Reviews (page 8 of 13)
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
There is a really good 40 minute album in there. Strong 3
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
Didn't hate didn't love
Heard the two bangers a million times before and they always slap, rest of the album is decent too
Gutes Rock-Album. Girls & Boys ist bekannt. 3/5
Been stuck on this album for a while due to the birth of my daughter, so it's been hard to listen straight through. And it's fine, it didn't pull me in fully to hold me for its duration, but I would say I really enjoyed Parklife, Tracy Jacks, anda couple others. I like Damon in the Gorillaz so much more, but this does feel like a foundation to some weirdness.
Not too bad. Way better than Oasis, anyway.
7.5/10
Now I've heard the rest of the album that the single came from. Not bad I'll listen to this again
It’s undeniably British, it’s undeniably fun.
Solid album with fun tracks
Not great
Definitely not top-notch
Parklife is a vibe. It's funky, rocky, carnival-y? and a bit oddball. I think this one needs a couple listens to really absorb. It's got a lot of meat on its bones to digest. It feels like it captured the feeling of England back in the 90s. I can't explain it because I wasn't there, but I feel it somehow. I actually get Porcupine Tree vibes from several of these songs, and they're from the same-ish time frame, so that was an interesting pull in my brain. The album features some great basslines and some catchy guitars, also the styles used by the songs keep things moving and interesting. It is a long album, though, but I don't feel it overstayed it's welcome. Standouts were "Girls & Boys" "Parklife" "To The End" and "This Is A Low." Overall, I had fun but I think this is a 3 star album, very very close to a 4. Parklife is fun but things kind of blend together after a while. There are some standout songs though that will go on a playlist. I'd have probably rated this higher if I grew up with the album, but as a Blur outsider I thought it was good but not exceptionally great. I do want to listen to some more Blur though!
Nice little album. I enjoyed it!
Previously rated: #116 - Blur (3/5) #922 - Modern Life Is Rubbish (3/5) *************************************** Album #936 Another Blur album. Fine. It's just so annoyingly Bri'ish innit? Best track: End of a Century (?)
Pretty good britpop album, not my favorite but definitely a fun album.
A slightly mental album that I can't help but like for the most part. It's all over the place, energetic and playful, with some truly standout moments. Despite the positives though it feels too long and filled with some really forgettable moments. A good listen overall but it's left me feeling confused as to why the album is regarded as one of the best Brit-Pop albums, and feeling that anyone comparing Blur to Oasis need to give their head a wobble.
3.5 rounded down, I don't know why. There are some good tunes here but it's not what I was expecting. How were these guys feuding with Oasis on the charts?! They're so different!
Quintessential 90s brit alt rock/shoegaze, Damon Alban has a great voice and the music is super accessible. I feel like the US knows them as a OHW for Song 2, but they have a lot more to offer. All that said, it didn't blow me away, honest 3.
più attivo
A couple upbeat tracks, some nice variety. But this could have been a shorter album. I checked out for the last few tracks.
Neat listen and first time hearing the whole album. I'm a big Damon Albarn fan from Gorrilaz and some other Blur work. He gives me Beck vibes where he's just a wealth of sounds and musical knowledge. Lotta ideas to put down and I think 15 or 16 tracks. Didn't have the generational bangers but some good ones and covers a lot of sonic ground.
3.5/5 was really into this band for a brief period during middle school, because i was really into gorillaz and i had discovered that damon albarn was a part of this band on accident. They had a couple of really catchy songs but overall it doesnt hold up as well as I remembered. its just overly british fav tracks - this is a low, girls and boys
Fun britpop. I like britpop. I have nothing else to add
Yeah Blur is fine.
A curious mixture of classics and mostly meh and forgettable. 3/5
Surprising how little I liked this. I guess I prefer their other albums
It was fine
Plenty that I recognised, a classic from my past.
Very original and influential, especially on early 2000s British indie rock. Not exactly my cup of tea but a nice listen.
Fine.
