Reviews (page 11 of 14)
I was unaware of the Oasis/Blur schism until I got my first Blur album from the generator and read through the reviews. As a lifelong Oasis fan, it's hard to listen to Blur objectively, knowing the world has picked a side. That said, this is an objectively great album and I especially liked "Parklife" the song. It wasn't love at first listen, but I plan to keep this on my phone. P.S. In regards to the Oasis vs Blur debate, I think it's telling that "Oasis" is mentioned 68 times in the 11343 reviews for Parklife (excluding this review), but "Blur" is only mentioned 48 times to What's the Story's 11538 reviews. So Blur is being compared to Oasis more than Oasis is being compared to Blur. Heh.
High 8 amazing rock/alternative rock
I had only really heard Song 2 by blur before so o was expecting something like that. What I got was really Brit-pop, Beatles-esque music. I enjoyed it. It’s crazy this came out right around when Nirvana was just getting big. This is completely different from that and from what everyone else was doing.
reminds me of Madness/Late beetles/cheap trick
Still so much better than Oasis
I used to own this album and really liked it (apart from the awful title track) but hadn't heard it for 20 years, contenting myself with the Best of Blur compilation, which is pretty perfect (apart, again, from Parklife and Country House!) However, on relistening to the album, I'm reminded that it really is excellent. A perfect opener in the infectious Girls and Boys, it has a great range of styles, from the wistful Bad Head to the punky Bank Holiday, which shows that Song 2 wasn't an aberration in the Blur Canon. Even the silly little organ led instrumentals are fun, and of course, This is a Low is an outright classic. Now if only they'd thought again about that awful title track!
Stands up surprisingly well. Fun, and you can hear the influences of The Kinks running through. I mean, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was released in '94 too, which puts this in perspective, and I love Pulp's His'n'Hers from the same year more than I'll ever love this, but this was much more interesting and enjoyable to return to than I'd thought. There is some filler, particularly in the second half, would have been a stronger album if a few songs shorter.
Much bigger band in UK than here. Saw them live in London with New Order ..great energy but were blown away in my opinion Nothing stands out with this album to me.
Ooof. This was a tough one to get through. Not my jam
Full of bangers and British dissonant screeching guitars. Decent album
Never really listened to this album before and although the hits (girls & boys, parklife, end of the century are all decent songs, i find the rest of the album hit and miss.
4 Stars (11/15)
Girls & Boys - did not realize this was a Blur song. All Timer. Not at all what I expected from a Blur album, pleasantly surprised. Debt Collector - not expecting a polka song, not a fan Bit of a lull mid-album but ends strong
Britpop to Cool Britannia. Mysterious genres - but this is quite innocuous. Very meh - mostly pablum. Disappearing background muzak - that's probably a bit harsh. That's what some people want from music and there's a market. I wouldn't change the station, but I sure wouldn't buy it.
Brilliant indie pop and a proper rush of nostalgia for me. Parklife takes me straight back to my teenage years. It captures that mid nineties energy perfectly. Witty, sharp and full of character. The songwriting is clever without being pretentious, and the melodies are instantly memorable. Girls and Boys is pure Britpop. Catchy, confident and impossible not to sing along to. Parklife is just as iconic. That spoken word delivery and the everyday British observations make it completely unique. These songs were the soundtrack to my youth and they still hit the same way now. The whole album feels vibrant and full of life. It is playful, observational and very British in the best possible way. Favourite songs: Girls and Boys and Parklife Least favourite: None that stand out negatively Album artwork: Instantly recognisable and completely nineties. A perfect match for the era and the sound
6 / 10 Brit-pop noventero, con algun gran éxito de Damon
I listened to the wrong Blur album. Now that I'm on this one, I guess there's nothing wrong with it but I totally understand people calling it "utter shite" or whatever Brits say when something is totally out of the thrust of what people consider cool. I respect the people who will make fun in the face of the cool, though. I can listen to this with my five year old son and not be too worried about him picking up on weird vibes. Just a little arrested development.
I like this album. some tracks are really funny.
posh, quirky, and still absolutely fresh sounding to this day. i've already known about the first track for ages and it's been getting plenty of replays in my spotify account. the rest of the album is just... genuinely solid, pop that feels both spunky and almost... regal. love you damonnnnn
Meh
Yeah, no. I do see a couple of things going for this album and I could imagine myself liking it back when I was about 13 and a lot edgier and much more into campy rubbish. But luckily, that is not the case anymore and I think Blur are rubbish - decidedly British rubbish with some character though. Parklife is probably better than the other two Blur albums I had the misfortune to rate with 1 and 2 stars respectively. This one might be a 2.5 rated down. It's something.
4/5
Fun album. Parklife and Girls and boys were highlights. Good background music to be in a good mood.
This album is a wild ride. It ranges from grunge to indy rock to circus waltz (The Debt Collector). I'm not sure how exactly to rate it so I guess it gets 3 stars. It's a mediocre grunge album. It's a mediocre indy rock album. The Debt Collector is actually a quite good track. So, weird album. Not great album, but not bad either.
