favourite BritPop album but not the world’s (Definitely Maybe probably is) - but you can see why: it is quintessential Brit through and through. It’s like The Kinks - misunderstood but respected outside of the UK; enshrined in the zeitgeist within the UK. Coachella this year proved it - Blur’s headlining resulted in not a lot of buzz for anything but Girls & Boys and Song 2 - save for the Cool Britannia attendees. TL;DR - this album delightfully and joyously nails mid-90s Britishness to the wall. It’s the bee’s knees.

Gran disco

Not a fan. Kind of droning.

It’s got a clutch of hits, another clutch of album tracks that feel like hits, and still finds room for a disparate bunch of weird, esoteric asides that should have no business on such a mainstream album but nonetheless bring me a sense of enormous wellbeing. It also distills the essence of a particular time and place (i.e. mid 90s England) in music form, as much as any album can be said to do such a thing. Sometimes a band’s most famous and popular album is, in fact, their best.

Some great songs on here!

good

Girls and boys good rest okay

It was fine. Not my thing at all.

very good 5/5

Such a great and classic 90s Britrock album. An essential. A few flaws but man this album hits.

Not what I expected, not my favorite of theirs

Not a bad album, a bit generic, but good singles and solid lyrics.

How fitting this came on a Bank Holiday. Call me crazy, but this guy sounds a lot like the guy from Gorillaz

Surprising. Felt like the music could have come from almost any time period, not specifically the 90s. Was fun to listen through - never had heard the whole album before.

Nice slice of 90s brit rock.

Oh how I love this album!

What a surprise Blur has turned out to be, I'm ashamed of myself for missing them back in the day - they are right up my alley and I grew to love the Gorillaz. This sounds like the "foundation" of the Gorillaz. Great stuff.

3 - There was a lot in the this album, but honestly something felt missing. I feel maybe it's that there isn't much emotion in it for me. I just felt like I was waiting for it to finish.

Some good songs, sounds a little dated if you ask me. 3/5

was ok for the times and today

This came as a surprise - I've grown tired of the britpop since this exercise began & admittedly I missed this album entirely back in the day, but I'm impressed. For very valid, personal reasons I hate Song 2 so didn't think I'd be into Blur much at all. Didn't find it genius however there's real talent & songwriting savvy here.

I'm on a streak of albums I'm really enjoying. I wasn't sure how much I would like this at first but it ended up being really fun and creative.

With every album in their early career, Blur simply got better and better, with this being a defining album of ‘90s Britpop. The versatility on here is exceptional and it really seemed like Damon was honing his songwriting craft

It was good. 👍

Some interesting tracks and was definitely worth the listen.

One of the first “alt” albums I ever listened to

I've been lighter on britpop than a lot of people seem to be on here but maybe I'm starting to get fatigued. This just didn't interest me at all.

Buen brit pop. los kinks de los 90. Conjuntodesigual de canciones pero la mitad son excelentes.

This was nice enough but nothing really stood out to me as special

It was fine.

Not really my style but there are some great songs. Goes in a bit too long for my taste. Highlights: Parklife, Clover over Dover

This is a classic album from my teens, but a few songs just did not hold up and made me hit skip. With their self titled album already on the list, this album was not needed here imo. I gave it a 4, but it's more like a 3.5

Many good/great well known pop hits. Overall, it is a solid album. Great? Probably not, but i’ll keep listening in the future. Standouts: Girls & Boys, Parklife, Far Out, To The End 4/5

Girls & Boys Park Life

One of my all-time favorites! Every song is a banger.

As a Gorillaz fan, I was excited to listen to Damon Albarn's first project, Blur. This album simultaneously exceeded and missed my expectations. In short, it's a rollercoaster. Some songs, like Girls & Boys and Parklife are amazing, while others drag on and on. In some respects, this album reminds me of Sergeant Pepper's. Some songs have wacky, psychedelic sounds that would could have come from John Lennon. Overall, this album has high highs, but low lows. Many of the songs feel like filler, but the best songs really make up for it. Best Songs: Girls & Boys, Parklife, Clover Over Dover, This Is a Low Worst Songs: Tracy Jacks, London Loves, Magic America

Certified bangers across the board. Easy to forget how many Blur classics are on this album

This is a fun listen.

