Reviews (page 5 of 8)
A decent number of decent songs, but no great tracks. Maybe 1-2 worth adding to a playlist.
I remember my kids listening to this it isnt awful
They did a really good job on this one, especially by the fourth or fifth song, on making the tracks blend right into the background. I wasn’t even paying attention. Got real boring real fast. Nothing big special on here, but nothing big offensive either. The finale of “Chemical World (Including “Intermission”)” is annoying, but otherwise, a very meh album. 3/5
Most of these songs are rubbish - a few things caught my ear, but mostly it was an edgeless stream - kind if a blur, actually.
I don't get Britain's obsession with Damon Albarn
oooooh 2 back to back 90s albums! Blur. I definitely know Blur. Damn a 2 hr album! I couldn't remember at first what song these guys did. Song 2. "I got my head checked" which I always thought it said, I got my head shaved!! WTF!? Anyways. This album sound nothing like that son. They're so Brittish! I never knew that. The accents comes out a lot in this album. Even the tittle. Modern Life Is Rubbish. lol Okay I listened to most of the first disc. I don't think I want to listen to the rest. I'm giving it a 3
Sympathique et inoffensif
3.4 - Yeah it was okay, not sure
The first half of this album tastes like a glass of room temperature water after a day at the office. From Oily Water onwards I found it much more interesting. Miss America, Villa Rosie, Turn It Up all had some redeemable qualities. Fave Tracks: Oily Water 3.2/5
A couple of cool tracks, except for the big one that everybody has heard. It all gets lost in generic pop rock for me, though.
When I die and come face to face with the creator, I will have to answer his questions. Who were you? What did you live for? and Why did you write a review for Blur's 'Modern Life is Rubbish' without finishing it. "It was tiresome and uninteresting" I would say, but that answer dissatisfying the creator. "But what if it improved in the second half? Or what if it got worse. If you gave it 3 stars it mustv'e been enjoyable enough" replied my lord and savior. "Well yes, it was good enough, it was exactly good enough to be insufferable. It wasn't bad enough that I could muscle my way through it like some of the slop on the list, but it wasn't good enough to be enjoyable. and the crushing weight of the run time made me so painfully aware that I was listening to it. It was all too much" I respond. And I'll have to hope that answer is good enough
Decent enough 90s British rock album. So far we’ve had two blur albums, neither of which has been Parklife, which seems strange to me. That’s a great album, this one is just fine. It turns in to background music a bit, and it’s long. I don’t really know why it’s in here, but there are much worse albums to pick. Pretty average.
This is the worst Gorillaz album yet. It's a bunch of nice 90's rock tunes that didn't have the nostalgia needed to take it up some stars.
Blur is blur
As I am generally pretty unimpressed with Blur I would never have given this a chance. I actually liked this the best so far, so …that’s all I’ve got. Better than other Blur.
I'm a blur fan but don't spin this one much. Opens well but quite a few weak songs. Still a band very much finding out how to work together.
Parklife clear
Meh! It's OK, but not as good as their next album, Parklife.
5/10…brit pop 🥱
Too chill
3.5 changed from peer preasure
Blur is good, but not great.
With the best will in the world I cannot give this more than a 3. There aspects of it I really like but in the end there is not enough that stands out. They have better albums than this
3.5
kinda boring
Modern Life is Rubbish is a fine album. copy/paste to read more: https://richcain.substack.com/p/project-1001-modern-life-is-rubbish?r=4ztyq
Was really enjoying this but don’t feel like coming back at the moment. Probably 3.5
Well, it's still Brit Pop and a far cry from the quality of the Gorillaz.
Eh okay
Catchy sound without any standouts. Worth a listen but won’t have me running back.
Ok. A sign of the future output from Blur.
I feel bad because there is so much renown for Blur, but there’s nothing overly interesting in this rock album.
Oy bruv, bit dull, innit?
I thought I knew a lot of Blur, but I’d never heard this album before. Not bad.
This is a pretty good album. Although I'm not a huge fan of Britpop, I like several songs here. It's worth a listen, and I will revisit it to see if my impression improves.
Turns out Blue are not an album band, but at least Chemical World and one or two other tracks are alright.
the second blur I've listen to and honestly this doesn't really appeal to me. it fine. tbf the other one I listened to was their newest album The Ballad of Darren and don't think really like that album too much, including myself. I think im just mad that it doesn't sound like Gorillaz which should've been obvious considering they're completely different musical projects. maybe once i accept that I'll enjoy blur's music more. this is way too damn long too omg its the song from that one scene in baby driver wow
Good. Not great.
Not my fave blur album
Felt quite nostalgic listening to this. But it's not my favourite Blur album. I'm more familiar with Parklife - a continuation of the theme. I prefer the later, more introspective stuff on Out of Time.
Britpop's finest. Stand out tracks for me are For Tomorrow, Resigned and the Kinks inspired Sunday Sunday. Parts of this album I quite like but mostly it does not quite do it for me. 3 stars.
Nice sound marking the early 1990s.
For Britpop 90's alt rock it's fine. Not amazing, but not grating. Just meh. Standout is leadoff "For Tomorrow". "Chemical World" frantic ending but good.
Bit bland
Nice and energetic. 2hrs tho, pah.