Decent album on a decent day of birth
Damon Albarn can construct very good pop songs. This album lost it's way at some point. Could have been a tighter 40 minute album.
Solid. Fun.
1994 I liked it in '94, I'm not so keen now. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ❌️ no need Revisit 🫳 We've all moved on ★★★☆☆ (6/10)
Great album, original, fun, but not really my thing.
I was never bothered to enter the Oasis v Blur debate. But if I was pushed I did prefer the Northern English gritty sound over the southern cheeky chappie cockney which I identify Blur has. That’s not to say that I dislike Blur. In fact I do own this album. It’s not a favourite but thought it worthwhile having in my collection due to it’s popularity and high ratings by those in the know. Like most Blur albums I am familiar with there are one or two good songs but these and interspersed between fillers which revert to the aforementioned “Cor blimey guv, I’ll have a jellied eel with me auld man” type. Blur are/were great musicians but these sound they produced never entirely resonated with me. 3/5 17/9/25
An album that starts big but tails off heavily towards the end. A couple of songs that sit permanently in the public zeitgeist, so impossible to not see the contribution here. Am happy to leave the album fillers along and just listen to the classics, so overall, a bit mid.
A couple of clear bangers that far exceed the rest, which just bob along nicely but don't do a huge amount. The bangers are elevated by the nostalgia attached to them.
Overall as an album it is ok. Clearly some big songs in terms of Parklife and Girls & Boys and some other highlights in there as well. But there is some filler. It is a good album and good for the background.
I don't think I've ever listened to a Blur album outside of greatest hits - generally I don't think I was missing too much but credit where it's due there's some fun bits on here. Much more variety of sounds than some of their Britpop peers. Oompah
1. litt kul 2. meh 3. litt kul, kmf 5. nei.
lett, luftig, føles sommerlig samtidig som det er litt futt og aggresjon i det Liker Blur, men blir litt mye med et album kanskje. Digger noen låter, men på nåværende tidpsunkt litt ensformig. Generelt mye trøkk og litt stemning. INtressant i kontekst av sin samtid
Not too shabby, think they have better stuff
It's alright some good songs. But not enough. Stand out song - London loves
The album starts off strongly and after a few tracks it feels like it goes downhill. The opening track and the title track are both good and this is a solid album, it just doesn’t maintain the quality it starts with the whole way through
j'ai passé un bon moment mais c’était pas wow non plus, je le réécouterai sûrement pas.
Britpop. Another category I totally missed. This is one of the reasons I enjoy this list so much. Without going into specifics, I just enjoyed this album very much. Very refreshing. I look forward to exploring their other albums.
Boys & Girls is a straight banger. Every other song is just okay though.
Horrible histories ahh. Most of this seriously sounded like something you would hear on CITV (especially bank holiday) It was ok at best and way too long for not a lot of good songs but there are a few highlights which at least made it worth a listen. The guy’s vocals were kind of annoying, especially when he was trying to hit high notes., the instrumentals were sometimes punky, sometimes poppy, I liked the electronic dance effects in some songs (like the first one despite the overall cheesiness of the song), the other instruments were nothing special bar a few guitar riffs and licks which were nice. I think in summary the album definitely suffered from them sounding like they weren’t taking themselves seriously enough but when they did it was good which I think reflects in my favourites from here. Favourites: The debt collector, Trouble in the message centre, Clover Over Dover and This is a low. Overall, 5/10.
This was fun! Judging an album by its cover it automatically got 5 stars from me, but after listening I toned it down.
I was not truly familiar with Blur’s game before listening to this album. I’m not convinced they’re THE “quintessential” Brit-pop band but i would say this is an essential Brit pop album. Took a few tries to get into it, but once I did, I found myself really enjoying the back half more than the front half. Would listen again probably.
Really fun couple of listens. Ended up liking this album a lot more than anticipated. You can hear the classic British influences on (what at the time was) the next generation: elements of The Beatles, The Kinks, Elvis Costello, and The Who with posh, modern flair make this album a perfect snapshot of 90s working class England. Both scathing in its criticism and Pythonesque in its humor, this is a band I didn’t give much of a chance the first time around, but am definitely going to revisit their discography.