4.5, bangers everywhere

All style, very little substance.

High 3. Good Britpop with some genuinely top notch songs. A sign of the times.

Not into it

Heel goed! Niet alle nummers even goed maar girls&boys is zo’n goed begin can’t really go wrong after that

Meh

boring

Girls & Boys End of a Century Parklife To the End This Is a Low

Es el disco de girls & boys, que a dia de hui seria polemico (jj xiste polytikamente incorrecto) Na, sadrokeo de los early 2000s. Ta fino, de esto que no l'has escoltat mai i dius xe que nostalgia. Crec que el cantant es trolo, pero quin cantant no ho es¿ A mitat del disco fan algo raro, no se i despues mes trankileo, en general bastante bien 4,5

Une succession de pièces courtes, bondissantes, mais moins baveuses que je m'y serais attendue après l'écoute de la première. M'a semblé somme toute sage

Great album. A classic. Varied musical style throughout

Shite

Good album

A few good tracks, some mediocre tracks, and some duds. Meh.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I guess it averages out to 3/5?

Classic.

Hated this. Couldn't even listen to most of it.

Not what I expected at all from a "Blur" album. I really enjoyed the album.

i dont love britpop... prob like 3/5

While you can see the underpinnings of the Gorillaz here, this one is still a bit of a snooze-fest.

More Britpop slop

Classic UK Rock. Very London vibes. Good music for walking and moving around. There’s some magical moments on here with Parklife The Debt Collector To The End Clover Over Dover I’ve never known Damon alburn other than Gorillaz so it’s a trip hearing him sound so young.

Not bad, I kind of think of this as stereotypical "british rock". Girls & Boys is a great song. Nothing else on the album did much for me tbh, but it's a fine album.

It doesn’t know what it wants to be. There is plenty of songs that sound very britpop, but also random punk-ish song thrown in the middle. Quite incoherent stylistically.

A few solid songs but I just didn't get what the album was trying to be.

Not sure how an album like this made the list. Although there are some entertaining bits, those bits were already done by the Kinks in the 60s and most “new wave” bands in the 80s.

Different band, same problem: they would improve simply by dropping a few mediocre songs. Better still, drop the pretentious silly noises on most songs. There was potential to be a solid album.

I liked this more than expected. Fun variety of instruments.

Some good songs and some not so good songs

- Ich glaube es ist kein Geheimnis, dass ich bei der großen Frage „Blur vs. Oasis?“ ganz klar auf Seiten Oasis bin; finde diese Frage aber auch vollkommen overrated, wie auch z.B. „Beatles vs. Stones“ - Sorry, so gern ich die Stones auch mag, aber die sind leider nicht in der selben Liga. So geht es mir beim Britpop auch bei den beiden Bands. Oasis sind in meiner Welt in einer Liga drüber (Relevanz/Erfolg/personal Taste). - Und das obwohl ich auch Blur mag, besonders 13 find ich ein richtig geiles Album. - Mit dem Album konnte ich nicht ganz so viel anfangen. Hatte irgendwie einen strangen Stil, mit dem ich nicht gerechnet hatte, fand das aber nicht zwigend positiv. Es hatte auf mich ganz bizarre Jahrmarkt-Vibes teilweise. Dann aber auch wieder echt coole Bowie-eske parts. - Girls&Boys kannte ich und finde ich einen echt coolen Track - Abseits davon auch einige andere coole Songs (z.B. Trouble In The Message Center) - Bin insgesamt ein bisschen ratlos, weil ich nicht genau weiß, wie ich dazu stehen soll. Rating: 2,75/5

