Reviews (page 9 of 14)
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.
It’s Blur. That’s the best review I can give.
I agree with Mike. I really wanted to like this and have tried several times to get into them but just can’t. Can appreciate how important this was in establishing Cool Britannia and Damon albarns later with Gorrillaz is superb but this album didn’t grab me.
Seems that I know a lot more Blur songs than I initially thought I did. I liked this one better than the last Blur album I got (Blur 1997), and as far as 90s brit-pop goes, they aren't bad. They have good energy and it's a fun album to listen to.
I actually heard this already prior to the suggestion, however, I did not like too many songs. Hopefully this time around will prove new light. So far, fun and jumpy. Im more of a hard rock person, but this shit is nice. A few skips personally, but overall still didnt like it a whole lot haha.
It's OK, can see why there was the hype. But a bit samey throughout.
Nice album
Likely burnt out from three days of British bands in a row, but I've also never been into Damon Albarn's works.
Couple real goodies, lemme here something else
Fine -- some highs, some lows, soggy in the middle. This made me miss The Good, The Bad, and The Queen.
La verdad q esta bien
Quite a few circusy sounding songs? Pretty good, rather British. Already listened to some. Girls and Boys is awsomeness.
Kind of all over the place but overall pretty enjoyable.
I loved this album at the time. Now with the help of MP3 and later streaming I really only listen to about half the songs. It's been a while since I've listened to the whole thing. Happy I did, but I know why I don't anymore.
Every track is built up from thousands of decisions. Great tracks sweep you up emotionally, to a floaty place where you lose all concept of the decision making. Some albums have one or two; five star albums are full of these tracks. This album never gets there. It sounds great. I can't criticize any of the individual decisions. But I'm constantly reminded of them. Just a series of clever decisions that never congeal into a great musical experience. Like XTC, or a lot of the Kinks music. I want to love it; but it just doesn't sweep me up.
It’s okay, some iconic tracks but didn’t love it 6/10
It starts well. The bass line for Tracy jacks is underrated. But it’s the same as their other albums, they are unable to be critical of themselves and cut out the chaff. There is way too much filler and it’s not pleasant to listen to overall
Best songs: Girls and boys Parklife
6.5/10
I really appreciate the fact that this album has a lot of different influences/elements used throughout while remaining cohesive. That being said, I really don't seem myself craving any of these songs, or the album as a whole at any point in the future. I respect Damon Albarn and the creativity of this album, but it just doesn't match my personal taste.
Fave Songs: - Girls & Boys - End of a Century - Parklife - London Loves - Trouble In The Message Centre Honourable Mentions - To The End chorus is p good It's a very British, kid in the 90s album. The tracks that I know I enjoyed the most. But the others was alright. My fave tracks were the ones I liked the lyrics the most coz of its dry sense of humour. I didn't really enjoy the Mr. Albarn being weird again interludes, some were kinda annoying. I said this to a friend - he's like British Kanye without the nazism. Gorillaz is his best project imo. I do think for what it is, Parklife is a reflection of an artist's dissatisfaction with general life and capitalism. I like its core, i enjoy that it was sonically interesting but still very Blur. But it's not an album I would probably return to. Very Tony Hawk soundtrack, but like for one of the bad games.
I have a massive crush on Damon Albarn. However, it doesn't prevent me from admitting that this album has no place on this list.
Blur's defining album, as far as I'm concerned. It does strike me as music that should be listened to while enjoying a public park's facilities. There are moments of fun ("Tracy Jacks", "Parklife"), fancy ("The Debt Collector", "Far Out"), and plenty of variety to sate the listener. That said, while the album is undeniably an enjoyable listen, the highs are never particularly high. The lows aren't particularly low, but "Clover Over Dover" and "Magic America" is a feel phoned in by comparison.
I quite liked this, in contrast to their self-title. It's just good indie rock. I'd heard "Girls and Boys" before, and that's a fun song, but I really enjoyed some of the deep cuts on here. "Magic America" has some really neat harmonies, a fun sonic palette, plus that huge chorus. When they're on that's what they do - dark grungy guitar, bit of a dreamy hurdy-gurdy sound on top of it, catchy choruses, and some music-hall tricks like heavy use of major thirds. There's a few others on here with that formula - "London Loves", "Tracy Jacks" and "End of a Century" stand out. There's a decent amount of filler on here though - a few too many slow songs, three basically throwaways (the two transition songs in the middle plus one at the end), and I didn't really care for the title track one bit, it strays a little too far into twee. But unlike those first two Blur assignments, you can kind of hear on this one a fully-developed version of the Blur formula, the one that they'd use for Country House and all that.