Not digging it.
Jag "missade" egentligen Britpop-vågen, men visst är det bra grejer! I Blurs Parklife finns flera bra låtar, även om jag inte placerar de som "ikoniska"
Cool but seems like the pop version of the clash
Mot da best from blur but good
Es mi album favorito de Blur, junto con The Great Scape...asi que estoy encantada con la elección
pretty good
Boring britpop mostly, but there were a few interesting songs sprinkled throughout to keep me entertained.
too long and too british
Brit rock rockksss. Blur a bit less straightforward rock.
Good players and music I like, seemed to lack a little soul to me.
Didn't really connect with it.
This was very British. Not in a bad way, just not my cup of tea... Get it? Lolz. 3 stars
Somehow I missed Blur in the '90s. This hits so many of my sweet spots, tho. Definitely gonna revisit it.
very britty
This was kind of cool. Seems innovative for the time.
Decent Brit Pop
Not a big Blur (or Britpop) guy, but Parkife, Badhead, To the End, Magical America (great chorus!) and This Is a Low are great songs. Besides that the album mostly swings between annoying and irrelevant.
Decent
It was okay 3/5
there's no battle at all
Досі мене дивує той факт, що Blur якийсь час йшов нога в ногу з Oasis по рівню популярності та продажам в UK. З однієї сторони це якась містерія, а з іншою це максимально британський альбом. Якщо порівнювати його з тим, що відбувалось в в 94 в штатах, то він буде здаватися альбомом з минулої епохи. Альбом досить різноманітний, є хіти, є ще більше філерів. Є дуже цікаві гітарні партії та й різноманіття стилістичне теж присутнє.
British punk, not my jam but not bad
Some interesting bits, especially the songs I’ve never heard before. Also some Costello-esque boredom.
Yet another generic 80s/90s rock album
# Playlist Track - Girls & Boys # Notes - Very solid start! Opening track is killer! It sadly loses momentum after 6-7 tracks and it's a bit disappointing towards the end. - It is a pretty good britpop album, but it's still britpop.
An album I initially rated 1/5 - for the longest time, I couldn't stand it, mainly because of bad past associations and experiences that songs from it had soundtracked. Damon Albarn's voice and mockney-isms also require a fair bit of getting accustomed to, which I had initially dismissed as being entirely silly. All of a sudden, a year or so later, I felt it necessary to reappraise my lowest rated albums, and this suddenly clicked into place for me, particularly when I paid closer attention to the lyrics. There is a notable drop off towards the second half of the album, which does prevent me from awarding it any higher than a 3.
3.5
3.5
Fun. Eclectic. Love the energy and diversity. Understand if someone rates this a 5, but not me. Except for Girls&Boys none of the songs really make me want to live in the sonic world that it creates.
Weird fishes, nude and all I need are exceptional
Albans songwriting chops are on full display in this record, containing some fun and catchy britpop songs but the album does drag on a bit too long and too varied in focus
Pretty enjoyable. I'd only heard Song 2 before by them, which i had heard wasn't exactly representative of their sound, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Some fun weird guitar solos in there. Not sure if I'll ever revisit it intentionally, but i wouldn't mind hearing it again. Looking forward to whatever other albums of theirs will come up
Album kind of goes by in a blur, in that it wasn't particularly memorable after one lesson. Some interesting mix of rock/electronic elements for an early 90s album
Banger first song. The rest felt a little boring for me
I like the songs that switch to more of a spoken voice commentary. -2.5/5
PAHKLOIFE Blur was never as good as Oasis, plain and simple. Oasis had a knack for creating catchy tunes that whisper sweet nothings in your ear with its ambiguous lyricism. Blur is just fun! I like Blur.