- Ich habe zu Blur irgendwie ein schwieriges Verhältnis. Ähnlich wie bei vielen anderen Brit-Pop/Rock Bands, überzeugt mich die Gruppe nicht komplett, sodass ich behaupten würde ich wäre Fan von denen. Ist mir in der Breite dann doch etwas zu uninteressant. - HOWEVER: es gibt ein paar Songs, die mich absolut catchen. Und auch auf dieser Platte hat es mich ein paar mal gepackt, z.B. To the End und this is a low. - Immer wieder kommen so moody und vibey momente, die ich echt spannend finde und zum ganz genau hinhören bewegen. Leider gibt es genauso viele Momente, wo mich diese Platte (und erfahrungsgemäß diese Band im Allgemeinen) leider wieder verliert. 3/5

Puuuh rundum anstrengend gewesen und nicht wirklich was davon ist bei mir hängen geblieben.

I'm more of an Oasis fan

feels like another generic British rock band

Это второй альбом Blur, кажется, и теперь я уж уверен, что Oasis были лучше КЕК. Лучшая песня - This Is a Low.

First half is a banger, but peters out for me after that. I enjoy some Blur, but when I listen to them for a long while, it makes me happy that Damon Albarn went and made Gorillaz.

Only previously listening to Leisure, which I thought was good, Parklife feels like a big step forward. A pastiche of different things which creates a fun and unique experience I think would reward with repeated listens. Definitely lengthy but it never feels overblown. Very much similar to Pulp but less dark. Sort of funny how this is the same band who did Song 2.

its decent, im just not the biggest britpop fan. 7/10

1, I don't know why I thought that Blur was supposed to be one of the best

Not a bad album, but not really that good either. Pretty average overall. 2.5/5 Won't listen again

I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. I agree with another reviewer that the second half wasn’t as strong as the beginning, but overall I found the music light and fun, a little bit of sunshine.

Blur always frustrated me. When they were good, they were fricking epic. ‘This Is A Low’ is perfection. ‘End of a Century’ and ‘To the End’ are just awesome. As much as I tried to resist ‘Girls and Boys’ and ‘Parklife’ I just couldn’t help falling for their catchiness and they were part of a soundtrack to one of the greatest times of my life. There’s some undisputed rubbish on here too…little curiosities not ‘proper’ songs. It’s probably the sheer variety of styles in their songs that stopped me from becoming a fan. There’s no flow, no cohesion l. I also thought of their music as childish - but later discovered that it was wholly due to them coming from Essex. It’s not their fault.

I've been a big fan of Blur since 'Shes So High' was released, Leisure is a great debut album too. I remember hearing 'Boys and Girls' in an indie nightclub, which must have been early 1994 and thinking wow! That is one hell of a song! The album that followed was a tour de force of tunes. Their inspiration for this album ranging from Magazine, Wire and (now I get it) The Kinks. But the title track still rankles to this day. It's just too Hokey cokey Laaahhdan, because of Phil Daniels. (Kinks Arthur anyone? I totally get it now) the rest is just quality. I always feel like crying when I hear 'This is a Low'. But as soon as that song ends, it's back to Hokey cokey for the end. Even with the cheesy fairground stuff, It still is a 5 star album, but a mid 5

I might love Modern Life is Rubbish more, but this is probably Blur's best album. Grew up with both of them basically, but with this one those couple of years meant I was old enough to buy all the singles on release and get into the b-sides. Had a massive fold out poster of the album cover on my wall from out of I think Select Magazine (RIP). And it still holds up. Very much enjoyed in the car today. Jubilee, Message Centre, This is a Low, End of the Century, To the End.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Girls & boys, End of a century, Parklife, London loves