Jeg er mere til Damon Alban greatest hits. For ung til at være vokset op med Britt pop, men kan sagtens se kvaliteterne. Tydelig A side, også kvalitets messigt.
Hvor skal man starte med det album. Det er jo lyden af mine teenage år. Formativt for min musik smag. Her er nogle dyk ned i nogle af de ting jeg elsker ved det : - Uimodståelig catchyness på Boys & Girls - Skildringen af af være fanget i et konformt liv på Tracy Jacks - Beatlesque trompet på End of a Century - Parklifes energi der får mig til at løbe i ring og skrige “All the people!” - Punk-perlen Bank Holidays energiske beskrivelse af briternes øl-kultur - Jingle Jangle guitaren på Badhead - “Well you and I collapsed in love” på In the End - Bass linjen på London Loves - Cembaloen på Clover over Dover - Damon Albarns levering på Jubilee - Storheden i en skibsvejrudsigt på This is a Low
The songs started off like they’d be bangers and then I’m pummeled with British accents and weird lyrics
I liked a couple of songs here but overall it's probably not something I'd listen to again.
It was somewhat enjoyable but don't know if I'd seek it out.
Girl idk
Third times the charm? Who would have thought that out of 1,001 albums Blur could be on the list 3 times. But after listening to them all in the last 3 weeks finally found one that was OK.
2/5 Brit-pop blur is my least favorite version of Blur.
I was annoyed with this album. 0.5/5
This was a divisive album Some songs were strong and reminded me of the smiths/ sex pistols and showed the potential of what would eventually become the gorrillaz. But other songs felt like a carnival ride and made me feel nauseous. I don’t think I’ll be listening to it again. 2
This is a fun album, though very top heavy. I lost interest by the end. Standout Track: End of a Century (this was totally new to me and I love it!)
eh
Much more than Song2. Too bad the States didn't grasp this.
Um, what?
Blur is about as modern Brit-pop as it gets. It's flashy and fast and harkens back to classic Brit bands (The Kinks, The Jam) and even though the songs are good and go together well, they aren't particularly memorable. Knowing now that Damon Albarn would make more music this album shows hints of what would come. It's good/listenable/even danceable at times but it seems all flash with little substance. Or perhaps too much substance - about the same stuff.
Tracy Jacks and Badhead. Taking me back to early Jam and XTC vibes. Love it!
Part of British 90s AltRock-Britpop invasion. I think opening cut, GIRLS & BOYS, was a hit and found its way onto my Spotify playlists over the years. 3rd cut, END OF A CENTURY, is very different - slower beat, acoustic guitars, jangle electric, great harmonies and background vocals (possibly Beatlesque). #4, PARK LIFE, is mostly spoken word, with lots of "Ooooo-ooo-oooh" in the background. Sorta reminds me of early Kinks. My memory tells me that bands in the 90s Britpop invasion modelled their sound on the bands of the 60s invasion. I'm surprised at the inclusion and quality of the slower songs, quite the opposite of the kind of punky vibes of what I expected. THE DEBT COLLECTOR - a nice little 2-minute carnival carousel instrumental! TROUBLE IN THE MESSAGE CENTER straight out rocks! Put it on repeat! Seagulls and harpsichord 🙂 on CLOVER OVER DOVER...and excellent harmonies - this album keeps making me smile. JUBILEE shows heavy influence of the ZIGGY STARDUST album. This album has really surprised me. I'd always assumed the rest of the album would be just like GIRLS AND BOYS. However, it includes a variety of genres and little musical twists and tricks, and shows that the band wasn't afraid of experimenting with their sound. While I'm not crazy about all of the songs, this is closer to a 4/5 than 3/5, so I'm awarding ⭐⭐⭐⭐. __________________________________ 🎧 # of LPs reviewed: 19 🎧 # of LPs left to review: 982 🎧 # of LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 4 🎧 # of LPs I *might* include in my own list: 8 🎧 # of LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine: 4
Ok so this is tricky. This Album isn’t especially poetic and yet there is still much beauty to found in the lyrics and the no-nonsense way the scenes in the album are depicted. When you’ve listened to 100 love songs, it’s nice to hear a song that you can jusg enjoy freely and I think blur knew that when writing this 5/5
I like a couple of songs but the rest are rubbish and it’s not my cup of tea
Very good would listen to again
One of the 90’s bands that were, a one hit wonder. Not impressed with there other music.
Kinda vibed
Best track for me was Girls & Boys.
did not like
Didn't love it. Almost stopped listening at track 9 because I was done washing the dishes but something told me to keep listening and I'm glad I did because I actually preferred the second half a lot more. In particular, track 10 "To The End" and then "Clover Over Dover" ended up being some of my faves on the album.
I think I'm doing this wrong. It used to be I'd hear a song I liked on the Radio, enough that I'd buy the LP/CD. Then, since I'd spent my very limited money on it, I'd listen to it repeatedly. The repetition made the songs familiar, and I grew to love the whole album. Now, with streaming, we can listen to anything anytime, feeling no need to get more value out of individual purchases. I might have loved every song on Parklife if I'd paid for the CD and listened to it on repeat for ages. But I listened to it twice, and it had some good tracks, and it was ok, but it didn't really grab me. Some albums still grab me right away, but that's rare, and that's what I'm looking at to get a 3 or a 4 unless it's something I already know well. Not fair, but what are ya gonna do?
