Reviews (page 7 of 13)
British REM / reminiscent of early gorillaz. Pretty decent
Too many la-la-la's and not enough woohoo's. I could probably get into it if someone held a gun to my head.
Rating: 7/10 Blur is a pretty good band and this has some of their best songs. There's a clear love for The Kinks and The Beatles, but also a direct line of influence from the British New Wave. And it also sounds so modern suburban (for its time) that really drives the personality of the record. It starts to run a little long but there are back tracks are actually some of the best like London Loves & Clover Over Dover. Girls & Boys is of course some classic Damon Albarn
Creo que hay mejores albumes de Blur, la única buena Girls and Boys
Ello guvna
very very British (in a very good way). overall i enjoyed the album a lot, i knew more songs than i realised. weird tonal shift for one song tho i really liked ‘far out’, ‘tracy jacks’, ‘park life’ and ‘clover over dover’
"girls & boys">>
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 I come from a Blur family, like I might've mentioned impartially in my Oasis review, so this comparatively mediocre rating surprised me—as was, again, the bands' chilling similarities. Both really put the "pop" in Britpop more than I'd naïvely expected (I know, but considering Damon Albarn's later innovations with Gorillaz and Blur's later innovations with albums like 13 or Think Tank), and both really take a little too much from their predecessors (though Blur's Bowie thievery on "Girls and Boys"—hey, didn't LCD Soundsystem also yoink from that one? And St. Vincent?—feels miles more forgivable than "Cigarettes and Alcohol" because at least these Boys and Girls did something different). I'd even say they were thematically similar, though I'm not sure if Blur yoinked that from Oasis, Britpop on Britpop violence style. Ultimately, this one comes out on top because it's already so much more creative and adventurous than I'd expect from a pop record, even if it pales in comparison to what Blur would later do. I found the pop-ness of Parklife to be a little much at times (maybe it was just my mood), but even today I couldn't deny they were having fun. I still downloaded the whole thing—not sure if I'll listen again many times, but I will at least once. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing
A couple of fun songs, but not as enjoyable as Gorillaz records.
like parklife, G&B, london loves, not a fan of bank holiday
3/5
Pretty good but nothing stands out to my American ear to explain why this album was so huge. I watched a few music videos on though and they have way more charisma than I would have guessed based on the sort of laid back and generic style in most of these songs. Real bisexual vibe, when I’d always thought of them as more middle of the road suburban rock kinda guys. Overall liked it but unlikely to go back.
Det finns en faktor med Parklife man inte kan bortse ifrån om man vill ha någon vettig behållning av albumet. Den lätt ironiska brittiska tongue-in-cheek humorn. Har man inget begrepp om den så är Parklifes beståndsdelar obegripliga. 90talets indie handlade väldigt mycket om att utesluta folk, på gott och ont, Parklife är ett perfekt exempel på det. Folk som jobbar, åker på semester, flyttar till London, drömmer om Amerika och ser fram emot en långhelg, vanliga människor. Dom är fritt villebråd att se ner på genom just denna humor. När det är balanserat och träffar helt rätt som i "Bank holiday" är det oemotståndligt. Slår det över blir det rent trams som i titellåten eller Pet Shop Boys patischen Girls & boys. Någonstans däremellan lyckas Blur även hitta några vansinnigt fina popmelodier End of a century, Clover over Dover, Badhead, To the end och just det var många mindre nogräknade britpopband faktiskt väldigt bra på. Parklife vill på det stora hela hellre vara lite smartare och lustigare än den vill vara genuint bra, något som drogs ännu längre på uppföljaren The great escape. Stark trea
Låten Parklife är lite av en urban buskis, festlig och tokig, som aningen oförtjänt kommit att definiera vad Blur var vid den här tiden. Men de var också ett popband med fina popmelodier som Badhead, End of the century, To the End, Jubilee, den fantastiskt vackra This is a low och förstås Boys and girls. Lite för många låtar kanske, som ofta i CD:ns guldålder. Jag hade kunnat plocka bort en handfull. Ett plus för att de skrev ut ackorden i texthäftet.
Återvänder texten från förra gången albumet slumpades till mig: Nostalgi påverkar förmågan att bedöma Parklife rättvist. Helt klar många fina poplåtar. Girls & Boys och Parklife är fortfarande trevliga. To The End är briljant. Omväxlande kaxigheter, socialrealism och en del trams som inte åldrats så väl.
Some good songs but not for me overall
Unlike The Verve’s Urban Hymns, this Brit-pop album didn’t feel grating or pretentious. I still have some issues with the genre that make listening feel like a chore, but the hits were considerably better.
I liked the album, I have a soft spot for Britpop and it brought memories from my time living in the UK. The record has so much personality and energy but is not draining. For now I'll leave it as 3/5 as I wasn't enthralled by it and haven't had enough time today to really sit with it but I'll be coming back.
So I wanted to really love this but end up feeling meh. 3/5
So so
I liked it better than the first Blur album I listened to on the list. First half of the album was pretty good, but dragged. I bet a Best Of Blur would be a decent listen.
Liked this a little more in the back half when it became less punk influenced
3.50/5
This includes a lot of their best stuff and also four or five songs that I can’t stand
i wish i liked this more, there's a few good songs on this album but overall i wasn't impressed tbh. probably on the higher end of the britpop album category so far though haha.
Pretty fun at times but it loses its charm by the end
É um bom álbum. Alternative rock com elementos eletrônicos interessantes. KZ D-Fi.
rock punk tranquilo pero copado
Eh this is ok. I’m kinda tired of how much UK pop music is on this list though
A couple of songs are good bit it didn’t blow me away
This one didn't really grip me. It was fine for listening, but I didn't feel like it was that special or interesting Standouts Parklife 3/5
Singles are very good but the rest not so great.
Hitene er hiter, resten er ræl.
Boys and Girls is a great throwback. The rest of this album is missing that same energy and vibe. I want it to be better but it's being carried hard by the big single.
It doesn't hold up does it? Graham Coxon's guitars still sound fresh, but it just doesn't quite hit like it probably did at one point. A few bangers, obviously, but the rest of the album seems like a dearth of enjoyment at times.