british people make music good parklife 🗣️🗣️🗣️ 5/5

Girls & Boys: Great bassline, dissonant guitars, witty lyric. Just an excellent pop song. Tracy Jacks: one of my favourites. The guitars sound so good, first of the character sketches. The pre-chorus in particular( Everyday he felt closer…) is great. You could imagine this sitting comfortably next to She’s Leaving Home or When I’m 64 on Sgt Pepper, it’s that good. End of a century is more pop brilliance. The backing harmonies and Coxon’s guitar lift a fairly simple song with another perfect middle 8. Parklife: The ultimate 90s pub sing-along, another unusual but perfect Coxon riff. The spoken word verses could easily be cringeworthy, but for some reason it all works. Bank Holiday: Suddenly they they turn into the Undertones. I’m not a punk fan, but it’s pop adjacent and I don’t mind it. Bad head is another simple gem that I always forget about and then enjoy when I play the album. For blokes their age at the time of writing this, they have a knack for writing ennui-laden songs from an older perspective. Despite being ridiculously catchy and the presence of Parklife and Girls And Boys, it’s quite a melancholy album. The Debt Collector, a pretty enough piece of music which I like for the oddness. It does come off like a poor relation of for the benefit of Mr Kite The Debt Collector and Far Out act like diveider’s between the sides and then the quality hardly wavers. To The End is Serge Gainsbourg-like. Not sure if the couple in the song are breaking up or celebrating staying together, and don’t really care because it’s so good. The rest is a succession of excellent twisted pop - London Loves, Magic America, Jubilee (so Bowie/Ronson). The only clunker is Trouble In The Message Centre, it’s the kind of subject matter you’d think would inspire a great song from them, it’s not dreadful but it suffers amongst the company it’s in. Ends with This is A Low, which is one of the best songs and guitar solos of the 90s. It’s a massively impressive album. The 90s was largely built in nostalgia for British pop’s high watermark in the 60s, but this stands up to anything that decade produced.

Parklife I don’t listen to this album as much as Blur, 13, Think Tank and The Magic Whip. Although I should because it is a fantastic album. Girls and Boys is a banger of an opener and because of its ubiquity and familiarity it’s easy to forget what genuinely fantastic bit of pop music it is. The same goes for Parklife. Never really noticed before but strings at the end of Tracy Jacks are very White Album. Great song. I kind of forget about End of a Century but what a song, full of great guitar moments. I love the horns, the waltzer organ and it’s a great chorus too. I’ve never been that keen on Bank Holiday, I like the lyric but not the song, although I was actually quite enjoying it today.
Badhead really is very lovely, a sweet melody and some lovely shimmering guitar and organ. Another great horn arrangement. I do like the Wurlitzer seaside organ in The Debt Collector and Lot 105 and that it keeps popping up on the album, like a cultural touchstone among the various everyday tales of Britain that form the bulk of the themes of the album. To the End, yet another lovely tune. For all the Girls and Boys and Bank Holidays there are 3 absolutely beautiful ‘ballads’ on Parklife; Badhead, To the End and This is a Low. This is a Low might actually be their best song, certainly in the top 5 for me Clive.

London Loves - structurally quite straightforward but its insistent bass and guitar are fantastic, a really great song. I’ve not always been keen on Trouble in the Message Centre but again listening today I really enjoyed it. Clover over Dover - I love this song, the guitar and piano/harpsichord combination is superb and I love the harmonies. A very melancholic lyric too. Magic America and Jubilee are a great one-two before the brilliant conclusiveness of This is a Low Obviously Blur predate Britpop but It’s interesting how prominent the bass is compared to a lot of the bands and the production style around at the time of Parklife - lots of noise and treble but very little melody or distinction in the bottom end. Knowing how eclectic and diverse their albums and solo projects were from Blur onwards it’s easy to overlook how unlike Britpop this album is. A bit like Supergrass in that there are more influences than just 60s classic rock. There’s obviously a lot of Kinks and a lot of Beatles (particularly the use of horns and strings) but there’s disco, punk, new wave and a lot of pop. Listening today I wonder if this might be their most concise and consistent album? Thematically the songs all sit together despite the stylistic variety and it’s an incredibly satisfying listen, brilliantly sequenced and I don’t think there is a weak song, even if Bank Holiday and Trouble in the Message Centre may not be as strong as some of the other tracks. I liked this back in the 90s but 30 years on I appreciate it even more, it really is a great, great album. Easy, can’t be anything but
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Said it before, I always liked Oasis a lot more than Blur and so, while Parklife has some good stuff on it, it's also very hit and miss. Bank Holiday is the standout away from the two massive hits, Trouble In The Message Centre is good, but mostly I don't like Albarn's voice a lot, the second half of the album is nowhere near as good as the first, and the storytelling while accessible becomes a bit too deliberate in trying to be just that, like they're very consciously trying to be meaningful where Oasis never gave a fuck and were just stupidly basic and loud, which worked better. Probably a solid 3.