Ok
I didn’t know of Blur until “Song 2” came out about 5 years after this album, and if I hadn’t known, never would’ve guessed it was the same bad. This album was fun, and I give it an extra star for pro-LGBTQ lyrics.
I really enjoyed this album, very British, very creative and diverse sounding. I think if I listened more to this album it’s the type that would grow on me and probably rate it to a 5 over time. But on one listen a solid 4.
This is too inconsistent. No fluidity and the vocals are uneasy on the ears. The music just isn’t good.
PARK LIFE. A selection of great songs. Some tripe in there though. I wonder how many people bought this off the back of the single and were disappointed lol.
Kinda boring but didn’t hate it
The more I listened to it, the more I loved it. The humour on this is also great. Didn't think I would really like it because I don't like other blur albums but this one is great. There's a fair amount if contrast and experimentation throughout the album with the album's tone changing from heavy to soft. I love it. Certainly a vibe
Britpop classic.
WHJQLWLWNWNWBBWBWHWHWHWBWNKWKQLQLQOWKNWBEHEGRHRJNRKDKFKFJFNFNNFNFKSLSL This is my favourite album ever (tied with Sawayama, 13, OK Computer and the ArchAndroid)! First Blur album on this site! Blur are my favourite band! 100/10. (For anybody saying that this album is bland nonsense, my piano tutor wrote essays on this in her music degree (in a British university) in the 1990s).
Amazinggg SO GOOD
More punk stuff, I am not a fan.
"Girls & Boys" just happens to be one of my favorite songs *ever* in music history so it was pretty easy to rate the rest of the album which maintains a similar poppy-punky-go lucky cadence (ie Bank Holiday) that feels rare to find nowadays. Somewhat unexpectedly, Blur is bundled up in the innocence and carefreedom of my youth and I appreciate the reminder. (In reality this is a solid 4.8 but limited by the ratings nature of this platform)
My first time listening to them and it was enjoyable! Unique sound…playful, artsy.
Britpop ist nichts für mich
Existing somewhere between new wave and alt rock, this is described as a defining Britpop album. A unique sound, and an entertaining listen. An odd choice considering this band's one hit wonder was not on this album.
Blur has been in my to-listen list for a long time and this has been the perfect chance to do it. Great album. Really enjoyed End of a Century, Far Out, To the End, This Is a Low.
Very britpop, very London, humorous, quirky, fun.
Album: Parklife Artist: Blur Year: 1994 Genre: BritPop Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good britpop album. First half of the album was super fun and the second half was pretty dull and I got bored. Fave song: Parklife Would I listen again? Possibly
Cool, ça n'a pas trop mal vieilli
Slaps
Not my favorite
Man I enjoyed returning to this album. Easy re-listening. They are a bunch of obnoxious arrogant young fools, but I enjoyed listening to them. I may have been one for a while, and I was such a Pillock. Pleased to have moved on in experience and wisdom, but this brings back the memory of it all. 3 stars
Interesting album that definitely ages itself. I think of it as some really early Gorillaz demos where they haven’t found a voice yet. They play with time signatures a bit, different textures and what not. Calling this a “research” album for future projects.
PARKLIFE!!!
Great tunes and interesting sounds
duplicate
Few bangers
Yeah, no. The first couple songs were just alright, but the deeper cuts kinda sucked IMO.
Weak 3
I really did not like this album. most of it i found so annoying that I mad to skip. some were nice vibes but the vocals were so bad.
A short, non-exhaustive list of things I liked about Blur's "Parklife": Eclectic song styles keeps it interesting - a little dance music, a little post-punk, a little smooth Continental pop (I don't know what I mean exactly by that, but a lot of this album has a very "European" feel), a little new-wave, a little of that atmospheric Britpop sound but with *just* a hint more edge. Drums, bass, guitar and vox all pretty resplendent, and excruciatingly tight even when purposely breaking into the sloppier compositions. Incredibly well balanced and "fresh" without sounding forced. This Is a Low is a great example. Unapologetically anglo-centric. Different and a wee bit odd without being overly challenging. Everything has a familiarity. But not predictable. Again, nicely balanced. Has a good beat, you can dance to it :)
I usually love British pop:punk. I don’t like this. End of the day. Couple songs were okay but that’s it
Noooonn il y a pas Song 2 la BO de Fifa sur leur album d'après ! Mieux que dans mon souvenir, ça s'écoute bien notamment "To the end"
Instant 5 stars from me. While it's not my favourite Blur album, it's still a masterpiece in my mind. Did it influence or capture British culture at the time? The standout 'overplayed' tracks Girls and Boys and Parklife are both fantastic and English music in the 90s would have been vastly different without them. The rest of the album is all top notch with Damon starting to use characters in his songs more and more. The variety is there with fuzz, disco, and beautiful compositions but it all fits to get her as a coherent record and the songs are so well written they have undoubtedly stood the test of time. I have listened to this album regularly for close to thirty years and have not tired of it yet.