I got this as a teenager and always felt like I'd bought the wrong Blur album because it just didn't connect at all. A couple decades letter, I can appreciate it a bit more, though primarily as a historical touchstone. It's a foundational bit of Britpop that draws on tradition of UK powerpop for tight melodic songwriting and some of the sounds of the era's alt/indie rock for its fuzzy energy. Rejected by America, they delve deep into Briticana with ironic art-school eccentricity and authentic ecclecticism. It's well crafted and put together, sounds great, cool use of effects, lots of clever song-writing tricks and catchy melodies. It's wry and whimsical, serious about musicality but uninterested in the dark gloomy depression of grunge, instead creating the definitive Britpop mood of optimistic nostalgia. But it's also got too much annoying stuff and none of it is as good as their next two albums. The foundation rather than the pinnacle of this 60s-yearning brand of 90s guitar pop. Can't help but feel Blur would be better represented as a Best Of band not an albums band. Whoever keeps making these double-length special issues the default on Spotify is not doing anyone a favor - just give me the original tracklist FFS! Not some bloated monstrosity full of unwanted extras and bonus tracks and remixes and outtakes. Favorites: For Tomorrow, Colin Zeal, Oily Water
Gorillaz>>>>
Wasn't great, wasn't rubbish. 3/5
Sometimes, if I’m not careful, I can be a bit a smug, pontificating wank. Damon Albarn suffers from the same affliction and that’s usually why I like him - he’s going to a bit of a dick about his pal who moved to the country and likes baths but he’ll be funny and a bit insightful about it so you’re prepared to let it go. And he’s a musical genius so you’re distracted by that too. From one wank to another, lads, the mix was slightly off on this one. Not funny enough or insightful enough to feel anything but mean and not musically interesting enough to overlook the cruelty.
Better than I thought it would be
Brit-Pop.
“Modern Life Is Rubbish” is one of the pillars of Britpop, without a doubt. Along with Oasis, Blur is one of the greatest precursors of the genre. Unfortunately, something happens to me where the first songs of the band’s albums seem really good to me and at some point that gets lost. This makes me lose interest in the work, no matter how good it is. In this case, I enjoyed the first 8 songs, but after that the album seemed to lose its way. Maybe because Damon’s voice is not really to my liking, or simply because the production starts to seem repetitive and boring. Still, “Modern Life Is Rubbish” is a good album, which gets lost amidst Damon’s pretensions.
Some decent songs, a handful of boring songs, far too long. The songwriting doesn’t quite reach Parklife levels
Initially I thought they sounded like a mix between Bowie and Pink Floyd, but not in a good way. Thought it was a little obnoxious. Then it started to grow on me. They're a little like an English Smashing Pumpkins, but not as good. They're cover of Maggie May is horrendous though.
Checche ne dicano le altre recensioni che ho letto su questo gruppo, a me è piaciuto molto più di altri album dei Blur
I went through a phase of loving Blur in late 90s/early 00s. But then as a kid I went through a phase of thinking I’d marry my mum. Thankfully I grew up and realised she wasn’t marriage material and just good for the sex. Much like Blur who are really only good for their hits. They are a greatest hits band. 3.0
Overuses abit the echo/reverb vocals, but I guess that’s the vibe this album tries to go for.
Я переслушал пару раз,но все-таки не зацепило. Небольшая грязь и непоследовательность. Нагромождение звуков.
This teeters between a 3.4 and 3.5 when I average my ratings of individual songs. The latter half (or maybe even 2/3) is great Britpop but this is probably my least favorite '90s Blur album so I'm bumping it down to 3/5
Some good songs mixed in
Two Blur albums almost in a row? I wonder how many more of their albums are on this list. It's an ok album but not great.
Some good, bit toff
I’ve always struggled to get into Blur, despite loving Gorillaz. Ostensibly I should enjoy Bowie-worshipping pop-rock, but very few BritPop bands or albums have ever impressed me. Every now and then a song will jump out at me, and maybe if I dug into the lyrics of this I would enjoy it more. But for now I can only report that it sounds fine, and is doing nothing for me.
A definite improvement over their debut. Essentially a more polished version, that hinted towards the versatility they would soon embody on their next record
Good album but not the best by Blur. Standouts: For Tomorrow and Chemical World
Very nice, better than the last Blur record.
Sung through a sneer. I would like this with another vocalist. Coxon is, and always has been, far too good for this band.
Wasn't bad as background music during work, but nothing stood out to me and made me rock out.
decent britpop album. starts super strong and then kinda turns into a slog after the first few tracks, but there are some enjoyable songs hidden in with the others. favorites: for tomorrow, advert, colin zeal, chemical world, villa rosie, turn it up
Might be the least interesting or creative Albarn project I've ever heard, but it's passable.
I actually enjoyed the front half quite a bit, but Chemical World and Oily Water butchered the pacing for me.
Very mid. Liked that I could feel the Kinks coming through.
Sure, it's more ambitious than Leisure, but better? More pleasurable? One's not persuaded. Plus, bands don't really deserve extra credit for attempting social commentary. Leave that to the novelists, sociologists, urbanists, etc., eh? This isn't as good as it seems to be convinced that it is and Blur often wrecks enjoyable songs with tone reversals that make the whole thing seem a joke. "Blue Jeans" and "Chemical World" are best cuts, but they aren't enough to push this into the top rank of records. Also, it's hard to escape the impression that Albarn just likes to hear himself sing, when he's really only too clever by a quarter. Oasis is better in one direction, Pulp in another. One should like Blur; one was/is very much in the target demo, but somehow their work never connects.