I think being much more aware of Oasis and Pulp before really getting to know Blur's music has made it way harder for me to really enjoy it. It's not as clever or sardonic as Pulp, and not as anthemic as Oasis - there's the odd song that really works (obviously Parklife, but there's not much like that, and To The End which I really like), but the rest of it sounds to me like it's stuck halfway between the two, and rather than the best of both it struggles to get near the heights of either. A solid 3/5 for this, but it didn't resonate with me enough to go higher.

This album has a lot of cracking tracks

Not what i expected

Blur's third album, Parklife, is a vibrant tribute to British culture in the '90s. Released in 1994, it embodies the spirit of the era with its eclectic mix of genres and witty lyrics. Tracks like Girls & Boys and Parklife capture the essence of British life with infectious energy. The album's diverse sound, blending Britpop, indie rock, and alternative dance, showcases Blur's musical versatility. Damon Albarn's distinct vocals bring the songs to life, infusing them with charisma. Parklife played a pivotal role in shaping Cool Britannia, celebrating British creativity on the global stage. With its irreverent lyrics and catchy hooks, the album became a cultural phenomenon. Albarn's earlier prediction about Blur's place in the '90s music scene proved prophetic. Parklife solidified Blur's status as the quintessential English band of the era. Its timeless appeal continues to captivate audiences worldwide, making it a bouncy, fun-filled masterpiece. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 10 STAND OUT TRACK - This is a Low

Very 90's

I enjoyed this for the most part. I probably won’t listen to it again. It also was too long, I was ready to be done about half way through.

Classic Britpop. Just fine if that’s what you want tiday.

Greyhounds! Not my favourite britpop album, but it’s far better and far more interesting than any of that Oasis nonsense. That’s right, it’s another anti-Oasis review.

so silly i like

It's becoming very repetitive and boring pretty fast. What a pity. I always thought they had great songs but obviously not on that record. I love british music but there are way better bands!

Blur es una de esas bandas que disco a disco se superan. Su sonido, sus búsquedas, sus etapas, todo en ellos es muy bien. Mención aparte merece la genialidad de Damon Albarn y de Graham Coxon, que lo confirman con sus otros proyectos musicales. ¿Respecto a éste trabajo? Bailable, punk, colgado, en la línea de una banda que sólo avanza y que iba camino a demostrar su solidez y su marca en la historia de la música desde su influencia en el rock alternativo y en todo lo que vendría. Pude verlos en 2023 y me dejaron estupefacto. Increíble cómo la música nos puede hacer trascender y nos deja llenos de vida.

This one has slowly shrunk on me. I love the production but it's something I'd like to go back to in order to completely understand it.

I feel like i could easily beat the shit out of damon albarn if i wanted to, he looks as light as a bird, I'd just knock him out with one blow to his pretty face, no effort, i know i could do it

Very loud and scattered all over the place (not in a good way).

brit

After so much mediocre Britpop, it’s nice to get to listen to arguably the best album of the genre. I like the mix of pop songs with weird experiments. A great album.

S’alright.

Not for me 2/5

Pretty solid album though there's a little filter in it.

I am surprised at how many lyrics I remembered despite not listening to it for about twenty years! I think I preferred it twenty years ago, but it's still a pretty good album. I liked the instrumental tracks, they were fun.

Adding it to my main rotation, made me noticed Blur is more than Song 2

Very enjoyable album, the better half of the Battle of Britpop which brings a more varied and distinct sound.