4/1001 This is the third album in a row I've been excited to listen to. Another artist I'm familiar with from "Song 2" and later Gorillaz. Right away "Girls & Boys" brought me back to the 90s when I probably last heard that song. Somehow this album escaped me for 30 years, but no bother regretting that now as getting to hear a fantastic album like this for the first time in a treat Full of that great British rock style. Favorite track: "Girls & Boys" 5/5
There was not much I liked about this album.
Easy 4. Some great tracks (parklife, end of a century, bank holiday) and all above average imo. Great mix of musical styles. You can see even in a “rock” band how this guy went on to do Gorillaz.
Feel the same way about it I have since it came out — meh. “End of the Century” is always a nice, forgotten surprise.
Parklife just doesn't really hit for me. It's at it's best when it sounds like proto-Gorillaz, but most of the time it just sounds like less edgy Oasis. There are songs on the back half of the album that are legitimately irritating and nothing really stands out.
not my thing
Better than self titled Great singles Album tracks are okay 4
I don't much care for British people
Fun (“Parklife”). This is too fast I like it so much (“Bank Holiday”). I feel funny (“London Loves”).
Great album, wide reaching and varied. Didn't make as big of an artistic impact on me as the Pixies album BUT you can see how this guy became such an important producer. The coolest part for me was probably reaching about Damon Albarn and hearing how he started Gorillaz. What an amazing dude~!
Yuk. Not my style.
Loved this album. Some classic tunes
Liked Girls & Boys (spunky) and one sad song but his tone is off key which is typical of Alternative music. I did buy two songs, but that'll be it.
ok
The first third of this album was a bop with great energy and was a lot of fun. After that it drops off and becomes more uneven. At 16 songs it's a bit bloated and would have been a better album with a 4-6 song trim. Overall I enjoyed it and would listen to more Blur. 3.5/5
Ace
I genuinely wasn’t expecting to like this album based purely off of only knowing ‘song 2’. Imagine my surprise when it’s my favourite of the year so far! I love how experimental the instrumentals get especially in the second half of the album. Two thumbs up!
British sound of the 90s. Seems to be popular in the UK, but I didn't know about it.
A good example of britpop, a number of fun songs and some I knew.
Early Rock'nRoll.
I like some of Blur and this album was ok. The songs I liked best were End of a Century, Badhead, To the End, and This Is a Low.
Britpop Satisfying vocal harmonies
Not a huge fan of Brit rock. Something in the vocal twang, I think... Love the energy of Bank Holiday, has a bit of a The Living End vibe, and I liked the melancholy feel on Badhead
Upbeat, feel good ‘90s Britpop. Strong opening track plus a handful of other tracks I liked. First material I’ve heard from Blur aside from Song 2.
Not for me. Some of the short songs were catchy and sounded like commercial jingles.
Not for me tbh. Too british
Rizz
its cool ig
Very British but I can forgive them
aw man i love gorillaz :) and british people too ig
Has some weird filler tracks, but still some decent tunes nonetheless.
I feel like the critiques of a very British culture that’s too obsessed with sex and too caught up in the material things isn’t as valid in 2024 as they were in 1994. It doesn’t mean this album is bad; from top to bottom, it never strays from what its purpose is, and I respect the hell out of it for that. It’s a good listen, but I’d say it’s only about a 3.5/5 for me.
When I think back to my experience listening to all these albums, the best I will say of this one is that it was no better than a blur.
Probably the best modern Brit rock album I've ever heard. Only knock on it is how long it is.
If Oasis were the Beatles, Blur were the Kinks: not as beloved worldwide, but still an interesting listen for their willingness to experiment and their skill at both lambasting and celebrating British culture. Not sure if Parklife is their best album, but it’s up there.
Unique blend of different styles, methods, and sounds. 3/5
Girls & Boys: 8.2 Tracy Jacks: 7.4 End of a Century: 8.9 Parklife: 7.8 Bank Holiday: 6.2 Badhead: 9 The Debt Collector: 5.3 Far Out: 5.7 To the End: 7.2 London Loves: 7.4 Trouble in the Message Centre: 6.4 Clover Over Dover: 8.3 Magic America: 9.1 Jubilee: 7.4 This Is a Low: 6.4 Lot 105: 6.9
2nd listen, I like parts of this album but I don’t love it.
Quite eclectic. Much of which is fairly enjoyable.
Surprisingly it doesn’t sound too much like Blur, or at least not as monotypical like some of their more successful songs.
Briish?!
I had only heard a couple of Blur’s songs. There’s quite a bit of a riding in this album which took me as a surprise. I liked it a lot!