Bright and flashy Britpop built on punchy guitars, bouncy rhythms, quirky keyboards, and animated, character-driven vocals darts through scenes with colorful energy. Listening feels like flipping through a lively montage where every moment is exaggerated and sharply lit. The result is catchy and vibrant, and at the same time the surface-level charm feels lightweight.
at times very fun but a little overly long, and the vocals become a bit much by the end
Endelig litt ordentlig britpop. Fant nettopp ut at Damon Albarn, som jeg hittil kun har assosiert med bandet Gorillaz, er frontfiguren i Blur. Jøss. Uansett; dette er et sjarmerende album med mange gode låter. Synes dog mangler en del her. Derfor tre stjerner, skuffende nok. Top 3: Clover Over Dover, End of a Century, This Is a Low
I just cant take this shit seriously with their ridiculous accents theres no way people sound like that. It would have some bangers otherwise but not one playlistable song.
Eclectic
Badhead
Better than Blur - Blur but still not the best
I like Blur's other work more. In this album I like "Boys and Girls" and kind of like "This is a Low", but the rest is meh.
I like Blur more than most Britpop from this era, owing largely to my interest in Albarn and his career trajectory. That said, they still might be a Greatest Hits band for me, and the 4ish singles here stand out over the rest of the album.
It's funny how Damon Albarn's slightly snotty and nasal vocals don't annoy me nearly as much as the Gallagher brothers. Plus, there's something just more irreverent and fun about Blur generally. Like the other album, I'm a bit bummed that the non-singles don't really stand out much - a lot of 3 star songs mixed in with one or two 4 star hits. The only song that made it to a playlist that I didn't already know was 'Trouble in the Message Center.' Otherwise, it felt like a lot of stuff thrown at the wall that was mostly fine but unmemorable.
soo british😬
pretty good almost made a 4. funky production
3 ett par bangers, men som många säger är det väldigt brittiskt. Graham Coxons riff är helgalna dock
La verdad, creí que lo iba a disfrutar más. Obviamente conocía bien y me gusta mucho Girls & Boys, pero salvo uno que otro track perdido por ahí, el disco no alcanza nuevamente ese nivel. Se puede escuchar, pero se queda en un meh un tanto decepcionante.
Creatively made music, derivative of Beatles and Kinks. It does the job.
Not bad
I think that old britpop is not my cup of tea (pun intended) 5/10 Will I add this album to my library? NO
Альбом остался в памяти заблюренным
Опять бритпоп...
A great slice of Britpop from one of the Big Four bands of the genre! It was a bit front-loaded to my ear, but solid all throughout.
Estaba bien, he sacado alguna canción que me gusta
I really enjoyed the first track, but then I found the rest of the album to be pretty mid. I did not hate listening to it, but it didn't wow me at any point either. Favorite Track - Girls & Boys Least Favorite Track - The Debt Collector ⭐️⭐️⭐️
First half is way better
C'était ok
Amazing first track but that was tough cause I compared the rest of the album to it. Album definitely had a Supergrass sound to it.
Interesting! It sounded pretty good
its an okay album some good songs here and there its not something that calls you
Muy lindo!
Britpop is not my favorite genre, but this album is quirky and creative and clearly deserves to be on this list. I don’t love it, but I can appreciate the musicality. Also Boys and Girls is a bisexual anthem.
A couple of classics on here, but I still don't get the hype around Blur
bien pero ahí
Some really great tracks on here which are then undercut by some out of place instrumentals. Lyrics weren’t anything to write home about but the music grooved. Got a chuckle from the dichotomy of the last two tracks. Looking forward to listening to some more.
Very British
This band (and members) would have better albums. This is a bit lacking (and I like Britpop) but solid enough. Top tracks: "Girls & Boys," “Parklife”
It was fine
Kinda boring
65/100
Too goofy for my taste but , it was fun. 3/5
Yeah
This is certainly a Britpop classic, released at the height of the Britpop wave and the hype surrounding the ‘feud’ between Blur and Oasis. And yes, the album has a few catchy hits (‘Girls & Boys’, ‘Parklife’), but in the long run it’s too cocky, too superficial for my taste. I prefer Blur’s later albums, as they sound a bit more mature; I can’t really get into this one over the course of a whole album (and even less so with Oasis). Perhaps because I’ve never really warmed to the Britpop wave. Good, probably very good, but just average for me.
Its a decent album from the Britpop era but I'll always be Team Gallagher!
just good
It’s British as hell, and pretty decent
Largely unimpresive britpop with a few standouts.
My second Blur album through this journey, and I enjoyed it more than their debut. The opener was catchier than I expected it to be and I got a good amount out of following the journey of the album. Far Out and To The End were probably my standouts, but upon closer inspection I was able to find value in most of the songs. Will I revisit? Probably not, but it was a nice listen all the same for a band I haven’t spent much time on.
A couple bangers, super influential and a really cool time for music. Not quite my style, but a good record. WOOHOO
classic 90s jam 3.5/5
A very 90s album.
would've been a more enjoyable listening experience if my train wasn't hella delayed and a guy made me move out of his seat even though the reservation things aren't working
Just a couple of British lads knocking about and banging out a few tracks. Surprisingly there are lots more gentler tracks on the album that probably qualify as ballads. However I'm not sure what the om-pa-pa instrumental track is doing there? Did a street busker walk in, record a track and then leave and everybody else was too high to notice? I feel the quality of the tracks drops off after the well known ones.
I always actually like early Blur more than I think when I get to listen to them, songwriting wise, but I really have always been put off by their Estuary English sound. Which is really silly from my point of view, I don’t have an issue with any other accents, event full London working class like the Kinks or Madness. And same today, like the songs as such, the Beatles and even more so Kinks influences but I struggle with the upwardly mobile cockney thing/shtick, and I like Damon, think he’s a good frontman, just my northern prejudices I guess. Appreciate rather than really like, 3 Star
This is better than I remember it being when it was released.
Not too bad, a couple good songs on there. They really do a lot of different stuff.
