Blur

Sometimes I’ll listen to an old album like this and wonder why I’ve only heard one song from it. In this case I know exactly why. The only good song is the one I’ve already heard (Song 2).

Just what I needed to hear right now. Sounds like they are really having fun in the studio with this one. Love how Blur can be kind of all over the place soundwise and yet it still feels like a cohesive album. Like it could be a soundtrack to a movie, having to cover this whole broad range of moods/emotions/tones for different scenes. Something to aspire to in my opinion. To me, in the 90s (and only in the 90s), Blur is the silver to Radiohead's gold in the arena of British rock music. And while I do think Radiohead is ultimately the greater band on many levels, I feel Blur is somewhat more versatile and that counts for something. Listened to special edition with bonus tracks.

Beetlebum is probably Blur’s finest moment and one of the best songs of the decade. The stabbing guitar, liquid bass line, heavy drum sound playing over the outro is sublime. Song 2 will always be a classic, thrilling track. But for me the rest of the album just doesn’t hold up. I like that they moved in a different direction and the intent with sonic experimentation was fine but it just doesn’t work overall. Some songs rip off Pavement; some rip off Bowie; some rip off old Blur (Look Inside America is a slowed down Country House!). And Damon … as a frontman, I’ve never been convinced he’s enjoying being a rock star. There’s an archness, a distance, a sneer in his lyrics and vocals that at times disconnects me from the music. He’s singing songs about his observances of life around him; he’s at his best when he’s singing from the heart. I want to like this album more but it’s not for me.

Possibly the best Blur album, depends what you like. It's not as Brit Pop as Parklife/The Great Escape but I think it sounds a lot better - musically more substantial. Beetlebum is a fantastic opener, Song 2 is overplayed to death but if you squint, you can still see the appeal. Other highlights include the mournful Death of a Party, Strange News From Another Star, Coxon's bittersweet solo 'You're so Great' and the Bowie aping On Your Own. It's a bit of a bridge to the far more experimental 13 and Think Tank, plus you can see elements of Gorillaz in some of Damon's vocals. It could just be the sweet spot between everything they've done and everything they'd go on to do.

Blur is a band I've only heard a few songs of but always wanted to dig a bit deeper into. Song 2 I've heard a ton of, it sounds so 90s and captures that Nirvana-esque angst. I heard the rest of their stuff is a bit different, and so far I'm liking it! Some really cool guitar stuff on this album too. Like that stuttery-effect on M.O.R. and the glitch guitar on On Your Own. I also like the singalong/gang vocals a lot. Reminds me a bit of some of our RCE energy actually. "Movin' On" 2:42 sounds just like the Atari Punk Console from our songs! It might be a super fuzzed out guitar though, hard to know! "Essex Dogs" intro with the drums coming in is siiick. It has the same Hot Team synth glide! This song even has a long freaky guitar part. I love this one. On the Special Edition, some of the b-sides definitely sound jammy like Hot Team do. If Blur used a drum-machine instead of live drums, I think you could make a case that RCE ripped off Blur. This album is just fun energy, but has some interesting technical things going on as well.

it was a blur

Just alright. They’re no oasis that’s for sure.

This album was heavily promoted and toured so it's no wonder why they chose to place this Blur album on the list. However, there are other, read BETTER, albums by this band and I'm not even a big fan. Song 2 is most notoriously used pretty much whenever your favorite team scores a goal or cuts to a commercial break, but even then it's only about a three second blip. Some may not know that this was originally used in the blockbuster (I use that term loosely) epic Starship Troopers. Listening to this more than twenty years later, the album is a chore to get through, even Look Inside America, the song that IMO was underutilized on the airwaves lacks luster today. To make matters worse, the 'special edition' which is hard to avoid on Spotify includes more than two hours of material. It burns a little to say, but even with some background on the band, it's difficult to get into this album. The long drawn out repetitions and the lyrics delivered with phone-it-in laziness is a huge turn off. The success of this album relies too heavily on the fans of previous work. I can't imagine what it's like listening to this for the first time. Hugely disappointing.

Not a Blur fan. But since this was less Blurry than the other stuff I've heard, I'm willing to shift, just barely, out of the 2-star range. The songs are decent musically, but Damon Albarn needs to go off in a corner and cry with the rest of the wet-blanket singers who sound like him. Wait...is that a harp?! No matter, Oasis is still better.