The songs i knew are great, good old school blur. The songs i didnt know are mid
Did not love this album. Pretty boring
This was ok. Pop-rock. Pretty good listen but none of the tracks really stood out to me.
This was ok. I liked it. It was easy to listen to. But honestly really forgettable, unfortunately. It is what it is. Like 90's skate park rock pop. It's fine.
meh 3 Sterne
I HATE the single.
уже повеселее, но под конец стало тяжело слушать
Blue is a fun listen it’s catchy at parts melodic and has some fun instrumentals I’m not big on pop albums but I think I prefer Brit pops and this sounds to me like a sensible evolution from the age of Beatles . enjoyed it
This was the second album I ever bought, on cassette! I loved it back then. My tastes have changed a lot since then, I still think this is a very good album, but my opinions have been marred by the people that listen to this album and the amount of times I have had to hear a few of the songs on this album.
Classic Brit pop album but it is not for me really. Enjoyed couple of tracks but overall didn’t like it a lot.
Seems like Kaiser Chiefs heard the worst songs on this album and decided to make it their whole sound. There are a few good tracks on here but it’s not my favourite of Blur’s oeuvre by any stretch. Some of it I actually dislike.
Beginning was good. Too circus-y at the end
Not a big fan of Blur
OK, but I wouldn't buy it.
New to me - no prior knowledge - was an OK listen
Es un muy buen disco. Por ahí muy largo, lo que tiene inevitables rellenos. Es un post punk que tiene temas arriba y otros más tranqui.
I like Blur. I like how weird this album gets.
The boys are definitely British
Signs of good songs here and even a few really good ones, but way too 90’s (which makes sense). I’ll stick with Gorillaz!
Meh
Another band who became big when I wasn’t paying attention, though I did recognise a couple of songs. It’s ok but didn’t really generate enthusiasm.
I was living in the UK during 1994 which was when this album landed. It's hard not to be biased due to nostalgia. Love 'em or hate 'em Blur certainly made their mark and was one-half of the Brit Pop war during that year. I'm not sure why they were pitched against Oasis as their music is so different. Just can't resist Damon Albarn and his cheeky, cockney accent singling his pretentious lyrics. Love it
I'm more of a best hits Blur fan - the songs I love, I really really love! Couple of good tracks on this album, but not their best. My all time top Blur tracks would be; Coffee & Tv, Beetlebum and Sing (I wanted to take the opportunity to share my appreciation for the band even if their best work isn't represented on this list! AND I also want to mention in my review the travesty that Gorillaz have been kicked off!! Like his music or not, Damon Albarn has been influential on music over the last 30 years and deserves his place (plus the other musicians too).
Визначальний альбом у жанрі #britpop. Що є, чи не найкращою, ілюстрацією цього "руху" у музиці 90-х. Саме за це його і прийнято любити. Він буквально "просочений" британським духом і має в соби такі хіти як "Girls And Boys", "To The End" та "This Is a Low" ("Parklife" мені не подобається). І саме ці треки, на мою думку, є найбільш визначними у контексті розвитку самих Blur. Але якщо відкинути його історичну важливість і оцінювати його як цільний твір - він далекий від ідеалу. Тут цілих 16 треків більшість із яких доволі "бліді" та "болюче рівні" і на фоні, вищезазначених хітів (особливо "This Is a Low") виглядають не інакше як філери. І хоча, в цілому, я отримав задоволення від альбому - дослухати його від початку до кінця і справді було важкувато. І тут можливо люди які чули на стрімах, що я вважаю Blur недооціненими у порівнянні з Oasis здивуються. Але коли я це кажу, я, здебільшого, маю на увазі їх феноменальний альбом 13 (1999), про який говорять меньше ніж про Parklife, але який є куди більш експерементальний та цікавий..., але це вже зовсім інша історія.
Quirky, don't know how these guys and oasis were even compared
It went by in a blue if I’m to be honest, the Gallaghers still on top
More Britpop. Pretty meh, but better than the last Blur album that I came across on the list. Also, still better than Oasis.