Stated in brief: Gorillaz >> Blur. Stated at somewhat greater length: This is fine, but tedious in places. I'd heard "Girls & Boys" plenty of times and don't hate it, but it's just sort of a middle of the road pop song. The same can be said of the title track, with its additional rambly spoken word bit differentiating it a bit. I was more taken with the parts that rock out. "Bank Holiday" in particular is a highlight, much in the same way that songs like "M1 A1" or "Punk" stand out on a Gorillaz disc. A lot of Albarn's sensibilities come out here, which is a thing I like well enough, but wouldn't actively seek out. And if I were to seek it out, I'd probably want all the cool features and extra weirdness of Gorillaz.
Some absolute fucking garbage on this
There's about half to a third of a good album here and it's almost exclusively front loaded. I love Blur as a band, but their hit rate was never the biggest. Still, they spanned a breadth of sounds and styles that their contemporaries never really reached, and this is a prime example of it. They're just one of those bands that would have really benefitted from a standard LP length instead of the CD era.
Decent enough listen. Has the only two Blur songs I really like (Girls & Boys + End of a Century) so points for that.
fell short, without the main bangers this album is pretty forgettable for me
This album was good, but I liked it better for how it showed Damon Alburn’s vocal range. He’s my favorite part of Gorillaz, playing 2D.
I can’t decide between a 2 or 3…it’s such a mixed bag. The songs that touch on electro-stuff I found way more appealing and Boys & Girls was one of two Blur songs I knew & that’s an all-timer. It somehow makes felt overambitious (& overly long) despite feeling kinda lofi at the same time.
Probably 3.5. I liked it, I’m not going to go out of my way to listen to more Blur though
Hadn't really heard their songs except for the singles. Turns out there's a reason for that. Some half decent singles, some annoying and the rest are weak
Blur is just that steady band that produces great songs time and time again. Think the Kinks or Elvis Costello. Problem is nothing ever really stands out. I prefer some of their later, more psychedelic works a bit more.
I blinked and half of it was over.
Solid
Well if this doesn't define British pop rock in the 90s I don't know what does. It's got some fun hooks and catchy moments, but a lot of noise just for the sake of it too. I don't think their use of synth is particularly inspired here. A lot of time on this record feels kind of wasted, no reason for it to be 52 minutes. If they trimmed it around the good stuff this could have been special. It's an okay record. Too obtusely British. 3.4/5
i wanted to like this more than i did
Sorry 2-D, but I'm pretty burnt out from all the britpop on the list.
Some good songs but some not so good stuff, overall a little fun but not a regular listen
Mi aspettavo un bel album. Invece è molto noioso.
Amazing Britpop album; they're songs in here that suck me through a time warp and remind me of happier care free times. It's a little longer than it needs to be, and a little messy in its arrangement, but still has all the fun loving spirit of youth in his lyrics and performances. Most enjoyed songs: "Girls & Boys", "Parklife", "Badhead" and "To the End".
Album No. 0183 on my list. I've never been much into Blur to be honest, especially in comparison to their (alleged) rival Oasis, who are amongst my favorite artists of all time. I can't actually name a reason why. The songs I know I actually like, but I've never had much desire to look deeper into Blur. I had known multiple tracks on "Parklife", but I can't remember actually listening to the thing in its entirety. Hence, I was curious how the album would actually be like. After listening to it, I'm not sure what to make of the album, though. It's certainly an icon of the Britpop genre and deserves its spot on the 1001 album list. It does have its great hits ("Girls & Boys", "End Of A Century", and my favorite, "Parklife", i.e. the title track). But in my opinion, there are also some much less memorable songs on this. I really *want* to like this album because of its significance for a genre that I find interesting, but I'm just having a hard time doing so. My guess is that this album is so important because of its cultural significance, influence and the aforementioned hits, but less so due to the quality of the entirety of songs on this. I dunno, maybe I'm also not the biggest fan because I'm more drawn to Northern England (--> Oasis), maybe it' Damon Albarn's singing (which is more suited to Gorillaz in my opinion), I don't know. I feel bad for not liking this more, but that's just how it is. Maybe I'll revisit this one later and change my rating. I'll add the three mentioned hits to my playlist. In the end, this is a solid album for me, but not an all time favorite. 3/5 stars.
I thought it was alright. A couple of bangers
Very British 90s.
Some of these songs are goofy in a very deliberate manner, kind of like the music version of Austin Powers. They're all fun and very quintessential Brit pop. Album started to overstay its welcome around London Loves. What was charming at the start was grating by the end.
Good fun but I'd not consider it anything special.
So 90’s, so British.
ну хз тут есть разнообразие в динамике и инструментале, но и ощущается бритпоп к группе блюр хорошее отношение на альбоме есть хит, но час - много прошел мимо меня, не зацепил 3.1
A good album. I liked many of the songs. It did seem to go on too long because the latter part of the album seemed weaker. I enjoyed it. I’m not sure if I ever would listen again.
Girls & Boys leek mij vooraf de vreemde eend in de bijt. Maar nu ik luister, zit deze bijt vol met vreemde eenden. Zelfs een eend in een Hollands carnavalspakje en een eend uit het spookhuis. Het is wat los zand, maar zeker een luisterervaring die iets toevoegt aan de lijst. De creativiteit doet me wat aan de jaren '60 denken. Tegelijk heb ik geen enkel nummer een like gegeven op Spotify en kan ik niet zeggen dat ik echt genoten heb. Laat ik 3 sterren noteren.
De laatste van de drie Blur albums, uit de hoogtijdagen van de Britpop. We krijgen een beetje een gek album, een ratjetoe van stijlen achter elkaar lijkt het wel. Maar daardoor blijft het ook wel interessant, want er komt continu iets anders voorbij. Dat betekent niet dat ik het nu ineens geweldig vind. Ik heb vorige keren een 3 en een 4 gegeven en de veelvoud aan Blur neigt me nu wederom een zuinige 3 te geven.
