Reviews (page 9 of 14)
What a nice little 90’s album. Never really got into Blur back in the day. Probably because CDs were too expensive to take a chance on when all I knew was Song 2 from Q101 radio play, and I had MTG cards and comics to buy. Enjoyed the entire album, but the highlights for me were: Tracy Jacks, Parklife, and Badhead.
Didn't care much for this. I know they are pretty big across the pond but I'd rather listen to Oasis...or Gorillaz. Tracks that stood out to me: "Clover Over Dover", "Badhead", "London Loves" Wouldn't actively seek out listening to this full album again.
Fav: This Is A Low Least Fav: Lot 105 Shoutout to all the people who gave this it’s rightful 5/5. Blur are without a doubt one of the 90s best bands
Lost me with the first track; way too repetitive to be 5 minutes long. At least the rest of the album was quite varied, but at times it felt like the music was being made for the band’s enjoyment rather than the audience’s.
Love it. Love it. Love it. Simpsons: Yes
First few songs really good, and lots of nostalgia from listening to this album years ago. But it trails off then, some boring filler songs, with a few that are alright. Going to give it a generous 4.
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
Blur were one of my favorite and most influential bands in high school, and they still hold up quite well. For me, Parklife is maybe the weakest of their Imperial Pop era. It's undeniable that the guys are firing on all cylinders here, but revisting this record, it felt a bit bloated. Girls & Boys is still one of the best songs ever, though!
Alright album, but a bit underwhelming. Starts strong and then dilutes into unremarkable run-of-the-mill Brit pop
I really didn’t want to like this. I went into it thinking this was just another one of those British bands that the author of this list thinks deserves to be on the list and no American author would probably consider it. Much to my disappointment, I loved it. It was a great album. I could listen and relisten to this album. It would work on a mixed tape. I look forward to the other Blur albums.
A very groovy/feel good album from London
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.
Bright and energetic, overflowing with melodic ideas and alt-rock guitar sounds. A bit power-pop and a bit psych, it's all extremely 90s and extremely English.
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.
oohhh.. this is the band that sings that "WOO-HOO!" song. I didn't know they sang the Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys Who Like Girls song. That's a good one. They are very Britt-ish and cool. The album is a good mix of songs and doesn't feel stuck on a particular vibe. It's creative. They even do a waltz (The Debt Collector). Great harmonies with the back up singing. Especially liked End of a Century, London Loves, and Jubilee.
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.
I was familiar with a few of Blur's hits but never explored them beyond that. This album was super fun, enjoyed it a lot. It didn’t feel totally cohesive but it was great energy.
Annoying. Thank you blur for not ever growing up out of the '80s.
So many top reviews but not a single one explained why I’m supposed to like this shit album. It’s not even good, certainly not great.
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".
Dette albumet er som å se på Wallace & Gromit, det er så koselig, vittig og erkebritisk. Digger det noe teatralske som dukker opp støtt og stadig i korte trekk. Låta Parklife er jo i seg selv et rent kunststykke i britisk tørr humor. Generelt også bare veldig mye trivelig og hookete musikk.
Starter ekstremt sterkt, med en rekke energiske poprocklåter med erkebritisk historiefortelling. Ender opp på noen litt rare steder i andre halvdel, men med nok leken sjarm til at jeg er med hele veien. Favorittlåt: Parklife
Fav track - Parklife 2012 Remaster
Wow long album. Every song feels like it should be the background track at the beginning of an early 2000s teen movie. Interesting album cover. Girls & Boys was a fun beat, got a little repetitive at the end but I was jamming to it. Tracy Jacks was good, loved the weird sounds in this song. End of a Century slowed things down a bit but was still enjoyable. Parklife was alright. Bank Holiday felt more metal/rock and was super chaotic and like they were rushing through the song which was interesting but not my vibe. Badhead is relatable like what I feel when I need to wake up and go to work ugh. The Debt Collector is kinda jazzy and chill. Far Out is unsettling and weird but I guess it kinda makes sense like alien vibes. To the End is good, again with the early 2000s teen movie except this time background for prom scene. London Loves brings back some funk, rock, and an oddball beat which I kinda dig. Trouble in the Message Centre is a head banger. Clover Over Dover uses that instrument typically used in Halloween songs so it’s a little creepy but still a good jam. Magic America was okay. Jubilee brought back the rock but overall I thought it was just okay. This is A Low was a nice slower song with the acoustic guitar really setting the tone. Lot 105 is hilarious. It’s giving baseball game from the 50’s, Napoleon Dynamite, and old timey trolling. That’s a great end of album song. Awesome album - 4/5! Fave song: This is A Low or To the End Least fave song: Bank Holiday
Feeling like a broken record with this run of albums, but I think this is again just not for me? It's a long album with a variety of instrumentals/speeds/tones; however, I don't think I thoroughly enjoyed a single one. They all somehow felt both unique and more of the same. Oh well...