In the 90’s I knew park life and Boys and girls but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the entire album. Not impressed on the first half. Some of the deeper cuts are ok. Bank holiday is almost punk. Debt collector is polka. Ha. Jubilee is interesting but the melody on verses sounds familiar to me. Clover sober and London loves might be my favourites
My first Blur album! Now, I'm much more familiar with Damon Albarn's work in his other most famous project, Gorillaz, so going back to his britpop roots in Blur was... interesting. A very British album, from the lyrics examining British life in the mid 1990s, to the throwback to British punk rock in a couple of songs, to just the way Albarn delivers his vocals... I guess there's a reason why it's called "britpop", after all. And it has plenty of catchy songs; can't get the chorus to "Girls & Boys" out of my head. Does get a bit dull in some places, though, and I can think of at least three songs that could've been cut to make this album a bit shorter, but this was a decent one overall. I think I prefer Albarn's work in Gorillaz more, though. Favorite Track: "Girls & Boys" Least Favorite Tracks: "The Debt Collector", "Far Out", "Lot 105"
Good album, but I'm starting to think Blur created this website and wrote this book.
There's some interesting stuff in here, but didn't blow me away. I almost turned it off after the second song but I'm glad I kept going.
A bit poppy for my taste. Clean music but doesn't usually connect for me
These boys are definitely British.
I've listened to other Blur stuff I liked more but god i love brit pop 3.75/5
Not my favorite Blur album. Girls and Boys is good and To The End, but it didnt' really hold my attention the rest of the album.
i liked it more than i thought i would. they definitely sound of their time. fav song: to the end.
Wat is dit? Een Blur album dat opent met een nummer dat ik daadwerkelijk goed vind???? Word dit dan toch het moment dat ik blur begin te 'begrijpen'? Nou, nee.. De rest is voornamelijk weer paint by the numbers Britpop. Voor mij betekent dat; saaie muziek en ook dit album duurt weer echt veeel te lang voor de kwaliteit die ik er uit haal. Absolute dieptepunt is Bad Holiday. Maar ook de ballads en de andere hits vind ik er nu niet echt enorm uitspringen. The debt collector springt er wel uit, maar dan positief! Een soort draaiorgel nummer? Hi-la-risch hahaha Vind dit wel het beste Blur album dat ik tot nu toe heb gehoord. Het is iets minder pretentieus allemaal en er klinkt wat meer plezier in het album. Zorgt ervoor dat ik ook beter door het album kom dan bij voorgaande Blur releases. Wel benieuwd, hoeveel Blur albums staan er op deze lijst? FAVO: Girls & Boys, The debt collector
The songs I liked when I was 8 are now insufferable, luckily there are one or two very good songs to save it
A few great tracks, a fair bit of filler
I have a hard time distinguishing between most Britpop bands, but this was pretty cool on its own.
90s must have been a weird time to be British.
Fun album
I had the impression I’d seen this album rated highly, so I was optimistic going in; it just seemed like mediocre britpop, though. Nothing here really moved me. Cool album cover, in any case 2-3
6/10 Cannot stand Damion Albarns vocals Favourite Song=Magic America Least Favourite Song=Girls and Boys
Came in with high hopes! A few good songs and a few great songs but too much mediocre stuff to make it a great album. In incredible 30 minute album padded out to 50
Alright album, but a bit underwhelming. Starts strong and then dilutes into unremarkable run-of-the-mill Brit pop
I had fun with the first half, and then middling to low success with the second. I wonder how different albums like this would be without the concept of the singles.
Nothing really grabbed be but I enjoyed most of it. There were some random almost pretentious songs in the middle that didn't feel totally necessary.
I respect Damon Albarn’s ability to cover a lot of ground with his songwriting, but on Parklife, it mostly just doesn’t sit right with me. It’s all too wink wink in a smarmy British way. Maybe it’s just trying too hard to be a Sgt. Peppers for the 90’s. I’ve tried on many occasions over the years to get into this record, but I just can’t. A few songs hit well: “Girls & Boys” is a stone cold classic 90’s banger, “Far Out” and “Too The End” emit cool psychedelic vibes, and “This Is A Low” is a solidly written, mature tune. Had the album been full of those, then it would be a perfect record.
It's hard to believe that this album is 30 years old. In addition to the title track "Parklife", the album also includes their hits "Girls & Boys", "End of a Century", and "To the End".
Fav track - Parklife 2012 Remaster
This album was okay, only barely a 3, though. The first third or half of the album could easily be cut with no negative effects.
6/10. Got better as it went.
не захватывает пока блёр. только предыдуще знакомые песни приятны
Kann man schon Machen, aber muss ich nicht nochmal hören. Glaube wenn man nicht aus UK ist versteht man das nicht
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.
Kinda fun, a little silly at times. There was a lot more to the band than "Song 2" would have implied. A solid 3.
Welp, no more Blur after this I guess. I've always been fond of the title track, it's one of the quintessential britpop songs with its dryness and catchy hooks. The rest of the album isn't really conventional and jumps around a bit stylistically, though. One could praise Blur for their versatility here or bash them for being inconsistent and trying to do too much. Regardless, this album turned out to be more divergent and stranger than I expected.