Interesting album, not necessarily for me. 6.3/10
Someone in England is going to be offended: this album is adequate. In his book “Your Favorite Band is Killing Me” Steve Hyden talked extensively about the Oasis vs. Blue battles. Both are adequate bands, but I feel like if I would have grown up trapped on an island with limited resources playing on Radio 1, I would have liked either of them better. This album is a conglomeration of Englishness: Girls Who Like Boys was Depeche Mode-ish; Jubilee was Clash-ish; Magic America was Bowie-ish; Clover was Kink-y, and not in the good way; Far Away was White-Album Era Beatles; Bank Holiday a little Sex Pistols-ish. It was well blended English pop rock that somehow bridged homage and reinvention. But when all is said and done it, for me, lacked the uniqueness to make it anything other than …well… adequate.
#287/1001. I think I own this? Perhaps or perhaps not. Surely listened to it quite a lot back then. Girls and Boys is something I still play as a dj every now and then (typically incorporated with 20+ other girls / boys themed songs in a live mash-up). Other than that it has some fun songs and is a nice document of the genre and it's era, but it's it really a record that changed the world? Does it have to be in order to be included? Perhaps the whole Britpop movement is something worth that title and perhaps this album even is one of the best documents of that genre. But still...it's so nineties that it hurts.
Would not buy
Не фанат брит-попа. Вторую половину альбома можно скипнуть
A few great tracks but the repeated use of kitsch sonic tropes from the (e.g.) funfair feels dated and cloying
Girls & Boys // Parklife // To the End // Trouble in the Message Centre // 3.5/5
I wanted this to be better. It was all over the place. I can’t give it two stars, because there are redeeming tracks and, I’ve ranked other albums 3 that should now probably be a 2
Really fun and era-defining! Saved a few songs I hadnt heard before such as Tracy Jacks and London Loves. Optimistic vibe overall, being British was COOL back then (lol)
Despite giving both my last Blur album (self-titled) and my last Gorillaz album (coicidentally, also self-titled) two stars, I was actually pretty stoked to check out Parklife! I wouldn't say I've been on a Britpop "kick" per se, but coming back to Supergrass' I Should Coco more than any other Book Album and enjoying my first listen of Radiohead's The Bends had me more interested in the genre than ever before. Blur's third studio album has been pretty inescapable during my research. It's Pitchfork's #2 "Best Britpop Album," SPIN's #2 "Best Album of the Britpop Era" and is prominently featured on Discogs' "10 Essential Britpop Albums Everyone Should Own." Needless to say, my curiosity was already piqued going into Parklife. I made my breakfast, sat down, put the album on and immediately had a new favorite Blur song in "Girls & Boys." A straight-up dance track as the album's opener? Sign me up! I wish I could say I liked the rest of the album just as much, but I can't. Don't get me wrong – my enjoyment didn't completely fall off a cliff, but none of the other highlights ever veered into "loved" territory for me and the overly-stuffed tracklist led to my interest waning before Side A even wrapped up. Fortunately, Side B managed to bring the LP to a pretty satisfying close – five of my eight favorites landed among the final seven tracks, with "Magic America" and "Jubilee" coming the closest to matching my affinity for "Girls & Boys." All in all, Parklife is an album I enjoyed – just not quite enough to give it a four (though I did wrestle with that decision). I really wish half-stars were an option on this site because it would have been an easy 3.5 under a more granular rating system. While this one being more mid than expected has managed to slightly take the wind out of my sails, I'm still very much looking forward to checking out Oasis and Pulp (along with Supergrass' other Book Album)! Highlights: Girls & Boys, End of a Century, Bank Holiday, London Loves, Trouble in the Message Center, Magic America, Jubilee, Lot 105
I'm starting to run out of clever ways to describe those britpop albums.
I have this and always rated it well below the Oasis albums it was “at war” with, so was looking forward to hearing it again and taking a fresh listen. I was right to prefer Oasis. I like Tracy Jacks as it’s an XTC sounding track, To The End and London Loves, but after that there is too much filler.
Me gustó, lo tendria que volver a escuchar, por ahora no destaque ninguna canción. Se me hace muy repetitivo el sonido, muy lineal. Pero está bueno. El otro día estaba escuchando el homónimo, blur, y no lo termine. Supongo q es una señal para escuchar más de ellos. Suena muy parecido todo, a todo a las bandas similares etc. El álbum no me gusta ni me disgusta, ni fu ni fa, un 7/10
"Parklife" is a quintessential British album; a mixture of genres, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, emphasised Cockney accents. Apart from that, it is a solid piece.
WOOOHOOOOOO-me when I saw this album come up. Girls and Boys and Parklife are great tunes, I never listened to this whole album though. End of a Century sounds like halfway between the 90's and like Arctic Monkeys. The Debt Collector swings a little bit. I like the opener of To the End. Trying to find reasons to like this album, unfortunately aside from the headline singles it's a bit mediocre. Not bad, just not especially good. It's carried by Boys and Girls and Parklife. There are at least a few different sounds here, although none that really leap out. I did enjoy Trouble in the Message Centre, though. It has given me an excuse to listen to Song 2 again, though.
3/5
Pas si mal Blur
Alguna me gusta más que otra, pero aun así, me parece que en lineas generales esta bueno, es entretenido de escuchar y hay canciones que ya conocemos.
To the End is my favorite. 3/5 kind of boring but not awful.
3,3/5
Wanted to like it more than I actually did.
Kinda meh, but some fun. 2.5
This was okay, interesting enough.
Perfectly fine for what it is, and I liked it better than the self-titled album. 3.2
This is on here because its a 90s british album and Robert Dimery really liked that. Nothing really interesting for me on here but not offensively bad
This is one of those records where I can absolutely see why it matters and still not feel much of anything personally. The songwriting is sharp, the arrangements are clever, and the whole Britpop aesthetic is fully formed here. It’s confident, well-crafted, and culturally specific in a way that clearly resonated in the mid-90s. But for me, it never really grabs hold. There’s a lot of character and commentary, but not a lot that feels urgent or emotionally grounding. The satire is smart, the hooks are solid, and the musicianship is tighter than it sometimes gets credit for. Still, I found myself admiring it more than enjoying it. It feels like a well-produced snapshot of a moment rather than something I’m compelled to revisit. Maybe it’s just that Britpop doesn’t quite hit my frequency. I can respect what Blur is doing here without being all that excited by it. Strong craftsmanship. Limited resonance.