You should cut down on your pork life mate. Get some exercise.
Girls who are boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they're girls Who do girls like they're boys Always should be someone you really love
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.
Uhh ja jeg synes jo det er en klasse plade og Blur er et klasse band. Det er nok lidt mindre min lyd end Oasis og måske mangler det lidt kant.. Har været meget mellem stor 4 eller lille 5 og tror vi ender på en lille 5 faktisk, fordi det er en virkelig fed plade som er lækker at høre i gennem for enden til anden. Synes faktisk nok Parklife er det fedeste track faktisk, ikke Girls and Boys.
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.
Brit Pop - Fresch, punkig und unkonventionell. Ja diese Songs gibt es auf dem Album und nicht zu vergessen „Girls & Boys“. Ja das Album ist abwechslungsreich mit einigen Facetten. Darum will ich es mal Wiederhören, zu seiner Zeit.
I truly hate Oasis and «Song 2», so I was dreading this. But I was pleasantly surprised. It is a bit too quirky and British at times, but the album as a whole is a charming record that I am happy to know.
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
It’s British, innit? Not bad as far as Britpop goes, but not for me.
3
I’d listen to it again, but I won’t seek it out
Captures a particular place and time yet still sounds current . Fun, great hooks, incredible range, stellar songwriting. This is a Low is 🤌
Wish I'd gotten hip to them a while ago. I think this may continue to grow on me. 4/5
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.
I liked it, Girls and Boys slaps Blur is goated
not my vibe
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.
Very good album, not rounding up but I would not find it crazy if I chose to. Previous listens were in the song loop headspace and I'm glad this app brought me back to it.
I like a few songs by Blur but don't like them enough to listen to full albums. I want to like them more than I do, but repetitive lyrics are my "nails on a chalkboard"
Never listened to a Blur album before, but now I get why Oasis won that battle. A couple of hits which everyone knows and there’s one or two half-decent other numbers - I quite liked Bank Holiday. But other than that there’s a pile of overly arty crap here that’s trying to be too clever by half. Interesting to hear Cocker’s vocal revert to RP at times. Didn’t enjoy this at all. My last two albums have been 1s. This scrapes a 2. Just
Blur er faktisk stærkt undervurderet
mind the gap between the train and the platform
Los 90 son un mundo hermoso
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as (Parklife)
Sunny youthful days - feel it is a great album more for sentimental reasons than pop prowess- still - some cracking tunes
Classic 90s album by a band finding their feet. Some real great pop songs and some classier mid tempo songs - To The End is great. Not their best work but still a winner.
How can I like Gorrilaz but not this? Who knows, but I do.
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.
would be 5 but theyre british
Was hoping it would be better
Whole album was a blur. Nothing unique and all of the songs sounded the same and most of the lyrics were the name of the song repeated over and over.
Some good songs but that's all.
I like some of blur's singles that I've come across over my years, but these whole albums haven't grabbed me at all.
About average for the genre. Nothing new or edgy.
"Girls And Boys", "End Of A Century", "Parklife", "Badhead", "The End", "This Is A Low": Britpop at it´s almost best?! worst: "Bank Holiday" 3,5
Good in small doses, I suppose. There were a few songs I liked and could see myself revisiting. But as an album I found the “cuteness” became cloying after a while. 2.5/5
Only 2 stars because it’s not as bad as the ones I rated one star, still not good
Very good, my favorite Blur album
Nah
я очень люблю girls & boys, и альбик приятный
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.”
Liked it!
Fun. Love Oasis hating on this one. Not home to their all time bangers however.
mid
One of the most British albums to exist, but charmingly so.
Not more fucking Britpop.....