And they thought this in the 90’s…..
More fun than the battle ground of 93
I was surprised to see this on the list because i think it is one of the weakest Blur albums. Its still a decent early britpop album but its not got the hits or depth to do much for me.
Some of this album was really enjoyable. Great Oasis-esque Britpop/indie jams. Most of this album was forgettable and bland.
This strikes me as yet another UK centric entry, there's nothing special at all about this record. It's not bad, it's just not unique or super interesting.
Very English. Splendid harmonies, some catchy tunes, with hints of the underlying melancholy that they developed further on the next album, Parklife. .
Brit rock, with some folky leanings
A great album! You can see Damon Albarn coming more into his own in this album, which will lead him to become one of the greatest musicians of the last 30 years! The album has more of a punk feel, with a lot of heavy bass from Alex James, which gives it that punk vibe. There are still some songs that you can hear that are very Britpop, but you can see Blur is so much more than a Britpop band, they explore different types of genres. The flaw it has, as it explores these genres, the album is a bit uneven, going from Pressure on Julian to Star Shaped, is very jarring! But that does not take away from what a great album is! As the likes of For Tomorrow and Oily Water, are just amazing tracks!
Didn't know any of these tunes, clearly it was an album from before Blur's commercial peak. A decent discovery though.
Not all bad. I try not to think of Blur in comparison to Oasis ... let Blur be Blur.
Passed me by easily enough, nothing interesting
not bad but just okay 3
blur mag ich, auch wenn die schiere zahl von songs auf diesem doppelalbum mindestens soviele überraschungen enthält. manches geht, anderes gefällt .. nicht.
Je devrais réécouter cet album car je n'ai pas été assez attentif en l'écoutant, mais j'ai tout de même bien aimé. Ça m'a moins marqué que les deux autres albums de Blur que j'ai eu, mais je continue de comprendre pourquoi ce groupe est si important sur la scène UK. Ça continue de prouver pourquoi ce sont eux le meilleur band de Britpop. 7/10
неназойливый, можно фоном слушать (когда-нибудь продолжу)
Serious meh.
Fine. This is one of those albums that tells you the folks who put it together are from the UK, because I feel like it would otherwise not be included, like a few others. I mean, it’s no Presidents of the United States of America.
[Liverpool 2005 - four men in tweed jackets sit around a table] Man 1: So, what albums should go on this list? Man 2: Well, first of all, every Blur album. All: Ah, yes. Very British. Very British. (They pour tea)
Pretty fun.
3.5
I swear every Blur album is the same. Too many songs, too long, some good tracks, most mediocre, by the end you're glad it's over and but you enjoyed it in parts. Slightly better than Parklife at least. 3 5*
A classic 7/10
Enjoyed it. Standout songs: For Tomrrow Oily Water
Not really for me.
Not a fan.
Most of the songs sound the same, but they are okay to run in the background
I love some of Blur’s later work, especially 13. But like many Americans I was unaware that they had any albums before Parklife, which makes sense, because while this one is okay with some very cool moments, overall it’s just a bit too British for my taste.
🎧Kinks-y. Standout tracks: Chemical World, Turn It Up
A fine album but blur has others that I find better
I wanted to like this, but not quite up there with the best if I’m being honest.
Not successful in being the Kinks.
Britpop. Ningún megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
Decent music, felt pretty forgettable to me overall though. It passed me by just like life is said to do.
This feels a lot like listening to a Something Corporate album. It's more interesting as an example of an early work before the artist became something more for me. As a Britpop album, it is on the better end.
Not rubbish, but did drag a bit in the middle. Still strong!
already listened to it. good album, oily water is underrated
The album you bought when you heard the Woo Hoo song, and then none of the other stuff was like that.
...
More solid Brit pop rock from blur. Third blur album I've gotten
I've never really been much of a Blur guy, to be honest, and I can't say this album really changed my mind. I think they're ok, and this album was ok.
Dull and dreary, didn't even finish listening. The album isn't bad, it isn't good, it's just pointless
not bad but i thought i’d like it a little more
The Unloveables - Crush Boyfriend Heartbreak is my favorite pop punk album ever. It will never show up on a list like this but if there is anyone out there who reads this review and liked Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat, please check out CBH. Beauty and the Beat is as much an album of the 80's as CBH is an album of the 00's and Team Dresch/Sleater Kinney and the Riot Grrrl bands were of the 90's. I'd assumed The Unloveables were influenced by those 90's bands but I had no idea there was an early 80's album that so much effect on them. Too often, women have to "prove" their genuine interest in male-dominated spaces but I think The Go-Go's do enough just musically for it to have been obvious from the start they paid attention to rock music and were very much a part of it. Songs like We Got The Beat and Our Lips Are Sealed have a fun surf rock quality to them that proves these girls had been keyed into the music scene for a while. The musicianship is just as competent as literally any band on the radio at the time. Belinda Carlisle sings great melodies, I especially loved on Fading Fast how wistful she sounds. In saying that, there needs to be more room for female-vocals who aren't amazing singers but have all the passion required. If the public can stomach Bernard Sumner singing they can handle off-key women singers too. Belinda's voice has more than enough emotion to match both the music and the content of the lyrics. I'm glad this band existed and were successful. It's possible they could have still had the influence they did on the bands above even without the commercial success a la The Velvet Underground but this album rocks on its own. Anyways, please listen to The Unloveables.