Sooo, it's ok. A little mediocre. I was more into Pearl Jam and Nirvana at the time. I didn't hate it but I wouldn't spin it again
3
I’d listen to it again, but I won’t seek it out
It's fine. I like blur more than most of the other 90s alt bands but the album is too long. I will say there is some good variation between songs to keep things fresh over the hour. Nothing spectacular but nice and nostalgic.
Brit Pop
Another Blur record. I hadn’t realized “Girls & Boys” was their song. It’s really the only thing that stood out as memorable here.
Started off with a banger and took on a dreamy, perhaps blurry if you will, sound as it went on. A pleasant listen for sires Girls & Boys was the standout for me.
Was hoping it would be better
Parklife-Blur, 71/100. (Official Rating: 7.1/10) Posted on, “Album of the Year," "Rate Your Music" and “ MJ’s Album Reviews.” Official Ranking of the Year: Genre: British Rock, Rock, Artist: Blur Date: 11/18/24 “Fast, slow, all of it juxtaposes into one piece that is for the ages. Amazing alternative album.”
Fun. Love Oasis hating on this one. Not home to their all time bangers however.
Meh
Creative and fun for a couple of listens, but it's really Damon Albarn playing around with different genres and taking everyone along for the ride. I think he's gotten better at that since this album. I was there for some of it, but got a little bored with some songs.
6/10
A couple good songs, but just not quite Oasis.
Overall a great rock album With some great highlights but some tracks lacked the consistancy which lowered my scoring a little but its a good album nevertheless
The author of this list really likes britpop don't they. There's some decent songs on here, but a lot of filler as well.
I like a fair bit of this but they are so annoying and I recently saw a video where they horribly bullied some guy trying to interview them so it loses a point.
Very British but not awful.
Eh. So-so
Teenybop Brit pop album. I liked that this album had more of an identity than the first one. I just don’t really like what it is. Standouts: Girls & Boys, Badhead, Clover Over Dover, and Jubilee.
This is a classic. And I got this album the day after I got the good, the bad, & the queen.
Alllllll the people. This album starts off really strong for me but tails off significantly. I really like the opener though; it’s a classic and the weird, harsh, grating guitars sound so perfect.
its alright..
It's pretty British. They sound a lot like Oasis, or I guess Oasis sounds a lot like them, since this is their third album, and was released about two weeks after Oasis's first song. I liked listening to this more than any Oasis music, at least, since I didn't get the feeling of pretentious egomania that oozes out of that band. I'm still not sure about the genre as a whole. Outside a couple of Pulp songs, my opinion at best for the hits is, eh, fine. I did tend to like this album, although there were some parts that I'm pretty sure are written specifically for the early 90's UK audience, and a mere colonist like myself can't truly understand the complexities of the metropole. I didn't find anything to add to my catalog, but I'd be open to another Blur album. Also, I have now learned about "The Battle of Britpop," so I guess you can ignore the Oasis comparisons.
Why do they sound soo much more British than on the woo hoo song
Me during the first song: this is a masterpiece Me during the rest of the album: 😴
this is some nostalgic 90s brit pop I can get behind. Most I can't.
Alles in allem nichts herausragendes, aber ein paar Songs die mir gut gefallen (zb This is a low) und einige sehr nice guitar parts. Hätte man vielleicht auf unter 40min kürzen sollen
Had some real high highs, but the rest was forgettable. To The End was killer.
I still prefer Gorillaz, but this was a solid 90s britpop album.
One of the better blur albums. Not every one is a hit though. Middling 3.
blur had some tunes and it’s nice to see someone taking a swing but it’s funny anyone took their grandiosity seriously
meh, there's probably better blur albums based on the tracks i've heard from them
arctic monkeys vibes
po britpop nunca foi muito pro meu bico não mas não é um álbum ruim
Blur is a rock band that has a bassist and they were not afraid to use him. Really nice to hear this groove-based rock album. I'm not too up to speed on them but love Gorillaz and always wanted to get more background on Blur and pre-ape-era Albarn stuff. Seems like there's some equal effort to music, production, and songwriting as there's a lot of craft applied and on top of it all, so original and unique. Silly that they had this beef/ comparisons with Oasis as the 2 bands could not be more different. Oasis is not even in the same category, in my opinion.
I didn't really understand or enjoy it. Was originally going to give it a 2 because I was struggling, but the 2nd half bumped it to a 3
Overtly British, but in a good way.