Brit-rock trying to be American Indie.

It was the summer of '97, a time etched in my memory, filled with mischief and the thrill of youth. My best friend and I revelled in the art of waking my younger brother in the middle of the night, timing our antics so that when he burst into my room, furious and bewildered, we would blast the iconic “Woo-hoo!!!!” chorus of "Song 2." Looking back, I realize how intertwined this album is with my teenage experiences—a cherished relic of my formative years. Blur stands as a pivotal moment in the band's evolution, and despite its radical departure from earlier sounds, it remains a highlight of their discography. So how does it compare to those hazy memories, especially following the wicked one-two punch of Parklife and The Great Escape? First things first: while Blur may have won the battle with "Country House," it was Oasis who won the war in terms of sales and international success. So, despite the shock at the time, it is perhaps not so unexpected that Blur represents a radical shift in aesthetic for the band. Truth be told, while I enjoy those earlier albums, the self-titled album better fits the sound I was listening to at the time and still holds a special place in my heart today. While these songs share a common grunge-lite aesthetic, Blur offered 14 distinct tracks, and the consistently strong quality is surprising upon revisiting the album. "Beetlebum" is as good a song as the band has ever released, blending lush melodies with a dirty, distorted sound that reflects Blur's move toward a heavier, more experimental style. It may lack the pop chops of "Girls & Boys" or "Parklife", but it boasts one of Graham Coxon's best riffs and a chorus that feels cathartic. As an album opener and lead single, it is quite the declaration of intent. What can I say about "Song 2"? A track that is as ridiculous (by the band's admission) as it is fun! With just five chords played to exhaustion, Blur figured out the quiet-loud formula and took it supernova. This song helped the band finally crack America and was used in more games, films, and commercials than I can fathom. Its simplicity is part of its brilliance, running at just over two minutes with straightforward lyrics, repetitive riffs, and a punchy structure. At its root, it still sounds just as fun as the first time I heard it, standing as one of the most instantly recognizable songs of the '90s. "Country Sad Ballad Man" marks the first detour on the album; its blend of lo-fi aesthetics, acoustic instrumentation, and raw sound reflects Blur's shift away from the energetic optimism of their earlier work, moving toward a more introspective and darker content. It’s marked by a loose, almost lazy rhythm, distorted guitars, and dissonant production, giving it an intentionally rough around the edges sound. "M.O.R." is a high-energy, fun track that showcases Blur’s ability to mix straightforward rock with a clever, ironic edge. Its Bowie and Eno influences help tie it to the glam-rock tradition, making it technically better than "Song 2," driven by a catchy guitar riff, pounding drums, and Damon Albarn's assertive vocals. "On Your Own" features a blend of lo-fi rock with electronic elements, driven by a looped drum machine beat and featuring synth textures alongside garage rock-style guitars. Notably, "On Your Own" was the first Blur song to be self-produced by the band, representing their shift towards further creative independence. Following the eerie detour of "Theme From Retro," with its minimal sound, we are gifted "You’re So Great," a hidden gem fronted by Coxon that combines acoustic and electric elements for a dynamic texture. The verses are mellow, driven by gentle strummed chords, while the chorus features a more energetic sound. The catchy melody hides an underlying sense of melancholy in the lyrics and delivery. "Death Of A Party" offers a poignant moment, sounding almost like eavesdropping on a circus act from outside the tent. Here, the melancholy is heightened, with layered instrumentation and vintage synth sounds creating a dreamy, surreal quality, marked by a hypnotic rhythm. "Chinese Bombs" represents the most aggressive moment of the album, drawing on punk influences. The tight, punchy instrumentation delivers a fast tempo, driving guitar riffs, and infectious energy, making it one of the more upbeat tracks. Somewhere beneath the noise, the track boasts catchy hooks. "Killer For Your Love" continues the noisy detour, offering a bluesy, funky sound combined with introspective lyrics about desire and obsession. It feels more like a vibe than a traditional song, but within the album's context, it doesn't feel out of place. "Look Inside America" is a standout moment with its energetic sound and cultural commentary, perhaps the closest Blur comes to the Britpop anthems of old. Catchy melodies and relatable themes create a timeless feel, enhanced by fabulous orchestral touches that elevate the arrangement. Among the non-single tracks in the band's discography, this is a strong contender for my favourite, showcasing Blur’s ability to blend infectious hooks with thoughtful lyrics. "Strange News from Another Star" is characterized by its dreamy sound and abstract themes. Its sparse sound and clever instrumentation give it an ethereal quality before it descends into prog-adjacent territory in its epic final third. "Moving On" closely walks the line between the Blur of the past and the "new" Blur. With slightly different production, this track could fit well on any of their previous albums. It’s a slight return to the clear-eyed cheeky chappies who dominated Britpop, albeit with a shiny new box of effects and toys to experiment with. The album closes with "Essex Dogs," a gritty portrayal of suburban life and quite possibly the weirdest track Blur has ever produced. That is a compliment. The song is dominated by a minimalist, industrial-like soundscape, with distorted guitars, electronic effects, and repetitive beats. It feels cinematic and deliberately unsettling, drawing heavily from post-punk and krautrock influences with its dystopian vibe and brooding spoken-word delivery. More than any other track, this hints most at the work Albarn would go on to do with the Gorillaz. While Blur may not be the most indicative album in the band's discography, sounding nothing like what came before and little like what came after, it contains some of the band's best-known singles and some of their most daring album tracks. Given my prior experience with this album, I admit I can't be totally objective when rating it. However, for a release that runs close to an hour, there are few, if any, lulls in the track listing, marking this, at the very least, as the band's most consistent work. Did/Do I own this release? Yes, on compact disc. Does this release belong on the list? Yes, but I am biased. Would this release make my personal list? Strong contender, although the previous two albums may have something to say. Will I be listening to it again? Frequently.