Meh
Always was more of an Oasis guy, but Blur is a great bad nonetheless. A great album with a surprising amount of variety. The great thing is that all songs feel quite different but they still make a cohesive album
It’s so typical 90s. Tongue in cheek, ironic, and blasé, all while rocking’ out. Gen X loves to mock the present tense. Wherever we are, we secretly love it as much as we hate it. Blur really captured that vibe. “I’d love to stay here and be normal, But it’s just so overrated.” If that doesn’t sum up the ethos of Gen X, I don’t know nothing’. I hate how overrated this record is, but I still love it.
It's a good album. The song Parklife was overplayed at the time, and in retrospect it is a novelty song, with much better songs on the album. 4/5
So much better than Oasis. Favorite song: Bank Holiday
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.
The lives explored in Parklife seemed exotic to me as an American teenager. Britpop itself was exploding after grunge and the sounds from Blur appealed to me when this came out. I still listen every once in a while and I still like it. Nostalgia trip? Maybe.
Pretty good!
6/10
Thoughts before listening: One thing I have learned from this project is that Blur is not as good as I have always assumed they were. In general I have found that they have a couple good songs mixed in with a bunch of halfassed tracks that sound like good ideas that never really got fully fleshed out. That being said, I know this is typically considered their best album, so maybe this is the one where it finally clicks for me. Review: This does feel like more cohesive songs than ones I have heard from Blur previously in this project. There are some songs here that I really like, mainly the hits like "Girls & Boys" and "Parklife". One thing this project has really highlighted for me is that while deep cuts exist, hits become hits for a reason. This is definitely Blur's best album, so I will give it 4-stars.
I’m mature enough to admit that Blur won the Britpop wars of the 90s.
one of the best albums ever by anyone ever
Girls & Boys is a catchy opening track. These guys took the "rip off the Beatles" thing a step too far, End of a Century sounds like an original song written by a Beatles cover band. Bank Holiday is terrible. This is taking "post punk" too literally. This album starts with it's best song and gets steadily worse as it goes on. To the End is the worst song so far. I spoke to soon, there are many bad songs on the album, London Loves being one of them. Lot 105's goofiness doesn't help, especially with the Beatles' Eight Days a Week melody.
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
Parklife by Blur has a great vibe, and while it’s hard to find anything bad about it, there's also nothing particularly groundbreaking about it. Overall, it’s a solid album with enjoyable tracks that capture the mood of the time.
Not really a Britpop fan
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.
Never really listened to much from the 90s BritPop era, mainly because the bits I heard didnt really grab me. I always heard about the rivalry between Blur and Oasis. And fans saying you can't be a fan of both. Not that Im a huge Oasis fan either but I would probably side more with them than Blur. This album had a couple of songs I thought were ok. The musicianship is great. I loved a lot of the basslines and some of the guitar parts. The vocals were good but the thick English accent got a bit much after a few songs.
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.
Never heard the album before. There's a lot of variety here. Not a lot of great songwriting, but there is a lot of variety. Boys & Girls stands out from the rest due to its catchiness. They've done a good job with making a satirical euro dance hit. But the lyrics are mean-spirited and, in my opinion, problematic.
Very British but not awful.
Some cool instrumentals, but the vocals are like not good man
Eh. So-so
Peak nostalgia
Did not use a private spotify session for this. I got into Blur when I lived in London and couldn't figure out why we Americans embraced Oasis, but "Song 2" was Blur's only Top 40 song in the states.
this is so annoying. like an emo beatles. 2 stars.
Also das Cover gefällt mir gar nicht, und die Musik reißt auch nicht mit.
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.
Britpop at its best. A real mix of genres on this one all telling a tale of 90s Britain. Good stuff
ALL THE PEOPLE. SO MANY PEOPLE!!! Ok, now that I've got your attention, it's time for Blur. This album isn't massively different in style from the wonderful 'Modern Life Is Rubbish', but it doesn't need to be, since there's still enough creative juice in them to make it work. (Another example would be Queen's Night at the Opera and Day at the Races) Parklife's concept seems to hang together a bit better compared to its predecessor, and the band experiments more with studio trickery and different styles. (I couldn't imagine Girls & Boys or To The End on the previous one, for example. That's the difficult thing when you have two really great albums in a row from the same band in the same style that you love equally, you either go into detail about the differences between the two or you just shrug and say 'It's good, innit.' Tangent: It's good, innit. Fave: This is a Low Least Fave: Lot 105
The closest an album has ever got to a good British sitcom. A vivid portrait of eclectic ordinary people experiencing the funny parts of life mixed with real pathos. Fun, witty, bouncy, poppy. At the same time; cynical, bitter, aggressive, and reflective. Something most of Blur's contemporaries and copycats couldn't reproduce (and something that Blur themselves couldn't balance on their poppier but lyrically darker follow-up The Great Escape).