Heard of Blur, never listened to a Blur album. Very catchy. Very British. Girls & Boys is repetitive and too long, not a fan of that song. You hear some of that 60s British invasion influence but it’s all more pop-centric. A lot of it is real fun. Kind of prefer when they go heavier into that more 60s sound. End of a Century is great and probably the stand out on the first half of the album. Theres a handful of more 80s pop songs that kinda don’t fit with a lot of the rest of the sound. And also some random harder rock songs that break away from that more 60s influence. It’s a fun album but seems a bit disconnected at times, all over the place. I think it’s a fair 3. Some of the songs I really enjoyed outweigh some of it I didn’t care for.
Huh, I actually liked this more than I expected to? But I didn't love it. I like the sound of it, and I might go back to it every now and then, but I highly doubt it'll ever be a favorite. 3.5
This album is all over the place. Not hear to speak ill of Mr. Gorillaz but I like that project a lot more than Blur. "Boys and Girls" is a fun bi anthem opener but with the Oom Pa Pa of "Debt Collector" and the homage to pub sings of "Clover Over Dover" and the post-mod shred of "Jubilee" this album suffers from identity crisis in a way that makes a sit&listen a little dischordant
Some really good songs and it feels like a snapshot in time of their environment (location, time, age, etc). Quite a varied mix of styles and it's fun. This small period seems to be a moment in time where British music was finding its feet again post what was a economic and music recession. I think it deserves to be on the list, and is possibly one of the finer "britpop" albums. Just not really my thing.
Boys who like Blur who like girls who like Blur
I have never really listened to Blur, mainly because I didn't like Song 2. So far this is mostly boring. Ok... some of this is pretty catchy. Definitely starts to touch into Scottish indie pop as well, which I enjoy.
Blur turns me back to some old memories but i was never a fan.
Well written lyrics with a lot of irony. As the title track, Parklife, was always playing in my favorite beer pub, I can not listen to it without wanting a stout or a porter.
3.5, a few songs drag it just above the normal average 3
Some good little tunes in here and overall a decent album apart from the goofy circus beats I'm not sure what that was about. I'd never listen to a blur album before and only knew the big hits. I know that there was a big Oasis v Blur thing and I definitely prefer Oasis. Standout songs 'Parklife' and 'badhead'. Good but not great.
Vet, aparte stukken, maar soms ook iets te apart
Fun punk album
I did not have this album first time around. Am over familiar with the singles and they still hold up - but otherwise underwhelmed with the rest of the album - do not think I have missed much.
Highlights: Boys and Girls, End of a Century, Parklife. In a nutshell: "Confidence is a preference..." Damon Albarn said in 1990: "When our third album comes out, our position as the quintessential English band of the '90s will be assured. That is a simple statement of fact". And he was right. Fun, bouncy, sunny, and indeed decade defining. Nothin' more to say. Overall: 6/10
Liked it more than expected
Bom, tem um bom replay value, mas não é meu favorito do Blur 6/10
Entweder gute zwei oder sehr schlechte drei Sterne. Manches gefällt mir ganz gut, das meiste finde ich aber leider nervig
(listened to special edition)
I like how they sing
Besser als s letste blur. Aber immer nani big fan 3 skaterpatks
The more i hear, Blur have a few great singles every album bit not enough here to justify the length
Britpop, unfamiliar with the term, as well as the band. It was tolerable.
Classic Blur, amazing songs.
Couple good one but a few borings
It’s ok. Nothing too memorable or bad
soy capaz de ver todas las virtudes y aunque he aprendido a quererlo más y hay temones que me gustan muchísimo, sigue pasando algo que hace que no caiga enamorado como debería. Culpa de mi sordera, imagino. Albarn era el único inglés guapo de los 90', jódete Beckham
I liked this album, Blur is a fun band. Nothing struck me as excessively amazing here but it's always chill.
I enjoyed this album listen from Blur! I think this was my first time listening to an album by them in full. Overall, I thought this was a fun Brit pop album. Nothing mind blowing but enjoyable to listen to even though the songs were a bit repetitive and sounded similar to each other. I would listen to this again in the future!
I think blur is some high quality Brit rock. While not all the songs on this album are memorable it’s a smooth list almost the whole way through.
Fuck I had money on the yellow numbered dog. My wife is going to kill me when she realizes we no longer have a house
I like Blur a lot, but including 3 albums of theirs on this list is unhinged, let's be honest.
This record is kind of all over the place. There is a lot of interesting instrumentation in here, but I didn't always dig what they did with it. Girls & Boys and London Loves are the songs I like best.
It’s good but not quite my taste
- too British - didn’t love it or hate it - probably wouldn’t listen again on purpose
While I can see why it was a hit back in 1994, I have missed it then (..I was just 6 years old) - and today, in 2026, it is still good but not timeless classics type of good. 3 out of 5, just out of respect for the past and for Damon.
Catchy and a classic, but the title track and a couple of others on here almost feel like novelty songs. When they’re not playing up to the cockney geezer role, they could be a really great band.
banger
Bon délire plutot cool
Never listened to this album before but I had recognized the iconic album cover. I enjoyed most of the listen but there were way too many tracks on the special edition to properly digest.
A lot of tracks (16) but not too long (album is 52 minutes). It was enjoyable, some songs deserve more attention than they got, some didn't struck my mind as much as it did with most people. Lot 105 serves no purpose and is, as such, indispensable.
This is like Cheap Trick for British people.
sometimes his voice got a bit annoying and it was a bit long but besides that i enjoyed it
Has a few bangers, but overall a little bit disappointing
About as mid as the other blur album
5/10 some good tracks, but probably won’t revisit
Those lovable, cheeky, not-Cockneys here with their third album, which gave us Girls & Boys, To the End, This is a Low and of course the mighty title track (Phil Daniels was, is, and always will be a proper lej). Jaunty and fun
I thought it wore its influences on its sleeves a bit too much but a fun listen still!
Some bangers, some flops. I would pull songs from this to put into a playlist, but might not return to the full album very often.