They’re so British
Honestly, I was expecting a little more from blur... I can definitely feel the early gorillaz sound that Damon Albarn was trying to cultivate, but it felt way to brit-pop for me. Give me this album and I'll just wish it was a Green Day album, but I can appreciate the opening track which is timeless, and London Loves for what they brought to the table and are the only reason I would give this a 3 and not a 2, though this may be harsh because I had high expectations for stuff Damon Albarn has had a hand in.
i think i prefer damon albarn as a horrible little cartoon freak
Definitively britpop, however has some weirdness about it that does not really heard on other groups. No wonder this guy went and created Gorillaz, heh, so much creativity.
This is a very different album from something that I would generally listen to. It's very British and pretty fun. It isn't my favorite on this list but it was fairly enjoyable for the most part.
Iconic artwork. Nostalgia for the hits, but sadly several misses. I like they could be experimental and playful under the potential commercial pressures of maintaining that Britpop success, but some of the tracks fall a bit flat. 3.5
Hasn't aged especially well, a few good tunes.
Was okay, found myself a bit bored in the middle of the album.
Few Good famous songs
I gave it two chances. There was only One song i loved, which was Clover Over Dover. The others were also okay, but I didnt LOVE the album.
I enjoyed it, especially the first song, but do not feel the band settled into a musical style that was clear and identifiable. At times they sounded like Bowie, and than got very :poppy", and over the course of the album I started to drift as I could not center on the bands perspective and where they wanted to go with their music. With that being said, the first song is catchy and a lot of fun.
Not my favorite of Blur’s work but a decent album nonetheless
3.5
The most british 90's pop rock I have ever heard. A fine listen just not for me
I liked it more than I expected, but not my taste generally. I wonder how future generations will find Brit Pop. Growing up in the states I wasn't exposed to much of it in the 90s so I have no nostalgic connection. In a vacuum, it's a good album that takes some nice risks, but simply not my genre of choice.
While listening to this, I was looking (on Wikipedia) at Britpop and Jangle Pop and Let's Active and Mitch Easter and Don Dixon... but this was a bit too forgettable.
Some interesting variety. Not the best, but decent.
Not what I was expecting, since the only thing of theirs that I knew was Song 2. A bit too long and a bit too repetitive, but still interesting.
Like Oasis, and I like it. Enjoyed Boys and Girls a lot.
Starts off strong but tails off
Lost me at some parts More like a 3.75 for me
2.5 stars I’ve never understood the hype of this record. I grew up on early Oasis and never really knew much Blur. When they reunited and headlined Coachella I gave their music a listen. I had my sights on this album because of its high praise. And after a few listens, I was baffled. I didn’t get it. Not that it’s bad. There is enough good music here to satisfy, certainly. But it’s jumbled and overstuffed and forgettable. Nothing about it screamed tentpole for Britpop to me. Listening today didn’t change my mind. I enjoyed aspects and zoned out others. It’s fine.
Perfectly fine mid 90s British alternative music. Not my favorite. But not bad.
Fairly forgettable.
I've always been on the fence about Blur. I like some of their singles, and I like other things that Damon Albarn has done, but I don't really enjoy listening to Blur albums in their entirety. I've tried Parklife severale times in the decades since it came out, and it still doesn't do much for me. Not mad at it, just not an album I'm probably ever going to reach for. 2.5/5
As sick as I am of all the britpop in this list, this one strikes a decent balance of mid-90s sensibility and carelessness that only Damon Albarn could provide. 3/5, not a mainstay but not a waste of time.
Enjoyed listening to this one, nice 90s alt!
Ok. I recognized Girls & Boys, but nothing on it was really my jam.
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. Stark 3.a.
Fantastic out the gate, but really falls apart in the final straightaway
Bri’ish innit
It’s interesting
The epitome of 90s English rock music for me. Not music I listen to everyday anymore but some songs are still burned in my memory for 25 years now.
Nice tunes!
Like an experimental alt-rock album
3.5/5
Passed me by at the time; I was Oasis over blur in 1994. Blue got better, oasis got worse. This has some great tracks on it but overall is too art-rock for me and most of it is a bit bland or isn’t very memorable.