In the Blur vs Oasis war, I'm team Blur
This is a classic. And I got this album the day after I got the good, the bad, & the queen.
This is a very cool album. Sounds great still. I had forgotten how much I like tracks like End of a Century. And Badhead. Full of fun, sing-a-long lyrics - pure entertainment. But also so much more than that. Both loud and quiet. A textured reflection on society: songs like Park Life, that everyone sings along to, are great, but it also reflects the other side of all of us. As in, even when we are all so jolly at the party, we have other things we are dealing with in life. To the End. I really enjoyed listening to this again, and Damon's voice (both written and singing) is strong throughout. Not quite a five star because I don't love every track ... but a 4.5, for sure. Oh, actually, what the heck - l enjoyed it a lot - let's go 5!
This takes me back! The essence of Britpop and their best album. Fake cockney laddishness abounds but it's an album with a heart; that Parklife verse about feeding the birds, Badhead, To The End, This is A Low. I like the short, energetic and quirky tracks too, they hold it all together. 30 years later this still sounds pretty good to me. 9/10 but I can't quite round it up.
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.
Peak Britpop. Lighthearted, fun, with great lyrics and stories throughout, and unmistakably British. Girls & Boys, Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Parklife, Badhead, To the End. This is Blur firing on all cylinders.
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.
Belter and light years ahead of Oasis - think we all know who won the britpop battle really ;)
Song for song I still prefer Modern Life Is Rubbish (which was 2 years ahead of it's time) but Parklife is still a essential album.
The high water mark of britpop and Blurs best album.
Why do they sound soo much more British than on the woo hoo song
Jaunty, mundane, irreverent. A snapshot of London in the early 90s. Nicely crafted pastiche that apparently defined Brit Pop. Gotta be in the mood for it. Today I was wasn’t sure if I was but by the time Lot 105 came around I was enjoying it.
Another Britpop album that i am sure many folks enjoyed at the time, which is fine, but is not timeless or memorable.
Absolute 5*. A perfect album. Can't put in words how much this record meant and means to me so I won't.
Rating: 9/10 Unbelievably catchy with excellent production and instrumentation. A dip in quality in the second half but still consistently great and an absolute blast to listen to. Favorite songs: Girls & Boys, Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Parklife, Badhead, London Loves, Clover Over Dover, This Is a Low. Worst song: Far Out.
Me during the first song: this is a masterpiece Me during the rest of the album: 😴
A Britpop gem. IMO, the most solid Blur album.
This was so fun!! My favourite tracks were Girls and Boys, Bank Holiday, To The End and London Loves. Whew I struggled to pick favourites...so many bangers. In all fairness I do have to say the second half of the album was a bit weaker. Excitingly British (who could've guessed britpop would be?)! Playful! Beautiful! I really like the way this album juggled the calm songs with the more energetic ones: there was no jarring switches in mood. These different songs fit together like puzzle pieces, managing to have both fun and serenity without one trivialising the other. This album is quirky. And sometimes silly. But also...soothing? I finished this album feeling very satisfied.
This is the most British album I’ve ever heard, which is not necessarily a good thing. It’s goofy and over the top and just too much. A few times I stopped and said “what is this song?” Not the worst thing I’ve ever heard but there is much that is far better. Sorry Blur, I love Boys and Girls, and Song 2 is a favorite from the 90s, but this album is not it. 2
this is some nostalgic 90s brit pop I can get behind. Most I can't.
Never been sure why Blur is put up there with the britpop royalty. Albums are too long, lack a through line and just don't do it. Songs are forgettable.
They got better songs
Great!
This feels like a natural extension of the Kinks. Some great snark and ambitious musical treats. The last third of the album feels like a let down.
Reading the global reviews, man do people hate on 90's britpop (to be fair, the list seems to skew heavy on it). I liked this one. I recognized a few songs (the decade from 1995 to 2005 is sort of a sonic black hole for me as I was way too focused on growing my career). (Ironically, due to a website snafu, I left this same review on a Madonna album)
I honestly didn't like most of it, but then it would somewhat hit and I would get really into it. I just think Blur will always be super varied for me--overall great especially by the end
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
Good
did you know britpop is short for british twink music
Had some real high highs, but the rest was forgettable. To The End was killer.