So I only know Blur as the “song 2” band. Like I’ve always assumed they were a one hit wonder. But I was pleasantly impressed with this album. It starts with the best track on the album “Girls & Boys” which I actually was familiar with. And there were a few other gems throughout like “London Loves” “Tracy Jacks” and “end of a century”. There’s even a few fun little interludes like “Lot 105”. My only big criticisms are that I wish there were more humor or silliness to the album. I found lot 105 super refreshing cause it was super quirky sounding, but it came way too late as the final track. I also think that as whole there was a lot of skippable forgettable tracks that I didn’t remember on second listen and didn’t care for at all. Honestly an impressive album even if I’m not gunna buy it, perfectly solid and respectable radio rock album.
Kinda forgettable album, I liked Parklife and would revisit that, but could not name another song off of this album if someone asked me too. Wasn't bad, just wasn't amazing.
A few standout tracks, including some that had a lot of radio play where I was living when this album came out. There are a few tracks that almost dip into the sounds that would eventually be Gorillaz. And the occasional off the wall song that just don't fit in. They intrigue me. But so much of the rest was a wash. Girls & Boys Parklife
Blur is good. like they have some great songs. I play girls and boys like once a week. its really great very catchy and the music video is lit af (young damon albarn is really cute) but they are just so fucking british. it disturbs me. High 3 low 4
So much Brit-pop in this list! So much a moment in time. But this holds up pretty well. Still sounds happy, at least.
Couple of great, lots of okay.
Some absolute classics muddied by lots of filler
very fun
already listened to boys&girls and parklife but the rest of the album is kinda meh not really my cup of tea but also not horrible
Very indie
marili akdla. oasis tops
Songs: 9/16 Overall a great album but I’m not a huge fan of the singer. Album has great tunes here and there but mostly sound the same or are an interlude throwaway.
It was super fun. Will revisit. Standout tracks: -Girls &Boys -Parklife -Magic America Least favorite tracks: N/a Listened to on drive home from work. Finished while doing diamond pushups at home.
I've always enjoyed the Girls & Boys song. Not super into the rest of the album, although it was enjoyable.
3.5
Sehr British, a bissl fad. Das Album soll die brit-pop-welle losgetreten haben und Blurs Magnum Opus sein. Versteh ich nicht ganz. Anscheinend bin ich weniger brit-pop-Fan als gedacht. 'Boys & Girls' und 'Parklife' sind ganz gut. Der Rest stolpert so dahin, holt sich aus unterschiedlichen Genres Inspiration, kreiert aber selten hängenbleibendes. Ab und zu blitzt was interessantes durch, aber zu selten.
Only familiar with a couple of their songs so this album was good to listen to
girls who like boys banger other than not my vibe
Didn't know Blur had so many albums. They always fell into the category of one hit bands in my universe. So today I learned something new. This album is fine, it even has good songs (sparsely distributed among the overall boringness). Liked tracks: London loves, clover over dover, girls and boys
Pretty creative yet somehow generic britpop album
To the End is brilliant
As one of this website's certified Britpop haters, and not a huge fan of Blur in general, I actually quite enjoyed this. And that's saying a lot. I was 100% expecting to hate every moment of this going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of the tracks. There's just so much more personality, variety, and genuinely solid hooks, melodies, and riffs here than I've heard from most other Britpop bands. It actually feels like an homage to classic British pop and psych music from the '60s rather than another boring take on '90s alternative. I do, unfortunately, think that it's still pretty frontloaded, but the front is just really damn good. 'Girls & Boys' is a super cutesy and catchy track, and 'End of Century' might be my favorite song I've heard out of these dudes, with such a well-written chorus. The title track was also pretty noteworthy because it feels relentlessly British in its observational lyricism and delivery. And you can't tell me that's not the most Beatles-sounding chorus ever. 'Bedhead' was a nice, slower song, and 'Clover Over Dover' has this mystical and almost '60s psych-sounding lead. So yeah, pretty neat. Not every song hit, but at least most of the songs here felt unique and distinguishable. It was also very heartfelt and colourful, in many ways, I see Damon's Gorillaz sound bleeding through this particular album more than any other Blur album I've heard.
It's fine. Good music with vocals that occasionally get annoying.
I feel like I’ve been giving a lot of threes lately, but they’re all honest threes. This is another one of those albums. There are great songs here, but there are also a lot of good songs that are just that. Nothing wrong with them at all, and I really enjoy them, but they aren’t on that “great” level. Conversely, there isn’t really much here that I didn’t care for, and I like Blur in general, so it was a very good album with some great tracks.
6/10
Carino, niente di che, qualche canzone l'ho trovata proprio insignificante ma altre mi sono piaciute di più.
Opening with Girls & Boys is AMAZING!
very good
So I generally like Britpop, and this is a seminal Britpop album- and yet- I hate significant portions of this album. I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize why- Damon Albarn is a horrible vocalist and generally speaking an insufferable twat. “Oh no! American culture is having an outsized impact on the world at large! Especially my precious England!” Jesus dude. There are no other topics around which to base your concept album? There are still enough good songs on this record (“Parklife,” “This is a Low”) to justify a decent score but for me this is a verrrrry soft THREE STARS
Really liked a few songs, some were not great though
Enjoyed the two well known tracks
Too poppy
Good album some great songs and a great flow to it, but didn't WOW me yk? Little bit TOO britpopy, but I can appreciate the social influence it had. Can't decide how I feel about Girls & Boys. Favs: Tracy Jacks Badhead To the end Clover Over Dover This is a low Didn't love: Bank Holiday The debt collector
0/16 bekannt 6/10 Beste Songs: Girls & Boys, Bank Holiday, magic america
Fine, even good I say. Could share this, not itching to but could also see it catching me on later.
It’s leaning more toward 2 stars because of songs that stood out like “To the End”. Title track is garbage and it seems like the most popular tracks were my least favorite. Flows okay as an album, but the highs were very high and the lows were very low. I found the ending more enjoyable but there were some great songs along the way. Pretty solid.