Ok but v 90s
Bassist is very underrated. Album has lost a bit of its sheen from being too locked to its decade thematically. Some songs have aged better than others. Still a fun listen
It's missed me. I'm just not feeling it. I enjoyed Girls and Boys for one lyric and but musically I'm meh to the tune. Some of the lyrics are good and I think I would enjoy them more if the music had a different arrangement. Like it's just to peppy for some songs and the lyric should have some gravity to it but it just doesn't. I'm just not a fan of blur I guess.
I don’t understand what British people love about this album. It’s truly a downfall from their great early rockers. I understand this is Britpop, it’s not bad it’s just nothing special. In the right environment I could enjoy a song or two at a time.
3.5 The middle really sags for me, but starts and ends with some of the 90s’ best rock. Favorites: “Girls and Boys”; “End of a Century”; “Bank Holiday”; “This is a Low”
ah the brits pretty decent
Not my fav blur album, but a good one
Half is as expected - britpop (which itself is blues inflected post-punk?). Other half is more experimental, sounds like Gorillaz. Best tracks are singles, otherwise have - London Loves and Trouble in the Message Centre
Yeah good not bad not great
Buen album, no se si lo escucharia seguido pero puede ser un gusto adquirido
So 90's brit pop. 3.5, but rounding down (not worth going up)
One good song, lots of average/forgettable songs...
I like two songs, the rest just does not stand out to me.
I like Britpop more in theory than reality
Not my favorite but it wasn’t bad.
Some good stuff here. There's some filler that detracts. Very British.
Girls & Boys is probably Blur's second best song
Not my jam, but there were some moments.
3’5
Look, I'm sure that this album was very big and influential in 1994, but it sounds like the background music in several different parts of an Austin Powers movie. Lot 105 is an obvious parody of Brak's "Don't Touch Me." Favorite Song: Bank Holiday
OK, not my favorite
GIRLS/BOYS BE MY FAVORITE SONG OUT OF THE LABUM
Enjoyable listen.
Not too bad had some bangers but not my fav
This album is ok. I am not a fan of Brit Pop but I would listen to this again.
Interesante
Perusbrittikamaa.
Ok, kuunneltavaa mutta kyllä näistä tämän aikakauden britti pop/rock bändeistä tulee fiilis, että ovat toinen toisen perään samasta muotista vedettyjä. Oasista kun on vaikea päihittää.
*** 1/2 Not bad but Not good enough for my taste
so hits songs some deep cuts. not a bad album at all. Boys and girls is the stand out track for me.
I’ve never been able to fully get into Blur or Gorrilaz. I appreciate the odd song here or there as they can release some good ones. I like when they focus on the jangle like they did on Clover Over Dover and hate when they focus on how freakin’ British they are like they did on the title track. 3 stars
I liked this album for a little bit ended up getting a bit bored of it the last stretch of "Parklife" is pretty forgettable and makes it a slog to get throught but the first 8 songs on this record are great and make this album worth listening to. 7/10 Favourite: Parklife Least Favorite: Jubilee
nada muito marcante
Britpop, I was more into Oasis…but Blur had some really good singles!
I really like Albarn's work, and Blur's britpop is pretty good. That being said, I expected more from this record. It's a pretty good album, they have a very distinctive and innovative take on britpop and they're not afraid to mix different sounds and ideas. The first half of the album is the best for me, starting with the great and by now classic "Girls and Boys", followed by "Tracy Jacks" and "End of a Century" which were both really good too. I found "Parklife" really funny even though it's a bit weird. After this though, I felt the record lacked the same punch. I really liked the production and Albarn's distinctive voice, but beyond that I just didn't find anything particularly polished or technically noteworthy.
Blur just can't help themselves, overloaded album with selective good to great songs weighted down by a large number of absolute dross. For every "Girls & Boys" style bangers theres a dull a fuck "Tracy Jacks" chaser but then it's followed up by the likes of "End Of A Century" and "Parklife", maddening really.. It's got nothing to do with your "Vorsprung durch Technik", you know
Really enjoyed the album. It's what I picture when I think of BritPop though that's probably unfair to an album that is actually pretty experimenting. Love Gorrilaz so was fun listening to an earlier Albarn project. Favorite track was "This is a Low", feels like it could have been cut off of "The Bends".