The album tracks are meh but my god the singles are bangers
Solid
This isn't what I thought blur was, I had only heard song 2 really and this was very different from that. This reminded me of the talking heads a lot of times in terms of the lyrical style and unique sounds. Good album
It was fine not the most memorable.
I do not understand how this album made Blur so goddamn popular. Blur are a band who can make the most goddamn obnoxious song you’ve ever heard in your life, yet by the time it’s finished, you kind of want to replay it because the hook wormed its way into your little earholes and dug its claws into the wrinkles of your brain. Parklife is a strange fucking album. Like, “strange” is being kind. It’s weird, but not noisy and chaotic, and not trippy and psychedelic, but like, just….all over the place? Every song here has a weird sonic “doo-dad” that is persistently grating against your eardrums, and while they can definitely play, each part feels almost out of sync. It doesn’t feel like musical genius, but more like a miracle– maybe even divine intervention. It’s definitely not the production, which is so ‘90s Loudness Wars ™, and it’s definitely not like these songs are particularly inventive or nuanced or even smart. In a lot of ways, Parklife is kind of a dumb album. By lads, for lads. Maybe that’s the appeal; maybe that’s the appeal of Britpop, although if that’s the source of the magic, I’m left deeply confused how I liked the parts I liked, because that’s the thing about Britpop that I hate the most. No, I think, for all its weirdness and chaotic off-kilter stylings, Albarn can just write a fucking hook, and Parklife is filled with motherfucking hooks. It’s also stylistically diverse, which gives it a lot of legs. The first five songs are quite the run. It’s not how I expected Blur to sound, and it’s always changing, but it’s also weird but still very catchy, and it’s paced really well, and I have to admit, I started to wonder if I was about to find a Britpop album I unequivocally enjoy. That fantasy quickly fell apart by the time “Badhead” lazily crooned its way past me, and from that point on, Parklife never really came back around. It remains a weird, doohickey-filled record, it tries to be stylistically diverse, and I do think the hooks continue to land, but the rest of the record is much more aligned with the sounds and aesthetics of Britpop, whether in ballad, arena anthem, or anything in between. I think there’s a couple more standouts, namely “To the End” and especially “Magic America,” but nothing else really reached the heights of the openers. I thought I was just looking for issues, but even on multiple listens, Parklife just looses steam for me, and doesn’t ever recover. Ending on the Britpop cliche of “This Is a Low” and the stupid filler of “Lot 105” is the nail in the coffin for me. I respect what it’s trying to do, and I think it starts out doing something, but Parklife is front-loaded as hell, and lacks enough punch on its back half and put-togetherness to leave me feeling much of anything. I’m still positive overall, but it’s more apathetic positivity than enjoyment.
Blur is sometimes good but always so repetitive
This album is fine. I do think the back half is better than the front half. It definitely picks up and has some more interesting elements. Shoegaze sounding guitars, fun vocals melodies. Ultimately, I'm not really sure why its in here. It was fine.
Girls & Boys is a bop, and this is a fun album overall but really loses steam about halfway through.
The Gorillaz are one of my favorite bands of all time, but Damon Albarn on this album doesn't have the same magic as he does with the Gorillaz. It's a solid album, but I was expecting it to blow me away. Favorite Song: "Tracy Jacks".
Meh
I tried this album when it came out in the 1990s. Did not enjoy it then, but I hoped that maybe my opinion had changed as I got older. At the end of the day, it was more bearable than Oasis. Albarn gets better with Gorillaz, but compared to what was going on elsewhere in the music world in the 1990s, PARKLIFE was pretty middling. Technically produced but no new ideas on this album, just a rehashing of previous British band's ideas. The polka track, "The Debt Collector" truly feels like the band taking the piss. Their fellow citizens Pop Will Eat Itself made a far more interesting record that also came out in 1994, DOS DEDOS MI AMIGOS. Far more creative than this album, and I would argue has a sound that is aging better than this album. Seal's 2nd album was also released in 1994. A far more impactful Pop album that year, in the U.S., and around the world, and I'm not sure it is even on the list, which in my opinion is a huge mistake. An aside about the album cover. I don't think animal cruelty is a good look. Spanish bullfighting gets justified criticism from the Brits, so when will dog racing also be made illegal in the UK? Non Sequitur Thought not related to this album at all: Am I the only one that feels like they missed a massive moneymaking opportunity by not partnering their "Song 2" with the chocolate drink Yoo Hoo in an ad campaign?