A little longer than it needed to be. A couple decent songs but mostly generic brit pop. Standout Songs: End of a Century Badhead To the End Jubilee
the only decent britpop band turns in another fine one
this was a good fun listen. i recognized one of their albums stand outs: girls and boys, london loves, bad head 6.5/10
i like de orgel intermissions
Solid enough album. A good 3/5. But didn't do anything too exciting, and seemed like a bit of a slog toward the end. Solid Britpop, not much else to say.
Blur is always a tricky one for me. I don't like Britpop really at all, but there's something about Blur that's so charming. It's not all great. It's a bit hit or miss if I'll like a song or not, and I felt that the second half of the album was significantly stronger than the first part. I prefer Damon Albarn's work in Gorillaz, but his charm and character is still present in his work with Blur. While this wasn't always great, it was fun and I did enjoy it.
The happy nature of this album contrasts significantly to the grunge movement in the states that was also popular at that time, but very much conforms to the sound of other British rock bands also prevalent in the early 90’s. A very solid album. Highlights: End of a century, title track, boys &girls
They flip the pages of the book and have a go at every style they see, but it ranges from upbeat-rocky tracks to eclectic-novelty tracks that are mostly all there for a moment of fun, not really anything that would stick with me outside of the album listening experience and saying "those lads sure are kooky for that one"
Very nineties sounds. We liked the album because it had variety, some surprising songs and was well composed. Music was not our preferred genre.
On first listen I really didn't like any of the first half of this album, something about the instrumentals just really bothered me. Then the second half was a lot nicer to the ear so I tried the first half again and noticed it was quite decent, it definitely is growing on me
Good album, nothing too crazy though, probably wouldn't listen fully again, the few songs I did like were alright
I kind of like this album, but this wasn’t really what I felt like listening to this morning.
I found this album very uneven. The forays into punk and polka were not my thing but there are some great pop/rock songs on here. In my opinion this eclecticism worked for Damon Albarn much better on the Gorillaz albums than this one.
I don’t connect with Blur this side of their self-titled album, but a handful of Parklife songs are among their best (This is a Low, To the End, End of a Century) and point towards the band that Blur eventually settles into. These earlier Blur albums sound like a band influenced more by the whimsical Beatles songs than the more serious/thoughtful ones. As awhole, there’s more here that annoys me than delights me, even if they're pretty well written and performed and beloved "across the pond".
It's fine, is it really a landmark album? Eh
Kind of sometimes kind of not, in the middle, I think I'm missing something Will I listen to again: 75%
Not much to say about this one. Mixed responses to the tracks. Some of them I enjoyed very much, others came across as noise. It's very British.
Like Oasis but with more calories. I don't know if Blur still sells out arenas but perhaps they should. Maybe too British, in the grand tradition of bands who never really translated over the pond. See also: The Jam, The Smiths
Don't get the need for 3 Blur albums. There's a couple outstanding tracks, the rest is meh.
Didn't finish but liked what I listened to
Fun and catchy BritPop that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Easy math: 4stars for being good, averaged with 2stars for being yet another britpop, and it’s a 3star album.
3.5
Fun, but maybe I should give it a few more listens to have it shine.
I get why people like this, but it’s not something I’ll be coming back to.
Expected to enjoy it more than I did. Maybe leans a bit too much into the pop of britpop. A few great songs, but too much forgettable filler.
I liked it a lot more on a second listen. It sounds very 90s, but I like the variety of influences and vibes across the track list. None of the songs really stood out enough to want to put them on a playlist but it was an enjoyable listen.
Peak Britpop. Distinct Sgt. Pepper vibes.
Some of these songs were hittin
This was the opposite of strangers. I was expecting to like it more. However I found, while still good, it was a bit lackluster
Blur are very British. I think this is the main thing holding me back from loving them, along with a number of other artists. Some British artists wear their culture on their sleeves, and I can feel like an outsider looking in. I enjoy their music, but I don't deeply connect with it. It feels as though it wasn't made with me in mind. I get the sense that this music contains dozens of nostalgia triggers that would get pressed if you had grown up in England: music your grandparents listened to, old TV theme songs, character types from the neighborhood, and just a general English sensibility, along with any number of other cultural references that go over my head. If you grew up in England, you would get all the jokes and winks and nods. But as an American born shortly before this album came out, I'll always be a step behind. The other day, we had a different Damon Albarn album on this list -- The Good, The Bad & The Queen -- and I noted that they sounded like The Kinks. Blur sounds like The Kinks too. I like The Kinks a lot, and they're definitely very British, but there's something about the songwriting on most of their albums that transcends culture and lands that emotional connection for me. Sometimes it's here on "Parklife," sometimes it's not. A lot of Damon Albarn projects have one or two major standout tracks, and then a lot of forgettable songs. "Girls & Boys" is the standout here. Great song. It really captures a fun, youthful, and horny energy. There’s an impressive mix of styles on this album. There’s a lot here. I’m impressed, even if I’m not totally wow’ed. Incredible album cover though. I’ve wanted to listen to this album for years because I saw the album cover and thought, “That must be a great album.”
Fun fact: at 1:32 in the video for Girls & Boys a young Simon (aka The Red Wiggle) can be seen having a good time ON HOLIDAY
Some quirky songs
It was good. I knew Girls & Boys and Parklife. Very British which I liked
Seriously, this list has more than one Blur album?
I would have leaned more to the side of Blur being a gay band had I heard this album first . It’s not as hard and to the point as the Song 2 album. Side note: Blur and Damon Alburn to that fact have been one of the few British bands/ people that don’t hide their accent in their songs. Sometimes is surprising when you find out a band is British because they sing so normally. Anyways I don’t think I will ever give a Damon Alburn project 5 stars. It just lacks a little extra something. And this album seems to lack direction. I can see why they would get signed, even if it were based on a demo of this album. But it just lacks a little more of something. It could be that the energy of the vocals never matches the music. It’s also the other way around. I’m not impressed. Good thing I was prepared for that. Choice cut: Girls and Boys
There are some amazing songs on here. And some mediocre ones.
Geht so
This album grows on you even if I don't really like Blur much at all
I remember first listening to this album after the sensation of "Song 2" when I went through the Blur back catalogue. "End of the Century" and "Girls and Boys" both caught my ear. I've had this album in my rotation ever since, "Girls and Boys" being the track I probably hear most often. I had been out of touch with music for a while so had missed the Brit Pop trend of the early 90s until being introduced to this album. I preferred Blur to Oasis as more direct successors to The Housemartins.