Every track is a little pop gem of yummy goodness. Makes me happy and pumped up just to hear it!
this was just ok, i was kind of hoping it would be better but i found it annoying at time and there were really only a few songs i liked. the rest was just kind of background noise.
I still prefer Gorillaz, but this was a solid 90s britpop album.
Wow! Just so good.
the peaks are so high even if they can't quite sustain them for the length of the album
What?
Great album. Blur are a great band!
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
Just another 90s band who sound like a lot of other uninspiring 90s bands
meh, there's probably better blur albums based on the tracks i've heard from them
Said I didn't like Blur albums, there's parts of this I'm not keen on but the good songs outweigh it somewhat.
arctic monkeys vibes
This is the second Blur album I've gotten to listen to. The other had Song 2, which was the only song I could think of from them. I learned on that album that the band has a much more diverse style than I had expected, and that continued to be true on this album. In addition, there was a song that I did not know was theirs. Pretty good all around.
po britpop nunca foi muito pro meu bico não mas não é um álbum ruim
pior que ONTEM (03/10) eu pensei "ou talvez eu devesse escutar blur mais a fundo pra ver se é melhor que oasis mesmo". bom timing. bom album pro fim de semana, ouvi ele umas 4 vezes. é legal, tem umas músicas mto boas (alo Girls & Boys), mas eu sou mais oasis mesmo, sabe. muito pra frentex, tenta colocar diversos elementos na música e fica uma mistureba meia boca, fraga. **edit: EU ESTAVA ERRADO. DE TEMPOS EM TEMPOS EU ESCUTO ESSE AQUI. EH BÃO DEMAIS E EU GOSTO MTO. PARABENS AOS RAPAZES. PERDÃO PELA IGNORÂNCIA.**
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 actually think this is the album I personally most associate with 'britpop'. Damon Albarn is a mastermind and he proves it with an album with amazing singles. A very strong 4.
Geweldig album. Parklife blijft echt een schijf. Hoe kan je nu niet luid meebrullen. Girls & Boys blijft ook echt geweldig en verder staan er ook een aantal degelijke nummers op zoals Tracy Jacks en End of a Century. 3.8 ALL THE PEOWPLE, SOW MANY PEOWPLE
First 4 tracks make it a 3/4 The rest is pretty forgettable. Over hyped.
Great album. Fast then slow. Soundtrack to my student ( mature ) days. Every song is a banger.
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
CAM ON INGERLAND🍺🏴
Overtly British, but in a good way.
Not for me.
The album tracks are meh but my god the singles are bangers
Solid
parklife has been one of my fave songs for years so it was fun to hear the rest of the album, but it’s def the best song on it. fun fact: blur and gorillaz are the same man
Mehhhh. Wasn’t my favorite. A good song here and there. But not for me. British pop mehh
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
I reviewed Modern Life Is Rubbish earlier this year, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Outside of "Song 2," I had never heard any of Blur's music before starting this project, so I'm heading into their discography pretty blind. I've heard good things about this album though, so I'm hoping I'll enjoy it as much as or more than Modern Life Is Rubbish. Well, the verdict is in, and I didn't care for Parklife very much. I appreciate the theme of everyday life that binds these songs together, but to me, the end result was pretty dull (maybe that's the point of this album). The songwriting was fine, but outside of the unifying theme, it didn't really do much for me. Musically, there wasn't much that I enjoyed either. I didn't care for a majority of the songs, and the few songs that didn't fall into that category, were fairly middle of the road. I didn't care for the musical styles that were used on this album either. On first listen, I really hated "Girls & Boys" (it eventually grew on me a little), but the synthesizer really stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of the album. There weren't really any hooks, melodies, or rhythms that I liked, so I found myself just trudging through this album, and it was a long trudge. Parklife might be critically acclaimed, but it's a miss in my book.
It was fine not the most memorable.
Listened already. Love it. Always loved BLUR. Specially Parklife as an album. And I thank my cousin for letting me listen to it. 5-5-5-5-5. It’s a 5
It didn’t help that this is my 2nd Blur album in 4 days. I feel like I’m listening to the Kinks if the Kinks sounded a little less pleasant.
Odd that this comes up just a week after revisiting Leisure. Boys and Girls is the pop song of the 1990s. The end.