"...it gives me a sense of enormous wellbeing (Parklife) And then I'm happy for the rest of the day..."

this is a lot worse than i remember. its like if you tried to parody britpop this is the thing you'd make. fuck chelsea 2.5/5

Always heard that this was their best album and it is solid. Doesnt quite make classic status for me but damn good.

I thought I liked Blur - then I listened to this and it’s not my favorite. Boys and Girls is still fun. The rest of the album is boring Britpop.

Their hits were better than most of this album.

6/10 Top much filler

Gonna be honest, I missed the whole Britpop era fight with Oasis, but to me Oasis all the way. That being sad, its not a bad album, but I've expected more. This was the first time I listened to Blur album all the way. Half I like the other.... it was okay. Highlights definitely the singles but I also really enjoyed London Loves.

Had a very 69-70 vibe. Nothing special to me

Never got around to listening to Blur even though the 90s is my foundational era of music. Didn't really miss out on anything groundbreaking, it seems, but it's not bad.

meh a few good songs. stellar voice tho

Es una genialidad tras otra. 5/5.

It’s a typical British pop album. I enjoyed a few songs but other songs I skipped through.

Decent 90’s alternative album. Some good songs on here.

Not the highlight of Blur but ok.

With Oasis' Defintely Maybe as the benchmark that I previously listened to, this seems a little more hard-edged yet also more quirky (kind of reminding me of the Kinks) than the Oasis album - I'm also left a little less impressed with this one. My picks for this album are Badhead, To The End, and Clover Over Dover.

Solid album, kinda weird, but whatev

I really liked the front half of this album. The first track was massive back when it was first released, so that was fun to hear again. Somewhere in the middle of the album, it really loses focus before getting it back again.

Not into it

it's fine. i didn't feel much except for "this is very british"

Haven’t listened to this in about 25 years. Thought it would be nice to remember it. Not really sure I know many of the tracks. Proceeds to sing the entire album word for word with a beaming smile. 4.5

I didn't expect this to be a 5 start album on first listen, but I'm fairly sure it is now. However, I think this is as good as Britpop gets. If '...Morning Glory' and 'DIfferent Class' are 5* albums this rightfully should be a 6. Some of the decisions made on this album are super brave, at times it's kooky and whimsical. It never feels like it's taking itself too seriously. Compared to the street-drug chic of Oasis, this record is a gem.

Uniform pop song mush. London Love and Clover over Dover stand out nicely. Yawn.

3/15/24. Fun, awesome album, one of my all time favorites with numerous listens and continually revisit it. I always thought Blur had an edge over Oasis as Blur wasn't afraid to experience with different sounds and themes. Park Life!

Honestly, kind of mediocre. I love the genre, this should be my type of music, but I was left unimpressed. It was good, in a fine sort of way.

То, что выделяет Blur на фоне других брит-поп команд - мультижанровость. Албарн и партнёры берут всего помаленьку, играются с этим, вставляя бритиш айндентик. Молодцы ребята епт

3.7, absolutely expected more

excellent album for girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they're girls who do girls like they're boys. 10/10!

Very good album. I enjoyed it a lot. Love all the different styles.

Music and vocal sounds slightly off key on the first song.

Solid but I’m into Blur’s other work a degree more. Other than a Beatle or a Bowie, Damon Albarn might be the sneaky pick for most albums on this list which I wholeheartedly agree with.

This is not the kind of music i usually go for, but it felt like a itch i didn't knew needed scratching. I love that the length of the songs variates, and there is no songs that are abnormally long. This album is also the perfect length. I loved a lot of the songs from this album, and i will most likely continue to lissen to several of them:D

Enjoyed it

Nice Brit-Pop

Awakening

Never thought I’d say this but has Noel Gallagher had a better post-band career than Albarn?

idk if 90s beat poetry is a thing but that's what Parklife feels like - UK suburbia seasonal affective disorder thoughts

Good Listen. The best album that ive heard from the blur yet. many god sngs but for me nothing felt like absolutely huge...