Listened already
Liked some more than others but solid overall. Would probably dig more into them in the future now besides just Song(2) haha
Quality music from my youth
More UK rock that I just don’t like. Not the worst album this shit has given me. No more Brit rock please
Diese Musik ist nicht meine.
pop classic
High born Damon Albarn does working class accent
Perhaps the ultimate Britpop album. I like the diversity and experimental bits. I dont like the geezer thing or tbh Albarn's vocals. 3.5
I have a real affinity for pasty white Brit-pop bands, and this is one of the all time great Brit-pop albums of the 90s. This album is overflowing with great material, “Girls and boys”, “End of a Century”, “Parklife”, “London Loves”, “Clover Over Dover”, and the true gem “This is a low”.
Good, almost 4
So tedious.
At least I’ve heard of this Brit group before.
Definitely suffers from being overly long, a good album, but definitely not Blur's best.
The creative high point of Britpop, and also of one of the most enduring British bands of the last thirty years. Come for Phil Daniels comedy stylings, stay for Albarn's knack for finding the melancholy and downbeat (This Is a low) as well as the party anthems (Girls and Boys).
I liked that it was trying to do something interesting
mid brit pop with some great songs springled in a real long album. they lose a star for being british and for bullying nardwuar.
Not a big fan of britpop. Album was too long. I can see why it would have been good if I liked britpop, or maybe if I was british. IDK
fun album. disco, rock, and punk influenced. strong vibes of the who. not a bad listen. highlights: “girls and boys”, “tracy jacks”, “clover over dover”.
I do NOT like his voice. The music is fine, but dang.
Couple of great songs, mostly filled with not bad, not great songs. I instantly forgot what most songs were after I listened. Since nothing was BAD, I guess I’ll give it a 3. Ringing endorsement, I guess, that fits the album.
Yeah sex is pretty cool but have you ever tried singing along to Girls & Boys or Parklife?
Really cringy 90s rock. It was not my favorite.
This wasn’t really my cup of tea (get it? It’s because they are so British)
I really liked this album! All very upbeat songs and were all an enjoyable listen. All very straight forward songs, nothing mind bending or earth shattering, but a fun listen and a lot of catchy songs. I liked: girls and boys, parklife, to the end, and lot 105.
Some real bruv sounding lads. Highlights: Boys & Girls Parklife The Debt Collector To The End Lot 105 A generally enjoyable 90's rock album. I liked the various use of instruments and unique songs. Some songs were kind of bland but I can see how this album helped shape the music of its time and location.
There were good tracks on the album, but it felt a bit bloated for what it was. The highs were high and the lows were forgettable. I'd recommend some songs from the album, but I don't think I'd recommend the whole thing.
Like all of Blur's albums, a bit of a bloated mess with some gold in hidden in it. One of those bands with a legitimately great greatest hits album that isn't really missing anything else.
britpop classic. not my personal favourite blur album (always really liked modern life is rubbish) but it's up there. graham coxon's guitar parts here are some of his best. it's a Certified British Classic. so many great tracks on this
Fav song: badhead
Nije najbolje sto imaju da ponude
Great britpop, forward thinking music, very playful. Their most enjoyable album
Heard better ones.
The album that put Blur on the map and my, how they have progressed since!
Album 8/1001: Parklife by Blur. Pinnacle 90s filler music, one song that if played you would immediately recognize the rest feel relegated to movie background music 5/10
sorry, no.
6/10
extremely british and too long but cool silky astro synth cures all ills. preferred these songs as singles shuffled into my library more, this isn’t a spectacular Album™️™️™️ but it’s got a lot of load bearing tracks
I didn't have this at the time, and I still have this bias that Blur didn't put together great albums but this is as good as they got. Enough songs to establish itself as a really good album but not quite consistent enough to be great.
Love this album! Grew up with this album!
What an English album. This is a solid collection of power pop and Brit rock tunes with some curveballs tossed in for flavor (see: "The Debt Collector", "Far Out"). I can't say that it blew me away, but I can see why some folks would love it. My highlights were "Girls & Boys", "End of a Century", "This Is a Low", and "Clover Over Dover".
Couple real good songs, the others are kind of meh for me.
This album was just alright. Nothing to write home about, but I did enjoy some of the instrumentation and there were moments on a few tracks that sounded very “circus.” Gotta say I appreciate the little moments outside of the normal expectations.
Hard to put a rating on this - one absolute ripper of a song (Girls & Boys), a few good ones, and several that get your attention in a good way. Still don't know if I'd reach for the album though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s my era. So there’s a bit of nostalgia attached to it. It’s not painful to listen to but it’s a bit shit in places innit
Interesting listening to this after Adam Ant, as you can hears echoes of it
britpop is not my cup of tea, very average album with a hint of New Wave, couple of good songs
Great album and it's so hard to choose the best Blur album for me, because it comes down to album cuts. This or 13 are probably my favorite Blur albums. "Parklife" is one of the first salvos in the Blur-Oasis album war and I do prefer Oasis, but if I could combine 13 with Parklife then I think Blur would have the best overall album. Of course, that's cheating. The first four songs on here are classic and "To the End" is an excellent reverse breakup song. The relationship is over and "they did it," which means they failed. Excellent. I could go without the instrumentals, but they are short.
It was chill to listen to, good background music, but nothing really stood out.