This album feels like it spans several genres, but all unifies together under the vibe of being incredibly British. Girls & Boys and To The End are both great.
Not good
Easy 4 for Blur.
Really great and important Brit-pop. I wasn’t aware of Blur before Song 2, so I had to go back in time to figure out this band’s roots. But I have loved this album as long as I’ve known it. A gem.
It’s OK - well known album. Never did really get Blur
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.
Good album
Not really my vibe but it's not bad. Could see myself having it on as background music sometimes
Blah
Blur is sometimes good but always so repetitive
Dislike this Blur album. Much prefer Blur (1997).
Started very well, but deteriorated as the album went on.
Strong point of view from beginning to end.
Not how I remember Blur. Not my favorite album
Been bumping Blur’s self titled a lot since i pulled it here. Given that, I was actually pretty excited for this album. Unfortunately this falls flat for me. Maybe I’m just getting hammered with so much Brit pop lately and need to revisit, but this doesn’t capture any of the fun the self title does. Favorites: End of a century, Jubilee
I honestly like this more than the self titled song 2 is great and all but this is so mellow and fun girls and boys is just a soild album this feels more underrated and consistent. You can hear Damon energy in this from track to track. To the end is amazing what a nice gem of a song.
Girls & Boys started and I was like okay this is pretty groovy and fun and then after like 3 minutes I was like oh man it's just the same thing still and I got kind of bored with it. Overall I was a bit bored by this album but there were a couple interesting moments. I liked London Loves. It was kind of like post/egg punk sounding.
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.
I really enjoyed this, and while I might not remember to listen to it in the long run, a relisten after the weekend maintains.
Girls & Boys is a bop, and this is a fun album overall but really loses steam about halfway through.
I get kinda angry listening to this, the kind of angry that just makes you want to shake a baby. It’s all over the place and directionless. I
I have come to appreciate Blur more. I know they are revered in Britain but never really were that popular here in the US. But it is great straight ahead rock and roll. Some interesting lyrics.
This album succeeds as being a classic because it’s 1) unabashedly British 2) is well crafted, both individually and collectively and 3) defines a genre and an era without exception.
Gorillaz is one of my favorite bands of all time, but Damon Albarn on this album doesn't have the same magic as he does with Gorillaz. It's a solid album, but I was expecting it to blow me away. Favorite Track: "Tracy Jacks".
Meh
90s bangers aged well with varied soundscapes.
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
All my life, only Blur song I knew was Song #2. Shame on me, this is one of the best albums I've heard all year.
I love the song “Girls & Boys” from some random compilation album my mom had when I was a kid. Song 2 is the only song I know from Blur, and I don’t love it, but was hoping this would be one of those albums I never looked at but ended up being really good. Nope. It’s alright, but too many meh songs to make it a good cohesive album. Why is there a full blown carnival track?? I’ll pass on this one, even with a couple decent songs. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: in the end
this was fantastic! the guitar work and the drumming were amazing through out and the cheeky lyrics about pop culture and the new wave elements were all super fun. definitely a new favorite.
++: 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.
Not holding up so well.
Upbeat album, timestamped 90s vibe! Cute surprise with Françoise Hardy! Blubby loves this album so I’m slightly influenced.
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
i knew i'd probably hate it and it sucks that i'm right
This album is far too British for me.
Loved it
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.
I love Blur and I love this album. The blend of so many different styles of music on one album and they all seem to work together in a way few bands have been able to do. I'll gladly listen to this one (and, honestly, pretty much any Blur) again. Actually, I might go listen to it again now.
Love this. Hadn’t really listened to blur properly before but really enjoyed this with some big hits on it. Will listen again.
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
mid-90s Britpop, with a few songs everyone knows
Some good songs but honestly didn't grab me.
Eh, grand
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!
So blur has been getting surprisingly (for me) positive reviews from me. I'd say I would give this a five star rating if it felt more like an album.
On face value, some people might write this off as just another Britpop album but that’s a discredit to the variety, creativity, and personality here. There’s a lot that I could go over, but I would instead just like to mention that the harmonies on this album are so good.
Not a whole lot to say about this album - it was fine. I liked that it didn't really fit into a particular genre.
2/5 Not a big fan of punk.