Not bad but not my preference in music. But not annoying either.
When I close my eyes and imagine the average British person I see an aging man dressed like a woman Monty Python style (big muumuu) with a monocle sitting on a toadstool with a mouthful of fish and chips and vindaloo muttering something about keeping calm while listening to bad techno. Which is to say I don't have a good idea of Britishness, which is to say again that a lot of this album went over my head. There's some solid stuff on here, but then there's some McCartney level cartoon character studies with wacky carnival music. You can complain about skits on rap albums, but this album has entire songs that are basically skits. I mean, Tracy Jacks is the second song. There is goofy, and then there is goofy Britannia.
solid indie
Great Brit pop
Classic Britpop album. Far more experimental than many rival bands of the period but lacking memorable hits beyond the obvious. Good listen.
I usually complain about britpop being too derivative, but here I wish it was a bit more down the middle. It was surprisingly frenetic, and not in a good way.
This seems like it's just a standard pop record. Nothing incredible by any means.
Well done Brit pop.
I like this Blur more than the last one, but still not that much.
Pretty solid UK punky type stuff, not the biggest Blur fan but there's some good stuff here
With the strong British accents and the liberal quoting of the Beatles’ calliope and horns, I would’ve loved this in my 20s. Now I think it’s just OK but I’m happy I listened to it.
I think that was the most British album I have ever listened to. Some songs I could see myself listening to but not all.
It wasn't bad. Sweet album cover. I've always had an odd thought process with Blur. I think Damon (singer/main writer) is a pompous asshat, but he's also a creative genius. Song 2 is my favorite track by them, but the whole song was meant as a joke to stereotypical rock radio hits. It's also not on this album. London Loves, Tracy Jacks, Jubilee, and This is a Low were the standouts for me. I appreciated the variety of instruments throughout the album. The album felt experimental, large, and daring. It still blows my mind that these guys were just as big as Oasis in the 90's in the UK. This isn't a band that strikes me as someone capable of doing that. But still, it eventually led to the Gorillaz, so I'll give it that.
Amazing I haven’t listened to this through with any concentration, ever. Blur-ey.
It's a bit weird to get the three Blur albums in this collection in reverse chronological order, especially since the later "Blur" album is so different from this album (and likely from the other earlier album, "Modern Life Is Rubbish"). I can definitely see, though, why this album got all the attention back when it was released, as they had the early lock on the Britpop sound, and the impossible-to-avoid single "Boys & girls" (with a weird and seemingly irrelevant video of the band in front of various water scenes). The rest of the album is solid, and they sound remarkably assured given how young they clearly were, but I was kind of disappointed that it wasn't all that familiar sounding, and while it's impressively wide-ranging style-wise, it felt a bit hit or miss in terms of quality. The highlights for me were "Parklife" (and the quirky video to go with it), "Far out" (short as it is), the semi-Gorillaz-infused "To the end" (with a well-done Marienbad-inspired video), and "London loves". Just as with their later album "Blur", I'm baffled at how little Blur's sound translated to Damon Albarn's later Gorillaz project/albums; too bad, too, as I really enjoy Gorillaz. And I'm kind of shocked at how young-looking (and kind of juvenile) Albarn looks in his Blur phase. I'm also equally fascinated and appalled that he apparently declared just before Blur's debut album that "When our third album comes out, our place as the quintessential English band of the '90s will be assured. That is a simple statement of fact." He was right, I suppose, but I kind of wish I hadn't read that about him.
Too jangly for my taste but well done.
Amo la voz del cantante de Gorillaz. Algun que otro aburrimiento pero en general OK. Nota: 2.9
Kind of good and kind of too much at the same time. Definitely some catchy songs and songwriting but some interesting instrument choices/weird and semi-irksome singing.
honestly a lot better than I thought it would be based on my disdain for Song 2. I liked the disco-y opening track.