I liked the whoo hoo Blur better
Love me some BLUR, they’re the most British ‘sounding’ band I’ve listened to, which isn’t saying a ton cause several bands have their accents and what not. I don’t know they have a certain way with their chaotic instrumentals and lyrics that works well. 3.2
I like all their other albums better. It's not terrible, but it doesn't belong on the list. Favorite song: Advert.
Nothing crazy about this one. Some decent basslines and energy, but feels like a punk album in the sense that it's repetitive and the singer's voice is whiny. Low 3.
Considered Brit pop, but it's a bit heavier musically than I expected. More like early Weezer and Fountains of Wayne than Oasis. A bit long and samey after awhile. Highlights: "For Tomorrow" (percussive guitar strums support a catchy melody, good opener), "Star Shaped" (definitely influenced by power pop), "Coping" (catchy chorus)
This is the first time I've really felt strongly limited by the fact that I've only had one day to listen to this. I'm not quite at the level of putting this into my main rotation, I personally found the first listen to be a bit dull in the first half and more exciting in the second half. The second listen however, revealed some details I had missed upon first listen. It's not hard to imagine myself liking this more in the future, but alas, I must rate and move on to the next album. A few brief thoughts: I've never really listened to this late 90s/early 00s britpop (if that's accurate to what this is), and I honestly don't know what to listen for here. The first half was decent, and song to song there was good variety, but I felt like there was some lack of dynamics in each song. The latter half of the album has more styles and influences mixed in, and I gotta say, this stuff is great, I thoroughly enjoyed the last 5-7 songs. Probably the strongest 3 I've given out so far, I think this has a lot of potential to break me into a genre I'm otherwise oblivious to.
Some decent, early 90s poprock? britrock? Not exactly sure where it falls tbh
This album is rubbish
I'm not sure if I've every heard any of the songs on this album. I enjoyed it. 3/5
Quite listenable but there wasn’t a song that made me think wow I should have listened to more Blur back in the 90’s
i like Blur, my ex girlfriend was obsessed with them back in the day. some of their stuff starts sounding the same after a while.
Average. Nothing that annoys me, but not much that grabs me either.
Serviceable 90s Britpop. S'ok.
Pretty good
Blur to me seems a perfect example of a band that couldn’t put their money where their mouth is. The cockiness and battles that Damon Alburn and Oasis had were great but musically it’s a fail for Blur. The songs on this album aren’t terrible. They almost have an 80’s sound, like if the Pet Shop Boys played guitar. That’s ok but I don’t think this one will get more than 3 stars from me, which is my going rate these days it seems. Choice Cut: For Tomorrow
I liked Suede's 1993 album better, sorry Damon. I have the same qualms with this album's songwriting as the Suede album, but I like Suede's more colorful, glistening sound better than Blur's more straightforward rock sound. I think the Suede album has more bops overall too. There are a few Blur songs that I really like, but none of them are on this album. I do appreciate how unapologetically British this album is, with the album title and all. I have Blur's first album on my list, I would revisit this after that. Favorite song: Oily Water
Again, I enjoyed but it did not stand out to me
Very British, too British? Some songs were almost there but had some weird quirk that ruined it for me
Modern life is rubbish? More like this album is rubbish 🥁. I found myself struggling to get through this one to be honest. I think the best compliment I could give this album is that it was fine. Fav Songs: Advert Star Shaped Chemical World
this deserves a 2 star review for being way too long. I didn't finish. I like Blur alright, even though I'm generally not a huge fan of brit pop. But damn... a double album of Blur? Too much. Anyway, this is some fun, toe-tapping good stuff.
I kind of have the same response to this as The Verve, maybe it's why my interest in Oasis never expanded to more British 90s wave groups. I liked it more upon 2nd listen, but it's a 3.5, going 3 for length.
never been super into blur, it's nice
Okay album. Nothing specific stood out to me.
Some good songs, but some I don't get at all.
As difficult second albums go, this is a pretty good one. A huge stylistic change from the shoegazy Leisure though not quite the more definitively britpop sound of the following year’s Parklife. There are ups and downs and some teething issues but it’s a fun record and an important step towards some more consistent and iconic work. Also - the intermission and outro on this go so hard, they’re better than a lot of the songs tbh
ver rock, quite fun
I really enjoyed For Tomorrow and Sunday Sunday. Otherwise the album seemed very much a product of its time.
Rubbish life is modern.
7/10
Their Self Titled was a lot bettet
It's good, but not great. Lyrics miss the mark, even though the subjects are interesting. Musically the album starts off very strong with the first couple of songs, but then fizzles a bit to the end. It's about 20 minutes too long.
I love Blur. This probably isn't my favorite album of theirs, but it's solid.
Not bad stuff here. Was it just me, or does anyone else get hints of Green Day with just a whiff of the B-52's in the finish?
3.75
I don't know how to review this one. So many songs. I could only listen to it once. I probably like this? But nothing really stood out to me
Meh. An average album from an average band. I seriously don't get the hype about blur.