This is one of the most British albums of all time. It's like it was engineered to be kind of annoying, but somehow overcomes all of that with its slick productions and catchy tunes. I almost feel embarrassed with how much I like Tracy Jacks. But hey, it is what it is. Damon Albarn is a talented guy and this is a classic piece of britpop. *Heard before.
Ehh. Ok
First half was good
Instant 5 star. The album cover is even my phone background rn. This is one of the only albums to feel like it matches the BritPop name. Only 1 or 2 I don’t really care for. So good Rating: 4.9
Album 518 of 1001 Blur - Parklife (1994) Rating : 3.75 / 5 Some pretty good British Pop. In the vein of Oasis or Teenage Fanclub. I could play this a few more times.
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".
This is #day19 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… Sally was able to wait, as today Oasis announced their first reunion gigs in 16 years. Well played, random generator. I've always belonged to the Oasis camp, with (What's the Story) Morning Glory? being my favorite of theirs. When it comes to Blur, though, I'd only ever heard selected songs. So today, more than 30 years after its release, I finally sat down and listened to this one from start to finish. It's a fun and versatile record: full of attitude, very London, sometimes almost too London. But that was the point back then. Britishness and all that. I also like the album cover. So if there's one Blur album you kind of must hear before you die, I suppose it's this one? This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day20.
Lots or repetition within each song. The little short tracks spring led in were a nice little surprise but kind of odd music (organs I think?) Liked Nw Low the best.
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
SO BRITISH! so britpop… i get why it’s loved but think it’s not just for me (american 😔)
Remember buying it when it came out and saw them on The Great Escape tour a few years later, love both albums, listening back to Parklife, it was so influential
A couple of classics with Parklife and Boys & Girls. Unfortunately the rest of the album was mediocre at best and total drivel at worst
I'm almost tempted to give this album an "incomplete," because I feel like I just don't 'get it'. It feels very born out of 90s British culture, with lyrics reflecting sentiment of the time that I just won't be able to connect to. It was an entertaining enough listen, but definitely had way too many filler tracks that bog down the good ones. All in all not bad, but I don't think I'll ever be able to appreciate this album as much as I could. Top Tracks: Parklife, To the End, Clover Over Dover
Blur is at the very least an interesting band. At the most, they’re geniuses. This falls somewhere in the middle. They lean into their Britishness HARD. The title track (the meaning of which escapes me) is perhaps the most the most British song of the 90’s, if not the 20th century. This is an eclectic album, which runs a little long. I probably feel this way partially because of the fact that it stars hot, with multiple tracks that grab you and keep you there. Then it starts to run a little long. Tracks that, while they all have clear direction and intent, don’t keep me all the way there. This could’ve been 10-15 minutes shorter and I don’t think I would’ve thought less of it. That’s a bummer, because I really like Blur and do find them to be one of the more creative bands, one that doesn’t just settle for making fun songs, but ones that try to push boundaries and move music in new directions. That alone deserves three stars. So that, combined with quality, earns it four. Standout Tracks: Girls and Boys, Parklife, Bank Holiday, London Loves, Clover Over Dover, Magic America, Jubilee
I really wanted to enjoy it but it ended up just being annoying
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 appreciate how timely this is, given the Oasis reunion news. There is one good song on this album and a bunch of unbelievably annoying ones. It is absolutely insane that they were ever placed in a "rivalry" with the Gallagher brothers, who are absolute knobs and wildly overrated in their own right, but Blur never came close.
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
Beautiful poetic stuff
I didn't like this music when it came out. And I still don't like this music however many years later. The cover is better than the music within.
Oh my fucking life. I don't hate them because I'm an Oasis fan. I hate them because they're shit.
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.
I didn't enjoy this at all. Britpop in general doesn't seem like a genre you can really sink your teeth into. This album is fast, cheap, and easily disposable.
offbrand arctic monkeys
Coldplay? Early Radiohead? Late Oasis? Nope, those are all better than this. And it all comes down to the songwriting. The only redeeming quality about this record in my mind is it’s the album in which Damon developed a lyrical style and musical intention that would allow him to form the Gorillaz, whom would take any day over this mediocre Britpop After listening to it throughout the day is like to punch in the mouth whomever put this on this list. This is the most boring, bland, non-inspirational record. It’s ’fine’ but I absolutely couldn’t gone my whole life without hearing it.
A good listen. I'm adding this one to my library.
Fun sounds, more chill than I remember.