Enjoyed parts. Lot of repetition which at times was a bit grating. Rounding 2.5 to 3 stars (blur may benefit from being directly after super furry animals in my listening order)
More pretentious than Gorillaz
Ok but I just remembered a blur
It made me nostalgic for London but I probably won't get going back to this album.
I just listened to “Modern Life is Rubbish” by Blur yesterday. I didn’t notice a huge difference but thought perhaps “Parklife” was a bit more radio and listener friendly. It is also a solid three star album and I probably enjoyed it a little bit more, even with the two or three throwaway tracks.
Not long after giving their self-titled album 5 stars and wondering if I was finally “getting” Blur, I come crashing back down to earth with this. As an album it’s just so strange. An unbalanced, incoherent mish-mash of tracks. The front part of the album is loaded with the singles (and Tracey Jacks) - some good, some bad but all overplayed and I was bored enough of hearing them that I chose to skip past them. Then to the middle of the album where it seems to just be made up of random soundbites and jams, mostly annoying stuff, some of which I again skipped. Then to the end (pun intended) with a few tracks that I actually quite enjoyed but by that point I had already skipped enough tracks to make my mind up about the album. 2.5/5
Back in 1994 "Girls & Boys" was a breath of fresh air from a few years of dour grunge. This was fun and foreign (to this American Teen) But beyond that song they never really caught on for me. I enjoyed this listen, but after the few songs I know it didn't leave much else.
me senti meio idiota de nunca ter me ligado muito nesse disco antes. Nunca entendi muito a graça do Blur mas talvez esse disco comece a mudar isso
Entertaining.
Meh, I prefer Pulp
Another Blur album, one of their salvos fired in the Great Britpop Wars of the 90's. I think this is better than Blur (the Woo Hoo album) and I liked listening to it, but overall it's just OK. I like Blur, but they do not need to have multiple albums on this list. I don't know how many different ways I can say it. This is just another not bad, but not great album.
Ok I was geared up to hate this, but it wasn't actually that bad once I got past Girls and Boys which truly stinks. The oompah song is bad, and it really runs out of steam but I was expecting a 1 and for the most part it was fine. Much better than the other Blur we did.
Pretty decent Britpop going on here. The radio singles are great fun, the rest of the album was boppy enough. This one is ok for an occasional listen.
Got bored with the whole Brit Pop scene pretty quickly in it’s peak, but I checked this one out again and it’s pretty good. Now l have to go back to my Spiritualized collection and check it out again.
I don't know why but it feels generous to me giving this a 3. There are certainly good songs, Girls and Boys, Parklife, End of a Century, To The End (in other words, the singles), but this is another Blur album that is just way too long. Typical of the 90's. A tight 30 minute album would have had me feeling much more positive. 3 Stars
Ok, some good songs, background music
Uggh. Such a love/hate for the songs on this album.
Decent, but nothing to write home about. Overall, nice sounds, but nothing over the top. ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Very nice
Classic 90s rock / punk vibes. Fun!
Some top notch Brit pop hits but, beyond that, I found it a bit dull.
I thought I would be more into this album.
Another one I like but haven't listened to in full in years (maybe decades). Girls and Boys is, of course, a banger. The Debt Collector sounds like a Kinks track. Overall, solid album.
I guess we were due for another Britpop album... A few hits here (Girls & Boys, Magic America), a few misses (Bank Holiday, Far Out, Trouble In The Message Center), and a collection of other middling songs. Landing at 2.5 stars, but will round up to a low 3.
I understand Blur are britpop darlings, but TBH I've never been able to get completely hooked into their stuff. Girls & Boys is a fun and dancey way to kick things off. Love To the End and London Loves. Both great song -- the use of the newscast underlay on London Loves is wonky, but somehow works. This one had its moments, but never really went above a mid-level for me. 3 / 5.
I'm still trying to figure out the exact difference between "all over the place" and "good variety", but this one is more in the "all over the place" category. Never really got hooked by this one, but never really hated it either.