Yeah it is
3/5. Super British but works very well considering the concept of anti-American consumerism. It's also diverse enough to not get bored and feels like a full album, front to back a fun listen, including random riffs from different instruments keeping you on your toes throughout. Not all songs are great though and definitely skippable but decent enough. Best Song: Advert, Chemical World, Coping
This starts out pretty good, feeling almost like a modernized version of classic Bowie stuff. But it pretty quickly wears out it’s welcome, and then there’s 20 more minutes of music after that. They really could have edited this down into something special.
these songs keep catfishing me it always starts off sooooooo good and then just slowly gets worse. it's getting on my nerves. so far the only good song is colin zeal. update: kind of eating my words rn the first 2 songs i think were just sucky this is kinda cool (i might be getting catfished again) okay here's the issue. the instrumentals by themselves are so cool, they're smooth, they're rock, they are so snazzy. the problem is when damon albarn starts singing. in some songs it fits the vibes, he manages to add this kind of down to earth feeling to it, in my opinion. i think this is especially prominent in girls and boys, coffee and tv, and to the end (la comedie), and of course, song 2. the problem is in this album, his voice tends to get annoying. a lot of the songs just don't suit him stylistically. for example, chemical world as a song is actually really good! but as soon as this guy starts singing you start to get annoyed with it. maybe this is just the radiohead nerd in me, but if i heard someone with a voice like thom yorke on these tracks, i think i'd enjoy them so much more. in conclusion, his voice is what's ruining it. okay that was honesylu super long for no reason but, yeah those are my thoguths :3
I've been fairly positive towards Britpop so far, but for some reason Blur is just not really working for me. Parklife was album #77 for me, and I thought it was just ok. Unfortunately I'm having pretty similar feelings about this one. It seems like a lot of people think either this or Parklife is their best album, and neither of them are really working for me, so maybe I'm just not a big Blur person. I feel like I should like this more than I do, but something about it is just a bit of a letdown for me. It's just like a little too British and I don't love the singer's voice. Perfectly ok '90s rock, but relatively unexceptional to me. To be clear, I don't totally hate this or anything. There's a few reasonably catchy songs, and you can kind of see how this is laying the foundation for a lot of the Britpop to come (this is Blur's second album and I guess they kind of revamped their sound and image after their first album, Parklife came a year later). Just very middle of the road to me, and it sounds a bit dated to me now. Favorite song: Chemical World Other: For Tomorrow, Colin Zeal, Sunday Sunday, Miss America 4/2/24
alveg til í aðra umferð. 3,5.
Decent enough for britpop, although I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as that anyways. Lots of catchy little riffs and quirky vocal bits makes it a fun listen. 6/10
7/10 good britpop
Solid 3.5 stars. Competently performed Brit Pop, fine to have as background music while driving or working, but forgettable. The only song I can name is "Miss America," and only because that's the one that I would skip if I ever hear the album again.
Ni jednu nisam zapamtio, ali ugodno za slusanje. Mozda 3.5
I didn't like this as much as Parklife. I forgot to review this after I listened and now I can't remember what it sounded like.
A big old meh from me. Nothing memorable about this. I'm looking at my reviews for the other Blur albums and I definitely didn't enjoy this more than the other ones. It just kinda exists. Also suffers from my complaint of being too damn long. 60 minutes? Could have cut 20 minutes out and been fine.
Funny how this doesn't particularly sound like the later Blur albums I remember. The lyrics are a bit over the top kitchy, but they also have a certain catchy, singable appeal to them. Production quality could be better, but the volume wars were in full swing and compression was popular. It has a bit of an 80s holdover feel combined with some flashes of the sounds that would later become synonymous with 90s alternative. Not my favorite, but a fun album nonetheless.
My least favourite of the early Blur albums. Damon is too whiny on this.
Was surprised to learn they aren’t a British 70’s punk group. Some head bopping tunes but overall not mine
Beatles feel to the album
Some strong moments in here. Not my favorite throughout but was overall enjoyable. Will I listen to again: 40%
Frustratingly, relentlessly mid.
It was fine. This era of Blur is the one I think I can enjoy the most. Some cool songs, but nothing that made my ears perk up. Chemical World was a recognizable track, that beat is the epitome of Blur (song 2 aside), and I felt the fantasy for a moment.
Was fine
Alright.
Misschien zelfs 4!
It’s a good mixture of what seems like would be bsides on later stuff and some early experimentation.
I think Parklife is much better. This seemed like a prototype for it and later stuff. Could be why it's on this list but I don't rate it amongst their best
I really liked this one. Punky but enough depth to keep me engaged throughout, almost a 4.
It’s not personal. I just really didn’t feel like most of the songs. They were fine I guess.
Not as good as Parklife or The Great Escape, but I get what they were up to. Team Oasis 4lyfe anyway
Favorites: Advert, Coping, Resigned. Not really my taste but there were a few surprises.
There really is not much memorable about this album. It's very early-90s British music scene, but that shouldn't be a surprise. You can pick up elements of where they were going with little bits foreshadowing Country House popping up on Chemical World (which is really good), and other bits smelling of Tracey Jacks and other Parklife stuff. It's fine, if you can live with Damon Albarn having the cock-er-nee turned up to 11. Chemical World and Villa Rosie stand out.
A blur album without Song 2! It wasn't bad, but got a bit repetitive. I imagine that if I listened to the special edition that was double the length that it would be even worse. Overall, pretty good. Not the one hit wonders I was expecting.