69
Part of the fabric of life in the UK in the 90s, but still with a few lesser known tracks as well. This is a low was a highlight for me; one of my favourite blur songs, and of course the title track is one of the great memes of our time. An absolute joy to revisit, and a reminder of how good the charts of the era could be!
Girls and Boys was a monumental discovery for me... what I would give to hear this album again for the first time. Trouble in the Message Centre, Badhead, End of a Century and Tracy Jacks are long lasting favourites from this album. Still can't make up my mind whether this is my favourite album from blur...
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.
Great brit pop
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
Amazing that this album grew on me the more I progressed. As first I said it had all be done better. But the diversity and musicianship got better as it went. Diverse and interesting. I really like it.
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.
I don’t need to listen to Parklife to know it’s a five star album. I still listened to it again, because it is just fantastic. What I think is really overlooked is the Pop aspect of Blur’s early work. To The End is not only one of my favourites from the album, but it’s also just a classic, very 60’s almost Chanson-esque, Pop structure. It’s a true spiritual successor to the work The Kinks and The Beatles were doing, bringing modern sensibility to classic song structure and creating a new standard for Pop music. The conventional wisdom is that Blur might have won the battle of Britpop, but Oasis won the war. I’m not so sure. More music not only sounds like Parklife nowadays, but also takes it’s cues from their songwriting and ethos. The mixture of humour and heartbreaking sincerity plays much better than Oasis’ self-aggrandising, and has been much more influential on the recent character and story driven direction Indie Rock has taken in recent years. And also, it’s just a fucking good collection of music. And that’s all it needs to be
Definitely on the long side, but pretty fun for britpop
This one's really hard for me to rate. It's British, like REALLY British, but somehow it doesn't suck? It doesn't really make sense in my brain. The instruments mix really well with the wacky crap they add in. Favorites here are Girls & Boys, End of a Century, and Magic America
Solid contender for the most British album ever made. It’s a lot of fun. Dips a little in the middle. Favorites were Tracy Jacks, Parklife, To The End, and Magic America.
Girls & Boys End of Century Badhead London Loves Trouble in the Message Clover over Dover Magic America
I think this was very good, I zoned out from frustration doing some leetcodes...
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)
There's an interesting exploration of genres going on here but it comes off a bit incohesive over the whole album. I actually thought at one point there must be another band named "Blur" because this can't be the same guys who put out "Song 2". Overall, it's a fun listen, it's fine but not amazing.
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
This Is A Low, To The End, End Of A Century, all absolute bone fide classic songs. This album is near perfect pop, Damon Albarn is almost definitely a genius, the man doesn't stop working and has so many musical projects. Blur deserve their place among the great British bands. And, I always preferred Oasis!
I listened to the band way back when they were first famous and I wanted to recapture my youth as a 50 something. The album content is a spread of the styles that made them memorable in their part of the production of a social documentary of British Life. Nostalgic rather that brilliant.
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
Changing the channel.
I wasn't into 'Britpop' at the time. I was into dance music and DJing to an adoring bedroom wall. But my mates lived it. A lot of it sank in by osmosis. I have a lot of fondness for it. They didn't do Blur, though. But I've alway appreciated them, without ever really exploring them. I thought I would like the album. It's got a couple of quintessential Blur tunes, but I didn't know what to expect of the rest. And I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Definite Kinks influence, lots of experimentation, styles all over the place. Just more interesting that a bit of Rock and Roll. I'm xennial biased, but I like it.
It sounds like any other britpop record.I don't like it. It is very boring and samey.
Not too crazy for it. Have nothing to say really hahaha
A lot of talking
i listened to this album sooo much during my first summer in london. on reflection it's a bit baggy and has a couple too many songs about 'characters' but ... PARKLIFE!
didnt listen, going off the cover tho, cover is cool :)
An undeniable classic, but I still think it has its fair share of duds.
2.5 Nothing special
A sardonic masterpiece. A much more interesting riff on the Beatles than Oasis could manage. I was very pleasantly surprised re-listening to this album. In my mind I have been more of a Graham Coxon fan than a Blur fan. But this album is an amazing band effort. 👌
3.5/5
Хороший, на удивление, альбом. Не все попадало в меня, конечно, но группу слушать продолжу
Inconsistent
Was a blur fan in the mid-90s so this was a nice trip down memory lane. It held up well and I enjoyed it just as much as I did back then.
No. I don't like this Blur album either. Dull, don't like the vocals.