This didn’t really do it for me. But to each their own I guess. Kinda sounded like every alternative rock band from the the uk in that era.
Some bangers on this one. The opener is especially good. The album does get a bit stale in the middle and some songs I really didn't care for. Overall a decent listen and there are some songs I'll come back to for sure.
Youthful, confident and fresh. This was Blur’s breakthrough album and probably their most likeable. And before the later competitiveness that would inevitable come with Oasis. Though that was mainly media fuelled. It’s difficult to be objective about an album which was one of the musical definitions of the early nineties. Good songs well presented, influences worn clearly on sleeve but effectively so.
How is it possible this album is almost 30 years old? Seems like yesterday that Blur topped the charts with this. Although their third album, Parklife was the first of 7 number one albums. The beginning of Britpop. Surprisingly, with many great songs on this album, none of the singles made it to the top of the charts. Blur fans would have to wait for the next album for that. Lots of hits, some misses. 4/5
4 stars, really like this one but kinda weird
When you wanted to see the Gorillaz but accidentally went to the zoo in London.
I have never been much for this band. But they're British, so here they are.
The very essence of Britpop, cracking stuff both then and still
Hmmm. A few interesting songs, not quite my taste though. (Also sort of skimmed through the album, so not the best rating) Onto the next one !
Listened Before? N Brit pop! It was kinda what I would expect. Not groundbreaking or anything but an okay listen. I've heard Girls and Boys (think maybe it was a minor hit in the US?) but nothing else. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Parklife
If I had to pick a side in the Blur versus Oasis debates that took place in the 90s, I would never pick Blur. They always came over as slightly nerdy failed art-school friends who formed a band to earn some money. I did like the two good tracks on this album, the first one and the album's title. They held up reasonably well, even though they've been played to death for the last 30 years or so. The rest of the album sucked and was incredibly dull. I even considered a 1 star rating at some points, but the two half-decent tracks pulled it back up to 2.
klassikko
Good few bangers
Good britpop, some classics on here but was surprised by how much I enjoyed to the end
A big meh from me. Most of it was just boring to me. Not really personally a big fan of this genre in general. But Girls & Boys I did quite enjoy though. Other than that it just didn't really hit for me. Too british 🇬🇧☕️ 3/10
This album didn't really leave any lasting inpressions on me and I doubt that I'll come back to it.
A couple of tracks on here that I didn’t realize were Blur songs. Nearly 30 years after release, it doesn’t stand out above other Brit pop of that era to me. It’s catchy and enjoyable nonetheless. 3/5
Totally personifies early '90s London. Indispensable in creating the Britpop sound of the end of the 20th century...and way better, musically and lyrically, than anything Oasis ever did!
Interesting rhythms and language flow. Fun to listen to, but no emotional connection.
why do you HAVE to review everything on this site good, working-class feel, good for larping
This might be the most British thing that I've ever listened to. It has the line, "I put my trousers on, have a cup of tea." There's a different song called "Bank Holiday". I can picture some 90s kid sitting in a pub in Leeds just loving this. It's generally not bad. Also not amazing, but it's got some pretty good songs on here and is generally enjoyable. I guess they were rivals with Oasis and this is considered to be peak Britpop era. Checks out to me, I'll roll with it. I'm not sure this singer is as good as Liam Gallagher though. Favorite song: This Is a Low Other: Girls & Boys, End of a Century, Parklife, Far Out, To the End, Magic America 11/12/23
Ran out of gas early and seemingly in a hurry. The same can be said about 90's brit pop as a whole. But the first 3 tracks made me dance in my car while stopped at a red light, much to the chagrin of driver's near me. So at least it had that sort of impact. Plus the only albums with dogs on the cover you can trust are Tusk and Working Class Dog. Putting greyhounds on the cover is just asking for trouble.
Never heard this one by blur before but it was pretty good! Britpop baby yeah
This album was dank. I knew Song 2 by Blur but that was it. I really enjoyed this one here ace. Solid 3
Blur sounds like it should be for me but it just isn't.
AJ; Gorillaz originz
Love it. Sound of my second youth.
This album has a quirkiness that I appreciate. It's not overly serious, but light and friendly, as if band had fun recording it.
Always great.
It was okay. There were a few good songs but overall not my thing. I admit I did give it a close listen, especially the second half of the album
It’s fine
it’s aight
Sounds like generic Brit garage rock to me - I know it was a huge album but didn’t find myself drawn to it.
Ah, one of the big britpop albums. Some real bangers on thjs one. All with that extra thick brittish sauce over it that reeks of snobbishnis and depression and i'm here for it. Alao nice to kind of hear the first sounds of what would later become the gorrilaz
Blind album, know the artist and the hit song. Quality catchy album I enjoy a good amount
This is a unique album. Not bad but definitely something different than what you typically hear. 3 out of 5.
guau!!!!
this is like the secret love child of tom petty and simon lebon. “girls and boys” is very decade and i’m getting some british invasion vibes from “tracy jacks”. very kinks and the who. i appreciate a group with range. will be putting this on the heavy rotation.
britpop... not exactly my jam
25 years ago I would have gotten down to this
Sucks. Just agonizing voices to be forced to listen to.