Never listened to this, it's not half bad! Decent rock album
decent
liked it, but not blown away. 3.3/5. listened to the 2012 remaster including disc 2 (2h 18m)
For tomorrow was my favorite.
Sehr interessantes Album mit durchweg spannender Kombination aus klassischen E-Guitar Elementen und experimentellen Soundeffekten. „Sunday Sunday“ und „Blue Jeans“ sind gelungene Beispiele - aber es sind auch einige Songs vorhaben die überexperementiert sind 😉.
Never heard of it, love the cover. This album def sounds 90s and nothing on it clicks with me now BUT, something clicked and when I flipped to the band’s newest album there it was: the voice. Damon Albarn OBE (/ˈælbɑːrn/, AL-barn; born 23 March 1968) is an English musician. He is the frontman and main lyricist of the rock band Blur and the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual band Gorillaz. Added ‘The Ballad’ to the Kaizen project.
3.5/5
Bro I don't need this. Where good songs. No catchy. No cool.
Nothing particularly grabbed me about this. It's quick and facile, the lyrics have a sharp flow but don't actually say much. Fine but not stand-out.
Solid album. I'd give it another listen.
Meh
3.5
Right on par with early Alt Rock, and of course it's British. Nothing special, just a middle of the road.
Low 3. Kinda liked bits of it, but always felt lacking. No stand out tracks imo
I'm coming to discover that I'm not much of a fan of Blur, even though I do enjoy the singer's work in Gorillaz. Just overall not good at all, very bland.
I love that fact that the album cover is a picture of Mallard, a symbol of mid 1900s Britain, but other than that this album is just eh.
3.5 but I probably won't revisit
Quirky, melodic Britpop. Damon sings about some odd topics, innit?
It gets 3 stars because it's blur. But it's far too long.
Damon Albarns britpop-æra, det første, lidt for generisk
Helt jepa. Bra gitarr riffin
I thought I’d like this a lot. It sounds good but I didn’t really find myself really grooving to it either. Just like “sounds like good rock”.
Re-listen. I guess I am a Blur fan, even though I don’t actually love that many of their albums (only Blur and 13). I like the 3 Britpop albums (I don’t know if the others are still Britpop) and this is the first one. I just don’t love the style, but I still really enjoy this album. I’m actually not really sure if I should give this a 4 or not, but I’ve decided on a 3 for now.
Wasn't bad but didn't connect
Super long, interesting but not so much
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the other blur albums I've had on the list
Some interesting sounds. Maybe I'm feeling generous this morning?
Ok album
It starts off very good - a lot less Mockney than Park Life - but gets progressively worse as it goes along. Not sure why this is 50+ minutes
Very famous Brit pop/rock band. Don’t really get the hype. Find it quiet boring. Not bad, just not interesting. The vocalists voice is really nice.
meh
T'was alright. 2.8
Good but getting a 3 bc too long
Quite disappointed,I like blur but this album was actually quite boring with no great songs.Too long with nothing really interesting
Just ok, had it on loop and never really caught my attention
It's alright. Nothing amazing but I could see myself listening to these songs in the background at least. It's kind of funny how british they are though.
Its ok I guess. Its a bit twee at times. I can see the Ray Davies influence. Its been revisited by critics and considered a classic but meh.
Enjoyed more than I thought I would
Neither bad nor amazing. Good background music? Decent brit-pop.
This is the kind of music that makes you want to sit back, toke up and chill out to. They mixed Bowie and The Kinks with a dash of something special and the whole thing just works.
Chill
The definition of a three
Didn't hate this, but didn't love it either. I could have gone my entire life without listening to this album and not feel like I missed anything.
damn this truly is blur. straddles the line between goofy britpop and non-goofy, which is sometimes good but also makes the whole thing feel longer than something like parklife. best tracks: for tomorrow, blue jeans, chemical world
Heard before: some For me, it's always the same with Blur. I think I like them, then I'm disappointed at first, then I start to dig it with more listens, then I think the whole thing is solid, great even! The longer I listen, the more I like it. And this is no exception. The poppiness outclasses the heaviness, and the crazy chromatic chord shifts and sing-songy "Sunny English Afternoon" style carry the day. I underestimated Graham Coxon's input - his guitar lines stand out and drive things along. I guess this is their first "Britpop" record; you can see why they stuck with it. Top tracks: Blue Jeans, Star Shaped, Oily Water
Young Damon Alban really nailed this one, and apparently it's not even their biggest album, definitely makes me want to explore more. Reading about how Blur needed a hard image change so they pioneered Britpop is a wild story. Influences heard in many mid 00's indie and alt bands. I like how the sound transfers to the Gorillaz, who often take it one step further or odder
ya des bangers mais mid
I was initially unimpressed with this, but it grew on me as the album progressed. It's a strong Britpop album with a proper balance of the melodic and the snotty. For as smart as this was musically though, lyrically I found it to be fairly dumb. Fave Songs: Turn It Up, Sunday Sunday, Chemical World, Resigned, Oily Water
Pretty rocking Blur album
Southern swagger, but a bit samey..
A really fun listen with solid lyrics. Exactly what you’d expect from the title: plenty of well-deserved cynicism about life under colonial capitalism presented SO Britishly that it gets a little grating at times.
wasn’t sure what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. quality modern day britpop. catchy. not bad at all. highlights: “advert”, “chemical world”, “villa rosie”.