Pretty average Britpop. I forgot half these songs as soon as I heard them. 7/10 More British blandness
++: Girls & Boys, Park Life, Magic America, Jubilee Lot 105 +: Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Badhead, Far Out, To the End, London Loves, Trouble in the Message Centre, Clover Over Dover,This Is a Low +-: Bank Holiday, The Debt Collector 7,8/10
Ok album but nothing to write home about.
I get up when I want, except today where I was rudely awakened by the ominous realization I'd have to review this album. I'll award an extra point for how irresistible doing terrible cockney impressions is after listening to the song Parklife. It's a classic album however when it comes to britpop this album doesn't stand out, some would say it's all a blur. 3/5
Another album from the past that I have not listen to in a while. So there a few good songs on this album, although my love for Girls & Boys has long been eroded and find this song to borderline irritating now. However for each good song, there seems to be a filler song, perhaps I skipped over these in my youth? Anyway I had initially thought this was no brainer 4 stars but after a re listen it's closer to 3.25.
I like Blur less than I used to. Which isn’t unusual - tastes change. I really like Leisure and still do much better than this record. Parklife kind of drags and gets a bit boring. It’s fine though.
Seemed like they were messy with a lot of different ideas on this one. Not bad, but it's not high on my re-listen list.
Albumi #38, 04.08.2024 Ysärillä Blur oli enemmänkin kuuntelussa. Parklifella on hetkensä, vaikka ei mielestäni Blurin parhaita levyjä olekaan. Erityismaininta kappaleille "End of a Century", "Trouble in the Message Centre" sekä "This Is a Low".
girls and boys- 6 or 7 except theyre so british.... tracy jacks- 5 end of a century- 4 or 5 parklife- damn they pulled out the sax. 5 or 6 bank holiday- 5 or 6 badhead- 5 debt collector- 5 or 6 far out- 4 to the end- 4 london loves- 4 trouble in the message center- 4 clover over dover- ben dover? 4 magic america- 4 jubilee- feels like it would play in phineas and ferb. 5 this is a low- 4 lot 105- 5 starts kinda good and got boring
Some good songs but honestly didn't grab me.
This has a MUCH more distinctly British feel than Oasis to me... Whatever that means 😂 I just mean there are many more examples of slang and strong accents and sensibilities that just seem quirky and strange to an American and probably aren't utterly mainstream to a UK resident but probably make more sense and feel more familiar. Anyway, the music is great! Not hard to see why this album did so much business. The production is strong and the songs are catchy without being bubblegum and weird without being off-putting. It's not really fair to compare them to Oasis. They are totally different bands. VERY different styles of songwriting. But if I had to choose... Sorry, boys. It goes to the insufferable Gallagher Brothers!
Not a whole lot to say about this album - it was fine. I liked that it didn't really fit into a particular genre.
Ehh. Ok
First half was good
Primera vez que escucho este album de pe a pa, sí es cierto que había escuchado alguna canción que otra antes. Entiendo que en su momento fuese un pelotazo, y entiendo que si eres angloparlante más aún. No es mi estilo, me dió mucho más fuerte Gorillaz, pero entiendo que era por la edad, y la novedad ya que a día de hoy también me dan "pereza" dentro de la "novedad".
It's hard to listen to Parklife objectively since it is a large part of the British canon. The instrumentation and production is good, the lyrics aren't poetry-clever, but they are interesting enough to carry the whole album (apart from Bank Holiday). I've never liked Boys and Girls, but enjoyed the first half of Badhead and weirdly Parklife was better than I thought. 2.5/5, so having to round up to 3 stars
Couple of hits, don't hate it don't love it
The good kind of annoying.
No me ha gustado demasiado, pero tampoco es horroroso.
it was fine. i don't really get the whole *Blur* thing or why this band/album would have been in a tabloid insult war with other mid-90s british bands, but i'm not british so, ...
I'm pretty sure "Song 2" is the only Blur song I know, so I was expecting this album to sound more like that, and I was disappointed that it didn't. Still, it was interesting enough I guess.
2.5, rounding up bc my type is absolutely girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they're girls who do girls like they're boys and i need to thank blur for phrasing it so succinctly
I liked that the first song was pretty gay
I'm not sure if any other Blur albums will reach the high of their self titled album. Although its cool to hear a sort of proto-Gorillaz, Damon Albarns still a treat to listen to. It seems like they experiment a bit more with this earlier entry.
Liked it well enough. Not as much as their other album we got.
Fun sounds, more chill than I remember.
69
not bad, wish there was a little more distortion on the guitars on some songs because that’s what i liked abt this album. first three tracks were good and then 4-8 were just duds. after that it picked up a little and got pretty good.