Posh Damon and his pals, the Cheese one, the Tory Councillor and Graham Coxon, who is cool to be fair. This is actually a good record, if you forget that you don't like Blur. The singles are absolutely massive, and This is a Low is one of the best songs of the Britpop genre. The rest of the album doesn't match up, and it suffers in comparison to Definitely Maybe, from earlier in The Project. I remain Oasis over Blur.
I really respect a lot of what Damon Albarn has done for the pop-rock industry, but his earlier Blur albums just don't do it for me. Where most of the 90s consisted of American grunge and punk, Blur was just continuing along a weird, cornball saga.
Londonfornication. America gets RHCP, I guess Britain had Blur? Lol It's like a 1990s Village Green Preservation Society in someways, quirky and very British. "I like Radiohead but I'm also a goofy MFer" oh do we have the band for you. The 90s were weird man lol. It's not awful, why is it almost an hour though?
WOO HOO! WHEN I FEEL HEAVY META--- *explosion* Favorite Tracks: Girls & Boys, Parklife, Bank Holiday, To the End 4.5/5
I think this album is pretty nice. I do not like it as much as 13. However to the end is really one of the best songs that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to
Good album
Enjoyed it. Didnt even listen to most song in the hey day. Liked the tune to London loves.
Parklife was a pretty good album. It was nothing amazing but none of the songs were bad and the voice and music definitely worked better than i thought they would. Some parts could be pretty weird but it definitely wasn't enough to ruin the album for me so I think it's a decent album
This album was kind of meh. Pros - they were ambitious and not too formulaic in the songs they chose to record. There were some good songs. Cons - unfortunately, there were more misses than hits for my taste.
britpop just not my thing
Fill in soon. 5/10
lots of bangerz but not my fav music ever
Better than I remembered it being. Still much prefer Oasis to Blur though. I'd say 3.5 stars
I’m not a fan of the British “talking singing”, feels like a boyband Just not a fan, feels like it’s too basic, but could see it being fun radio songs etc 1/2***
Iconic britpop. The sound of blur. Bit of a repetitive sound throughout the album.
Some great tracks but some did sound like novelty records
First album I went out and bought (in a fopp shop in Borders, how early 00s). Really nostalgic for me, and some bangers, obvs Parklife and Girls and Boys are iconic but also really love End of a Century. Some novelty songs though, it's true.
No
Strong styles.
Beatles/Sex Pistols/2000s Indie
"To the end" 's pretty nice Brit rock, not exactly my style
Only liked the first track
I feel like I should like this more than I do. Weird and quirky, and not in an enjoyable way for me. Some cool punk-like songs on it help carry. I get a pub crawling with the mates vibe that I just don't resonate with. Fav tracks: Girls & Boys, Parklife, Jubilee
Haven’t listened to completely yet
The whole Oasis v Blur debate is laughable. First of all they aren’t even the same genre. But if we are going to compare them it’s not close. Oasis by a mile. Oasis’ energy dwarves Blur. Sure Blur is more complex but that aren’t exactly Radiohead either. I do appreciate the vivid snapshot of British life in the 90s. I’ll give them extra points for that but overall Britpop in general is very overrated. 6.3/10
It doesn't get me like I'm told it should, but good album. Great cover though.
I don't really know to be honest it was a strange sound, but its Damon so 8/10
Not for me.
Well, I guess we're just going to review every Blur album on this list. This one was okay. It's getting hard to have anything to say about these Brit Pop albums, since they all start to blend together after a while. Still, the music is really solid throughout 3/5
A solid bit of britpop but as I know more of their catalog, the less impressive it is.
An iconic albums of the britpop 90s! A lot more varied than I imagined it would be, with only knowledge of Blurs biggest hits...all round great and deserving of its critical acclaim.
Decent pop rock, not my jam but not terrible
Blur, good one, underrated I think!
Sick album!
Classic
2.5
Very nice, it starts blending together towards the end.
Always enjoyed this one.
Personally, the lo-if britpop genre is not my favorite. I don’t think I quite finished this album.
Not really my cup of tea. Not a “must listen”.
Not really my favorite, too pop-ie
I liked this one better than the previous Blur album that was on this list. But not enough to make me want to listen to it again.
Very fun and poppy album. Damon's genius shines through it. Has quite a few duds, but packed with gems.
Fun, quirky album. Classic in the genre, but not a classic for me, I’m not a big Blur fan. They write some nice songs, but Damon Albarn’s voice jars me. 7,5 out of 10
Some classics I forgot existed, great album.
JA WEEENO. De 3, 2 que conozco y he escuchado vehementemente. Lo escucharé again. No es la gran vaina pues, le doy como 7 de 10 porque tiene Parklife, Tracy Jacks y Magic America
There’s a few great songs on this album, but mostly this feels like an artist’s exploration of their own sound. The album doesn’t feel cohesive.
Its great British pop. I personally dislike this, but can appreciate it's significance in the genre
This was better than I expected. I quite liked the last two songs in particular.