Modern Life might be rubbish but I don't think this album is. I thought it was kind of chill and background and a lot more mellow than I expected blur to be. I liked it. Erica: I like his vocals in other stuff, but this wasn't bad.
Another one of those albums that I guess I liked but I don’t know why it’s on this list. Nothing stood out good or bad. If I was somewhere and it came on, I wouldn’t complain. But I’ll never seek it out, either.
Seems fine but nothing caught my attention
This album just made me reconsider my appreciation of Blur. I always had a hard time with those guys, some songs I really liked but for the most poart I always found their albums to be pointless. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed that one. Maybe because it's pretty simple and goes straight to the point: making great power pop tunes.
Surprisingly ok. There might be one good Blur album out there after all!
Wow, this is now my favorite (and the only one I like) Blur album. This one contains nice songs, especially For Tomorrow or the beautiful Miss America. I wouldn't say it's one of the best albums ever, but it was worth a listen.
Was hoping for more from this, but it is very samey for the most part. The speeding up piano sample they use is some creepy fun though
Totally fine. Just a random walk in the 90s power pop world.
Enjoying this so far, not a bad album. Does feel a bit long
There's some good songs in there - but how can I rate something this long - over 2 hrs!
Meh
A bunch of solid songs with nothing really bringing them together as a cohesive whole. A shame, really, as I love the songwriting of Damon Albarn, and the group's performances, and the singles on here are outstanding. A decent record. A decent record
It's ok. didn't really get into it and not sure how much i digested it.
Kunne vært en 4er, men blir en 3er.
I don't know if I can stomach 2 hours of shitty British rock from a band that I already don't like that much. Of all the bands to get another entry on this list I was hoping Blur would not be one of them. I feel like Blur was just an experiment for Gorillaz to actually get a good start. The first track isn't bad... They have a really good knack for making great instrumental tracks that are utterly ruined by the lead singer. I'm really glad he got a lot less annoying/better at singing by the time he started Gorillaz. His voice is just not enjoyable to listen to. If they just didn't have any vocals these songs would be significantly better. Low 3/5 I guess. It is solely carried by the instrumental.
That's a pretty good cover. And this is a pretty good album. No standouts, but it seems like Blur's heart is in it. Might need to give this one another listen.
Album 21 of 1001 blur - Modern Life is Rubbish Favorite Track : For Tomorrow Rating : 3 / 5 British Indie Pop. I think I missed out on this on back in the early 90s. Grunge was about to make its move about the same time this came out. I feel that it probably got lost in the shuffle, as did many in this genre did. It was a good listed. While only the 1st track really stood out, there was nothing else about the rest that turned me off. Gave me some slight Squeeze vibes, but the comparison might not be fair to either. Not a waste of time.
OK
Very UK mod-ish in that late 80s/90s style giving respect to Kinks and the Who and also The Jam. I always liked this Blur album and although it doesn't get heard as much as the following celebrated albums it certainly stands up well in their discography.
Just an okay album from a mostly okay band. I don't understand why this needed to make the cut. Gorillaz is much more interesting and should've had more albums included than Blur.
Britpop. Ningún megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
In the 90's, Blur was always advertised to me as an Oasis or Radiohead level of good. And I was a massive Radiohead fan and I enjoyed Oasis as well, so I always assumed Blur would also be something that I enjoyed. But I just never got it. Song 2 was alright but nothing else really grabbed me. I gave up on them long ago and even with the Gorillaz, I love what's going on, but the music just didn't do it for me. Listening to this though may have changed that. It's not mind blowing or anything. But I REALLY enjoyed this record. It could just be my mood, but I am super glad this came up today and I will give their other albums a spin as a result.
Little to hate and little to love about this album
Ööööhh… yeah de e!!!!!
Felt it was pretty good but somewhat forgettable. Overall pleasant alt rock, catchy but not addictive. Low 3.
I come from a household where 'Blur is Shite', but this was alright.
Meh - wasn't bothered then, not bothered now
Nothing wrong with this album but for my money nothing to make it special either. Easy listening rock but no song stood out to me
Bättre än väntat!
Small bit annoying and repetitive at parts. Definitely some classic tunes and catchy songs but not as high quality or revolutionary as other projects by Damon albarn.
Some nice britpop.
As far as I can tell, Blur's brand of britpop is rock-based. Heavy riffs, fast paced, and wild sounding. This is in contrast with their rival Oasis's brand, which I think is pop-based. I don't really want to pick a side, because both are the same: promising at some places but falls flat as a generic pop-rock instead. Britpop in general, it seems, likes to play safe.
Yes, Blur was big in BritPop, and yes, this album helped paved the way for that. But outside of the UK, no one really cared about this album or its singles. This album had one single in the top 100, and that was *only* in Britain. The album was certified Gold... again, only in Britain. The album reviews at the time of release thought it was a good album, not great. Retrospective reviews have been better... but only some. Some reviews still think it's a good, not great, album. It's not a bad album though. And for historical reasons I can see it being on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die, but their self-titled album would be a better choice in my opinion. The songs on here are good but not great, and I found myself wanting the album to be over so that I could listen to something better.
Britpop is not as gimmicky as I remember.
I found it a bit of a let down. The first song got me excited and started off real strong but the rest of the album was really mediocre.