Blur innit. WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! ST PAULI! ST PAULI! ST PAULI! ST PAULI!

WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! ST PAULI! ST PAULI! ST PAULI! ST PAULI! Sorry, drifted off there, it's good that one though innit? The rest of the album is great too. Blur's best in my humble opinion.

First 5 star. Forgot how good this album was. Years ago, always on the oasis side of the blur Vs oasis arguement. Oasis didn't have an album as good as this

Blur blur

So let me get this straight…Blur hears Wowee Zowee by Pavement, Clouds Taste Metallic by the Flaming Lips, some Guided By Voices records, maybe a Fall record or two, does their best to emulate those bands and we should find it impressive? Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more try-hard attempt at a Guided By Voices song as “You’re So Great” - complete with faux tape crackle. I literally can’t get over how they put a sample of tape crackle over that song… In the time it took them to make that sample, record their parts and put the effects on the vocals to make it sound “lo-fi”, they could have just run down to the British equivalent of Guitar Center, bought a Tascam 4-track and recorded the song on it in one take with an overdub or two and it would have been more authentic, replete with actual tape hiss and crackle. This album is a joke….a practical joke that got out of hand. It has to be.

Song 2? More like Album 2 (out of 5(rating))

Love Blur, and this has some of my favourite songs of theirs on (Beetlebum and She's So Great) It's an interesting album which is generally a bit grungier than what they normally do. The whole album has this distorted distant quality which helps emphasize that post-addiction era that lots of the songs allude to. Out of the three albums of theirs I've listened to, it's either as good or just below Parklife, hard to tell as they're slightly different in tone so I'd listen to them in different moods. It is however better than Leisure.

I can very much remember this one coming along and blowing me away. They front-loaded it with the singles that had come out, so Beetlebum and Song 2 were already familiar but it then did for Britpop what the late-60s Beatles did for beat pop. Took it, threw it out and made a bold shift into a different direction. Britpop carried on doing its thing for a couple more years but with its primary flag-bearers now firmly focused on exploring their American influences, this marked the beginning of the end. Gone were the character-based songs and in comes the more personal writing, heavier riffs and more sonic experimentation. The Great Escape was the album everybody seemed to want them to make after the cultural phenomenon that was Parklife, but this was the album they wanted to make. Graham is absolutely in his element, tearing through guitar lines that are deceptively complex on Country Sad Ballad Man and I'm Just a Killer For Your Love, then throwing together chords and words with effortless effectiveness on You're So Great and Look Inside America, but it's when the band started to push the genre envelope the most, on Essex Dogs, On Your Own and the hidden gem, Death Of A Party, that this dark, growling masterpiece really comes into its own. 1997 was arguably my favourite year of all time for new music and this is the dark horse for album of the year.

oh yeah baby oh yeah final rating: 85/100 this is such a good album there are simply no bad songs highlights: beetlebum death of a party chinese bombs

Very different from parklife but somehow also extremely enjoyable. Some of the songs felt like a better version of Radiohead. Ended up listening the album four times on the same day

WOO-HOO

This is an iconic album that really goes all over the place. Song 2 is such a big one for me personally and a specific time in my life. I’m biased, but aren’t we all?