One of my favourite album covers and a good collection of songs from Blur's Britpop peak years. Title track stands out along with Girls and Boys but some other gems among the lesser known songs - Badhead, Clover over Dover, Jubilee for example. Interesting influences abound - Bowie, Kinks, even Cockney Rebel in parts.
idk man, its just really bad
Boys & Girls - Good Charolette remade this one (4/10). Tracy Jack - catchy (5/10). End of a Century - meh (2/10). Parklife - pleasant (7/10). Bank Holiday - ska-adjacent, actually like this quite a bit (7/10). Badhead - mellow (3/10). The debt Collector - instrumental, circus (1/10). Far out - I like it, melodic and eerie (7/10). To the end - favorite song so far! (8/10). London loves - catchy (5/10). Trouble in the message centre- catchy (7/10). Clover over Dover - (6/10) magic America - huge fan (9/10). Jubilee - okay (5/10). This is a low - my album favorite (9/10). Lot 105 - interesting closer instrumental (4/10).
Really enjoyed it. Another very British record. A little more Kinksy than I expected. May need to go back to it to see how it sounds a second time.
Hey.
I liked the first few tracks but it got worse from there. Sad, I really wanted to like this one. 3.5
Good stuff, varied and fun - liked a lot of the album 3/5
Brit pop. not my thing, some catchy songs, a lot of filler.
Very interesting, not great all the way through in my opinion, but parts of it were truly excellent. Bends genres for sure, expands my own appreciation for and awareness of music.
Good
Pretty good but very much average compared to what I have listened.
typical British style
Decent britpop album, if I could give it 3.5 stars I would. Really enjoy Damon Albarns performance as the lead singer, however I feel a lot of the songs lacking in depth and feel. Enjoy it as the silly, catchy fun it is!
No.
Great album but Oasis is still better than Blur. Damon Albarns voice is amazing in some of the songs and the guitar is pretty cool
It hits all of my nostalgic notes and has some true bangers on there. Great stuff
Heeeurlijk
Erg goed album, heb 'm 3 keer geluisterd. hangt tegen een 4 aan
It was okay, but did I really have to listen before I was dead?
Great variety
Multiple listens, and it got better each time. The whole album gives me a sense of enormous well-being.
This ones not really for me. Pretty typical 90s brit rock, kind of alternative. I got excited when "To The End" came on since I thought it was the end of the album, but then I unfortunately realized I still had half of the album to listen to.
I am a big fan of Damon Albarn's work, mostly his stuff from Gorillaz onwards, but I have always assumed Blur had some great albums that I just never listened out of lack of time. "Song No.2" is basically an anthem from my FIFA playing days, and many more songs are just so good, like Parklife's "Girls & Boys". Today finally I had a chance to listen carefully their album track after track, and I have to say I;m just disappointed. Maybe Oasis was a better band, at least other than the main singles? This record didn't move the needle for me, it was quite predictable and rather boring, or even dull. Maybe it's a sign of times, we need something more entertaining now? Nice singles, but the rest of the album is very forgettable, I'm happy to move on. I think I have to listen to the rest of their discography, just to make a more conscious decision about this band.
I liked this album quit a bit. Boys and girls is a strong opener. The frantic energy of bank holiday captures the peculiar feeling of a bank holiday. Feeling rushed to go have fun and not waste your day off work.
Quirky and melodic Britpop that I disregarded as a teen in the 90's, but holds more appeal every time I hear it. A grower.
This is alot of fun, starts to lose it towards the end, but overall this was a great listen 4
5/10 This...is not it. Definitely overstays its welcome, although the closer tracks are better than the middle section. Kinda boring, I know Brit pop and even Blur can do better.
Brani Preferiti: - "Girls and Boys" - "End of a Century" - "Parklife" - "This Is a Low" Note: Il britpop è un genere fantastico per singoli brani, ma diventa fallimentare quando si crea un album... fortunatamente per loro i Blur sono una band che ha sfornato dei brani fantastici durante gli anni e alcuni dei più famosi sono racchiusi in questo disco. Sono vittima della commercializzazione dei Blur, ascoltando con maggiore piacere i loro brani più famosi e non quelli da considerarsi "creativi".
They had some fun with this album and I like that. Rating 3 stars.
Many odd choices. I really enjoyed Badhead. I dig Clover Over Dover. This Is A Low is good too.
Range of styles, from their big hit (90s electronic) to rock, punk and almost acoustic. Some good funky beats, some forgettable tracks.
It's okay. Didn't really grab me. Has some good songs on it.
Listened to the first sing and turned it off
I didn't think it was bad, but I didn't enjoy it like I did the other albums I've given 3 stars, so I have to do 2 for this one
Mid 90s Brit album. Heavy on the Brit, somewhat punk-vibe as well. Lots of British talking bits. Not sure if there is anything I would go back to listen to again, but it was a solid album overall. The titular track “Parklife” probably has the most replay value for me. 3/5
As far as Britpop goes, this is one of the nicer album's I have heard. It's just that after listening, I cannot recall a single song. Oh well .... 3/5