Not bad objectively, but definitely not my cup of tea. Was surprising to see Damon Albarn as the frontman here - interesting how his work evolved into something I came to enjoy a lot more with Gorillaz
Nothing super exciting, but a nice "old rock" sound (kinda like mixing hard core rock with pop). Kinda makes sense for the 1994 time frame.
Love Girls & Boys and To the End is pretty great, but idk I didn't really care for much else on this one. It's all fine, just nothing stood out to me. Kinda prefer Modern Life Is Rubbish.
Girls & Boys End of Century Badhead London Loves Trouble in the Message Clover over Dover Magic America
Not sure what we’re missing. The album is just OK, nothing great. Best song is Lot 105 to end the album. (2.8*s)
Since I messed up and missed reviewing the previous title Blur album...I'm doing both here. Revisited Blur album right after Parklife so a different take than my original listen. Parkview: Solid album from Albarn and the team. Good alternative brit rock with some punk and multiple instruments thrown in to spice it up. I liked that they put some random instrumental shorties in that gave the album a carnival feel. I'm not blown away but this can play in most situations...2.7. Blur: Another good brit alternative album with again some punky tracks thrown in. A little darker and more electronic exploration from Albarn. Song 2 (best Blur) was a massive hit and rightfully so. Still gets you amped to this day when it comes on. I also really like "Death at Party”. Some tracks are stronger than any on Parklife but also more skippable ones. Gets a slight edge for Song 2...2.75.
Parklife is a pretty solid trip down 90's brit-pop lane. Front half of the album is pretty solid. Back half isn't nearly as strong but still has a wide range of diverse sounds intermixed into some relatively down the middle songs. Although I do prefer what Damon Albarn eventually grew into I still enjoys some Blur from time to time. I don't expect this will move the needle much for most people but I have some nostalgia tied to it. Even with that, it's still only a moderately above average album. 3.46 stars
Britt pop. I’m good for a couple of songs but it gets old fast
i just really dislike damon albarn what can i say i don‘t feel taken seriously by this album
A lot of talking
didnt listen, going off the cover tho, cover is cool :)
An undeniable classic, but I still think it has its fair share of duds.
3.5/5
Inconsistent
It is CRIMINAL that so many Blur albums are on this list but not a single Gorillaz album.
Cool album. Nothing big stuck out to me though.
Honestly, I really like some Blur, but this is just too damn much Blur.
Pretty alright
Ha, I knew some of these songs without knowing that they were Blur. Nice work, guys!
I tend to agree with the sentiment that there is too much britpop on this list.
It really feels like this dude is pushing as hard as possible to sing with the most obnoxious London accent possible. That aside, it’s pretty good variety of sounds that form a coherent album of songs.
Wow what an interesting listen. I got a lot of influences from older stuff I've listened to on this list. I liked a lot of this, and can see this really growing well on me too. Definitely some Beatles inspiration, and the last track made me think of Green Onions in the beginning.
Punk Rock Eines geht. Ab drm frm dritten wird es anstrengend
7/10 Kinda mid
Pretty solid 90s punk-ish album. The Debt Collector is like oompha... Now a ballad? Weird combo of songs.
This is not Blur’s best, but because they are better musicians, Blur became better.
Didn’t listen to this one To the End.
Like Damon Albarn and most Blur/Gorillaz, but this didn't pack the same punch that I remembered. Still one of his better albums but most of the songs are just meh outside of a few really good ones (Parklife, To the end, this is a low).
Thought they were more alt rock, but I guess that's a later. At this point, they're all over the place... some more alt rock, some pop, even the opening disco track. Not really my thing. 3.0
Another solid outing by Blur. Don’t think I’ve heard the is album before today.
Some familiar surprises. I guess these guys were more popular than I have them credit for
good rock
scary looking dog on the cover
Somes songs are very good, some songs ordinary.. Favorite track: Clover over dover other picks: girls and boys, far out, this is a low
This album was... fine.
Definitely some staples here, not too slick and some really nice quirkiness. If it comes to 90ies Brit Pop, this is a go-to. Surely not a fiver, but entertaining nonetheless. Overall a consistent outing.
3.5
a metà album si perde un po' il filo, ma è divertente e leggero e molto enjoyable!
È stato un ascolto sicuramente divertente, ci vogliono album più leggeri ogni tanto (in più, sono piuttosto anglofila a livello musicale, quindi apprezzo sempre qualche tocco British). Mi è piaciuto abbastanza da dare più di 4/5? Non lo so, devo dire che a metà album hanno iniziato un po’ a perdermi. Per ora, cari amici Blur, vi dò un onesto 3/5.