Fun album. Catchy songs with elegance, even if Britpop still isn't for me. Modern Life is Rubbish overstays its welcome for a few tracks.
Yeah Blur are better than Oasis. That is all.
Well it was very Blurry throughout ! Thnk I prefer Gorillaz. It was OK so 3*
Its fine but i think i dont really get blur or something
De her fuckers var onde mod Nardwuar og synger legit "lalalala" ok nok bias, ægte lyt nu. Bare sådan lidt kedeligt, det giver mig ikke rigtigt noget. Hans stemme er også lidt whacky. Den anden halvdel er dog bedre og der bliver faktisk bragt noget frem. Sjove instrumenter bliver introduceret og det lyder ikke ligeså tamt som starten.
Pretty solid Brit-pop with a healthy dose of glam mixed in. Not bad, not special either.
Britpop, de jaren negentig, een licht verlangen naar de goeie ouwe jaren zestig, met een dikke laag ironie erover en dan alles met veel vervorming uit de versterkers laten knallen. Best leuk, maar niet alles in dit genre blijft even lang boeiend.
If this was half as long it would be great. Ballooned up to almost an hour, it’s just good. There’s not many songs that miss, but not many that really HIT either. Mostly, it’s a promising, early-career effort that, in hindsight, provides a blueprint and origin story of sorts for many of the band’s later, greater career works.
Not my favorite Blur album, but also never bad. I’m always inspired by their song structures and adventurous chords. I would have loved to have heard the Andy Partridge versions of these songs, which supposedly were demo recordings early in the process. It’s hard to rate this, knowing what the band will ultimately become, and how good it’s about to get, but I didn’t dislike it. I also love the super Britishness of bands like this and the Kinks… it’s a thing I’ve recently discovered through 1001. 3/5
Strengthened my belief that Blur wrote some outstanding songs but were a boring album band. It’s full of good lyrics and oh-so tunes. Very English but just not very interesting musically.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, just classic British rock which delivers strongly across the board Favourite song: Track 9 - Oily Water
Not worth 2 hr and 15 mins of my time
Enjoyable but nothing that really captured me.
This really did nothing for me. Much prefer Albarn's work with Gorillaz
This album contains the garage band, indie sound I so loved in the 90s. It’s a record that, if I had heard it then, would probably be an old favorite. Having heard it only once, i would probably rate the experience at a 2 with hopes of it becoming a 4 after repeated listens. But I don’t have time for all that now so a 3 it is.
I never listened to this one as much as Parklife or The Great Escape. I wonder why, as it's pretty similar, though maybe not quite as cooked. It also doesn't quite hit the highs of the other two albums. Good stuff in general, though I get a bit tired of their attitude as some of their lyrics are rather condescending. But their tunes are pretty good and I was surprised at how many I remembered. Blue Jeans, For Tomorrow, and Chemical World are standouts. As with Parklife, I'd trim maybe 1/4 of the album as it's all a bit much. (That's the problem with a lot of albums from the CD era. Not restricted to 42 minutes of music anymore, so let's fill up the disc!)
I like but I can't say I love. The album took a turn around Blue Jeans and by Resigned…I think I fell. Not quite a 4 for me but more than a 3.
One of the best 90s alt rock groups
I used to like this a lot more, but hearing it now it's kind of a bloated mess. There are some good songs, but the record is about 15 minutes too long.
The album was fun, not necessarily an attention-grabber or even an attention-seeker. Nothing noteworthy or profound on the first listen-through. These are all good things for the purposes of this review, though. The sound of the 1980s was ever so faint, with the predictable beats of the early 1990s when drums started getting really pop-style emerging throughout the listen. The vocals were still very much of the previous decade, but there was a sense of honesty that the 90s seemed to have brought out in its transition from the 80s. This is rather hard to explain, admittedly. Overall, the album is indicative of the trends from one decade to the next, maybe even a perfect blend of that. The appreciation for this album starts and ends there, however.
It was okay his accent was a bit too strong but whatevs. For Tomorrow and Chemical World were my favourites and some of the other ones weren’t too bad either. I liked the ending of Resigned. Pretty good album but got a bit boring after time.
It was aiiight. I really really enjoyed a few tracks but felt pretty neutral toward many others. Pressure on Julian was one of my top tracks. Also really dig the instrumentals on Chemical World.
BRITANNIA POPPIA ÄRSYTTÄÄ!!!... ei oikeesti ärsytä... hieno soundi.... indifferent with the album....
Not too bad, a great variety of sounds, far better than parklife, but in the end, a bit of work to get through all of it.
HL: "For Tomorrow", "Star Shaped", "Blue Jeans", "Chemical World", "Turn it Up" Had to go thru the tracks the next morning to get the highlights, when I got a better appreciation for the melodies & different influences on display (the initial listen left me a bit cold, but I'm not sure why). Pretty sure my overall appreciation of Blur fluctuates with time; I thought their self-titled album was pretty great but I haven't felt a strong urge to return to it since. 3.5 January 8, 2023
Meh
Very British punk 80’s vibe. It has a distinct sound.
Começo do album é bom. O restante achei pretensioso demais
First song feels pretty funky, so far don’t hate it. Laaaalaaalaaalalalaaaaa - I love this part Making my head hurt a little tbh (chemical world)
Chemical water was my favorite but overall not a fan of this band actually
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