Very Gorillaz.

One of the most Britpop to ever Britpop

eh

A britpop gem. From here, Damon Albarn really comes into his own. Super clean production on this one as well. Everything shimmers and jangles along.

instant 5

blimey this was hot garbage

Blur is a good band in my opinion. This is the album that made them a household name. What do I think of it? It's really good. Highlights include "Girls and Boys" and "Parklife".

On a roll. Another faultless album.

Indie pop rock. I have never heard of this band but this album was a jam! After listening, I wonder if one of my other favorite bands (tally hall) drew some inspiration!

Any album that has Phil Daniels talking about the dirty pigeons gets an automatic five stars from me.

Nicht meine Richtung

Standouts: Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Parklife, Jubilee. Liked it more than I thought I would b/c I don't always connect with this band.

I really loved this when it came out, still enjoyable.

Girls & Boys is a classic that I really like, but would never add yo my personal list of daily listens. The rest of the album is quite a mix with songs that are listened over 20 mil listens, or only 224k. Parklife is nice, really liked the drums in that one. Bank Holiday, debt collector and far out are a little too alternative for my taste.

Unknown

No me convertiré en un fan de Blur.

Great album!

1. girlz and boyz - 1 2. tracy jackz - 0 3. end of a century - 0 4. parklife - 0 5. bank holiday - 0 6. bad head - 0 7. debt collector - 0 8. far out - 0 9. to the end - 0 10. london lovez - 0 11. trouble in the mezzage - 1 12. clover - 0 13. magic america - 0 14. jubilee - 1 15. thiz iz louu - 1 16. lot 105 - 0

Honestly... Childish sounding. Unimpressed.

2.5 stars - It's perfectly fine but I would rather listen to XTC.

One good song

The first six tracks are more or less bangers and make for a great start to the album. But then it ends. The sequence from The Debt Collector to Magic America is honestly quite dull with no songs standing out. Then Jubilee comes and rescues some of the album’s honour before it all fizzles out with a slightly boring ballad and a circus instrumental

I thought I'd like this more than I actually did. I've always liked the first song - Girls & Boys - but the rest of the album was kinda boring.

This score is based on the cultural relevance of Girls & Boys alone.

Ну такое себе. Истоки Gorillaz уже слышно, но до них ещё далеко.

Britpop is my jam. Parklife is exquisite in its Britishness. This album is like an ode to British working class of the 90s. Lot 105 - what the inside of my head sounds like a lot of the time Favorite songs: Parklife, Jubilee, Lot 105

J'avais déjà une bonne opinion de Blur et j'ai toujours trouvé qu'ils étaient plus intéressants que Oasis. Excellent album de bord en bord.

Jag hade förhoppningar eftersom albumet var av Blur men var inte direkt någon höjdare. Låtarna var rätt så olika men inte direkt hittar. Min favoritlåt från albumet var Magic America. Albumet får 3/5 stjärnor

Fabulous album!!

Well I was hoping to give this one 4 stars, as I thought it would be a bit of fun. There were a couple of good tracks like Girls & Boys and Parklife, but much of the rest of the album, particularly the second half, felt like filler and was quite boring sorry :(

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Mix: "You okay?" Musik: "No, [Britpop] is pretty f***in' far from okay." Wertung: 🐶🐶/5

Solid 3.75 stars. An emblematic Brit pop album, especially in the sense that many songs sound very British. Specifically "Bank Holiday," the title track, and, even though there are barely any words, "Lot 105." "This is a Low," pretty good song; have no idea where the places it lists are. "Tracy Jacks" and "Trouble in the Message Centre" illustrate the banalities of suburb/modern working class life. Big hits include "Girls & Boys," "End of a Century," and "To the End"

Some real bangers, but didn't hold my attention throughout.

great listen with some bangers, few weaker tracks but got some really good highlights

I bet this was the biggest shit ever when it dropped.

Fuck britpop. 1.5