TWO BLUR ALBUMS IN A ROW? Overall like this less than Blur (1997). Girls and Boys is one of my favourite songs of all time. The rest of the songs sound a bit off to me, and the band overall sounds a bit more annoying on this. 3
Most of it was generic radio rock that sounded the same. A few songs had some quirky electronic music. All in all it was way too long. Stand-out: This is a Low
great album Next!
Was ok, not really my thing, would listen to again but not anytime soon.
Britpop is not for me so I never got into this album. It’s good I guess? It just feels boring in some places. I think the sound is consistent and it’s a solid project but it wasn’t interesting enough for me to come back to.
Features a guy from Quadrophenia yelling about pigeons and joggers, which kind of sets the tone. It’s Britpop doing a full English breakfast—nothing standout, but solid enough to eat.
Quirky! 3.75
Decent!
Even though this is very POP, it's varied, and rather experimental sounding. I actually like it but wouldn't listen to it very much. 3 stars.
Twee at times.
A likeable album but not "where its at" these days.
Really quite a cool album. Not as good as their self-titled, but the way all their synthmelodies, funky guitar solos and classic britpop vocals blend together is somewhat unique. I especially enjoyed the track London Loves.
Bouncy and fluffy. In the best way. Or sometimes moody and fluffy, which isn't as enjoyable.
This album sounds really good. It's pretty soft and enjoyable. Tracks I liked: Girls & Boys, Parklife, To The End & Magic America I consider this to be a high 3/5.
I'm hoping for some more Blur on the list, since there are way better Blur albums
Has some solid bops in here, but mostly I just liked the singles. As an experiment and transition in Britpop I appreciate it and I can also see the cultural satire in it. However, as a project I prefer the Gorillaz.
A mix of 90’s British malaise and some Beatles inspiration. Some of these tracks were hard to listen to but all in all, pretty okay.
Sounds good on decent speakers. Still a bit annoying
A very hooky, yet really bloated britpop album. So business as usual for the genre. The singles are spectacular, while everything else is really meh. Did this have to be 52 minutes long, Damon? You could cut out five tracks and have a much better product.
could i write poetry to this? n
Of all the Alt-Rock albums that came out between 1990 and 1995, this is one of them.
3.5. Can understand now why Doug is a fan.
What an interesting sound for 1994. The official reviews call them 90's Brit Pop but I hear more 80's influence with synth sounds and dissonant vocals. Boys & Girls has the most clever lyrics and is a catchy af tune. The rest is bouncy and fun but unmemorable.
good
Girls and boys good rest okay
Not what I expected, not my favorite of theirs
Not a bad album, a bit generic, but good singles and solid lyrics.
3 - There was a lot in the this album, but honestly something felt missing. I feel maybe it's that there isn't much emotion in it for me. I just felt like I was waiting for it to finish.
Some good songs, sounds a little dated if you ask me. 3/5
was ok for the times and today
This came as a surprise - I've grown tired of the britpop since this exercise began & admittedly I missed this album entirely back in the day, but I'm impressed. For very valid, personal reasons I hate Song 2 so didn't think I'd be into Blur much at all. Didn't find it genius however there's real talent & songwriting savvy here.
Some interesting tracks and was definitely worth the listen.
One of the first “alt” albums I ever listened to
This was nice enough but nothing really stood out to me as special
It was fine.
Not really my style but there are some great songs. Goes in a bit too long for my taste. Highlights: Parklife, Clover over Dover
As a Gorillaz fan, I was excited to listen to Damon Albarn's first project, Blur. This album simultaneously exceeded and missed my expectations. In short, it's a rollercoaster. Some songs, like Girls & Boys and Parklife are amazing, while others drag on and on. In some respects, this album reminds me of Sergeant Pepper's. Some songs have wacky, psychedelic sounds that would could have come from John Lennon. Overall, this album has high highs, but low lows. Many of the songs feel like filler, but the best songs really make up for it. Best Songs: Girls & Boys, Parklife, Clover Over Dover, This Is a Low Worst Songs: Tracy Jacks, London Loves, Magic America
All style, very little substance.
High 3. Good Britpop with some genuinely top notch songs. A sign of the times.
Une succession de pièces courtes, bondissantes, mais moins baveuses que je m'y serais attendue après l'écoute de la première. M'a semblé somme toute sage
A few good tracks, some mediocre tracks, and some duds. Meh.
I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I guess it averages out to 3/5?
Not what I expected at all from a "Blur" album. I really enjoyed the album.
i dont love britpop... prob like 3/5
While you can see the underpinnings of the Gorillaz here, this one is still a bit of a snooze-fest.