Decent Rock
Blur is a band I feel like I’m supposed to like. But I just don’t. They are certainly not bad, and I don’t dislike the is record. It just does absolutely nothing for me.
It started out fun then the debt collector sounded like straight up clown music which I hated and it kept getting weirder throughout. Overall it was fine though.
Ich möchte Blur eigentlich mehr mögen und feiere ihren Expertenierwillen. Nur leider geht am Ende einiges nicht für mich auf und selbst ihre besseren Songs fallen für mich meist nur in die Kategorie "ganz gut". So verhält es sich auch hier.
Girls and Boys 4evaaaa
Favorite Track: Baghead
Not my favourite Blur album by a long shot.
Fine album, catchy at times. Felt longer than it was. 3/5
Not a bad album and certainly more than just the hits. A few different genres which I wasn't expecting too.
Not bad. A couple I liked. 3/5.
It's a fun pop album with some good songs. Yet it is two unfocused and you could really tighten this album by cutting a fair amount of songs. Really could probably closer to a 3 1/2 tbh
sorry brandon. even blur can't make me tolerate british people. also the title track fucking sucks. (that said, this album is fun and energetic, and yeah, fine, i love damon albarn, especially because he talked shit about t swift a few years ago and that made me kinetically sexually attracted to him)
I'm admittedly a Damon Albarn hater, and it's nice to know that the Oasis bros share my opinion of him. That being said, I like Blur regardless of Damon's involvement. I discovered them backwards when they reunited for 'The Magic Whip' in 2015. I think I heard 'Leisure' next, then 'Parklife,' my least favorite of the three. I appreciate the concept behind the album and enjoy some songs, but there are also some complete misses for me. The title track sounds like a song that plays at the end of a Bob's Burgers episode. "End of a Century" absolutely rips.
I wish it had more of a distinctive quality to it. It’s fine, just could use something to make it memorable.
Some solid, whimsical, sarcastic rock. More albums should have an interlude of old timey carnival music
I think if I gave this album a few more listens it might grow on me? Is there something there? It’s definitely in the area of what I like I just don’t know if I like this yet?
I experienced the Brit Pop wars more through criticisms and Wikipedia entries than studied listens of Oasis and Blur. Maybe it’s my love for Radiohead. They’re the undisputed kings of any modern music from Britain. But I always sided with Blur because I like Gorillaz and think the Gallagher brothers are cunts. I’ve seen Noel. He was a massive prick. Great tunes, but actively shitting on the crowd in between. I’m sure Damon is an arrogant guy but people seem to love working with him so maybe not. But this isn’t an oasis review, this is a Parklife review. This album feels mad British. It’s meant for those ears, not mine. It’s solid though. I love the titular track. Dont always love the rapping bits on the album. It feels like each of these songs has something to it that I really like coupled with things I really don’t care for. (Ex. I love the intro to Teouble in a Message Center, I dig the backing vox in the chorus. Don’t care for the verse vox.) Girls and Boys is a bit of good fun. I feel like I hear The Specials and their Muzak sensibilities, I think they borrow from the club scene with their drum work and the danceabikity This actually ended up being a double listen. It’s definitely growing on me. The first half of this album has some fun stuff. End of a Centruy has some good ballad vibes. Badhead is so fucking good. A follow up with Debt Collector and Far Out is certainly a choice. My first thought was “this must be some British shit I don’t understand” which is probably correct and my follow up though was “o it’s Damon Albarn, he just loves to make sounds.” And I dig that when I view it through that lense. I mean, I still don’t like the music but I like the spirit. I thibk this album worked its way from a 2 to a very solid 3.
Solid stuff with lowering quality when album reached its end. I started to feel repetation in songs but rather good feeling continued throughout album
I’ve always been more Blur-boy than Oasis-boy back in the day — still am, really. But this album was about 50% too long. First half was good.
I've always been more of a Oasis guy, while Blur was fine and good, it didn't really pick me up. This album has too much still moments, while the good songs are really good, the slow stuff takes all of the momentum away.
Ok, so I was dreading a Britpop album which I knew this list has plenty, but this is actually much better than I expected, not half bad. Will probably give it 3 stars, cannot see going above that because it's a bit boring to me still. Album opener really stands out to me "Girls & Boys" and it reminds me of Bowie style which is a good thing. Skipped quite a few tracks on 2nd listening and couldn't get to listen for the 3rd time so no more than 3.
Okay
There’s a few hits in here, but much like other Blur or Gorilla albums, I can’t fully get into them. Specially Blur.
I don't find this very compelling, but it's ok.
Was hoping for more. A few great tracks. Really like Damon albarn so was hoping for a better insight. Brit pop ehhh
Fun, britpop has never been my thing and this album didn't bring me round. Didn't hate it though
Parklife is technically excellent - great musicianship, cool genre-hopping - but it never quite clicked for me - back when it was released and it still doesn’t today. To me, Blur sometimes sound like they’re sneering at their subjects rather than being part of their world. That said, when they drop the smirk on slower tracks like “To the End” and “This Is a Low,” they’re genuinely moving. Strong 3 stars.
Jollain tapaa klassikkokamaa itselleni. Tykkään tuosta brittiaksentista aina!
good album, some songs were a little bit annoying, but i enjoyed the rest. 3
Some good songs that I recognize.
Blur is right, went by without much details sticking in my brain. Fine, fun, nice background music.
Pewnie miałem coś do napisania o tym albumie w momencie, kiedy go słuchałem. I pewnie jeszcze więcej, kiedy słuchałem go po raz drugi. Ale po dwóch tygodniach zatarł się w mojej pamięci i nic z niego nie pamiętam. Poza tym, że chyba chciałem mu wystawić 3, na pewno nie więcej.
I had low expectations of this due to the last Blur album. I was surprised when this started off well enough. I did grow bored towards the end, but I’m going to give it a bump in rating for exceeding my expectations.
Two songs that I appreciated. On this list that ranks a three