I feel like I shouldn't like Girls & Boys but I really fuck with this song. Might be the only song I know prior to listening to this. A lot of these songs kinda remind me of that Syd Barrett album. Or maybe he just kinda sounds like him. I feel like for the most part I usually really enjoy Damon Albarn's voice, but it's not really doing much for me on this one. Digging London Loves. See you soon London! Magic America is a silly one but I'm loving it. I enjoyed this one for sure but not enough to bounce up to a 4. Solid 3.
Surprisingly enjoyable. Apparently, I like Blur better than Gorillaz. But always minus one point for not being Oasis :)
I don’t mind Blur, but this album seemed really repetitive compared to some of their others that are on this list. Why there are multiple Blur albums on this list, only the brit who made it can answer. The songs themselves were fine, some were good, few were bad, most were fine. Nothing anywhere on here to write home about, but it works. 3/5
I mean, If you are going to over stuff this list with Britpop, you may as well add the best. 7/10
I know they wrote that one song, whoo hoo. The other songs are kinda weird and melodic, generic rock stuff.
I recognize that this is excellent, influential pop, but I don't like it much. Too same-y? Not quite quirky enough? Meh.
Not my thing. I find it quite quite dull musically, and Damon Albarn's vocals get a bit much after a few songs. Some songs (mostly the hits) are OK. I'd give it a 2 but with an extra star because, afterall, it is an influential album and band.
Brit-rock and Brit-pop doesn't really do much for me. I used to hate this kind of music when I was in high school. Now I can tolerate it. (I still think Oasis is unsufferable though).
I thought I liked Blur but apart from the two big hits I found this pretty mid.
Not my favorite genre, but still an okayish listen.
Has some bangers
Very good rock, amazing for training, but probably not something I would listen to normally, except for "boys and girls"
Britpop just isn't my thing, but this wasn't terrible or anything.
I like the cover, it reminds me of Without Warning. But the vibes are quite different. First 4 songs were good, rest were ok. Also I saw a video on youtube about greyhound racing in West Virginia.
Uneven mixed bag of pop and punkish ska 7/10
Nice band, but doesn't sparkle me
Good album
Very much a Britpop album, though Blur aren’t afraid to get a bit weirder or harder edged than their contemporaries. The band writes good songs and catchy melodies with varying instrumentals and solid vocals - it’s all enough to draw you into their songs. But when it doesn’t hook, there’s not much there to go back to. I like Blur’s sound, but ultimately some songs are good, and the rest are fine or whatever.
First couple of songs were engaging but the sound got boring for me pretty quick. Aside from Boys & Girls I would not listen to this again. 5/10
"Girls & Boys" is a famous song that I didn't know was by Blur. I only know Blur as the main project of Damon Albarn, the Gorillaz guy. This song is pretty OK, I don't mind it but don't love it. You can hear some Gorillaz type production in the background. I like the song "Parklife". I like the spoken word part, and the whole chorus is great. The guitar part is simple but enjoyable. I like the sound of the bicycle bell. "Jubilee" rocked pretty hard, that's my favorite song yet. This album was good, but none of it really gets me going. It's all good, but besides a song or two I'd never put it on again. 6/10
Second half of the album was better
Maybe I should try again, but first impression is that this is a mixed bag. Some songs I really enjoyed, some were just okay, and a few annoyed me. It was more Blur than I wanted this morning, and overstayed its welcome. I'd rather listen to the first 2 Gorillaz albums or The Good The Bad The Queen.
I don’t know, it’s okay. Blur is a band I’ve just never been able to get into.
this album is kinda a blur. it's got so many ideas throughout each track, however, it's so BRITISH. laughing with my track at most songs at the different directions it was going through, has psych stuff to crooner stuff to just standard rock, to like the most british stuff ever. very fun album.
So Britpop, a lot of variance in music in the middle part which was nice. Like, one of the most British albums ever, which isn't horrible but man I got sick of the accent LOL. Not bad.