Instant 5

Some of the best britpop. Love the organ on Theme from Retro.

Definitely some hits I've been sleeping on. Love the Gorrilaz, but have only ever listened to surface level blur songs.

Good album. Grunge rock classic

10/5 stars. I haven't listened to this album in probably 15 years. Good music like this always reminds me of Megan Robbin, who was my musical awakener. I will be downloading this album on pandora.

Damon so good. Been a while since I’ve peeped thix

Album da músicA YUUUUHUULLL

Just the classic britpop come-down album. Amazing!

-waow this is awesome… I have only really listened to the Gorillaz before this and put off p much all of Damon Albarn’s earlier stuff. The self-titled album is absolutely badass though. As an additional note I’ve been looking for Song 2 for like years without knowing what it’s called.. now i know -Favorites are Beetlebum, Song 2, and Movin’ On

I had only heard Song 2, as far as I know, so I wasn't expecting much (thinking one-hit wonder). However, it was an interesting mix of music!

I’ve been waiting for Blur. Of course “Song 2” is a sports stadium mainstay. But I also knew “Parklife” going into this album and so was expecting a similar sort of very British quirkiness that that song just oozes. Didn’t really get that here. But the band really covers a wide range of sounds here. There’s lighter, poppier stuff that’s just chill to listen to, harder rock that makes you see that Blur was definitely an influence on later British bands like Arctic Monkeys, and a weird experimental sound collage type song reminiscent of The Beatles “Revolution 9.” Their creativity was apparent from the start and it was interesting to discover that they’ve been this way since the beginning. Not many bands are. Overall, a fun listen that warrants a lot of standout tracks and relistens. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Beetlebum, Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, On Your Own, Theme From Retro, Chinese Bombs, Movin’ On

Hey did you know this is the guy who did Gorillaz?

1996, la vague brit-pop commence doucement à s'effondrer, Oasis a dépassé Blur qui offre désormais une image de has-been et des rumeurs de séparation commence à circuler. Au final, ça va mal dans la bande à Damon Albarn. 1997, l'album éponyme est celui de la maturité. Enregistré en Islande sous l'influence décisive de Graham Coxon, l'album de Blur surprend en embrassant l'influence du rock américain qu'il méprisait tant à ses débuts. Les influences virevoltent au cours des morceaux : Pavement (groupe préféré de Coxon), Pixies, Beck, Neil Young... Tout y passe. Alors que les journalistes anglais annoncent le suicide commercial de Blur, l'album cartonne. Il devient le disque du groupe le plus vendu aux USA et en Europe. Finis les Boys and Girl, bonjour les Strange news for another star, beetlebum... et le tubesque Song 2. Un des meilleurs albums de l'année 1997, un des meilleurs albums du groupe, un album à conseiller et à écouter au moins une fois dans sa vie. Un beau 4/5

Certified classic

Enjoyable! I think songs go on a bit too long and the album is too long as well, but I didn't mind it so much as I have with other records on this list. Not my favourite but has plenty I like. Song 2 is definitely an all timer, but Beetlebum, Death of a Party and All your life (from the deluxe version) are all great as well. 3.5/4.

Really enjoyed this album. A lot of cool songs with interesting vibes. Would definitely listen again. Not enough songs stand out as great though

Giving a grump pile of drone and mutter that only just clears the line between “fuck you” and song the über-Blur title “Essex Dogs” is bellowed intent as well an indie nerd joke worthy of a Pavement B-side, which is also a marker, since this is the album where Coxon sublimated his Malkmus-crush. There are some fine songs here alongside the studiedly half-arsed, “M.O.R.” joining Nirvana’s “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter” in my very short mental playlist of good songs that cock a punky leg against their own tunefulness; “On Your Own” is a go-nowhere track that is perfect just-so; “Beetlebum” a poppier twin to Sonic Youth’s “Bull in the Heather” (I don’t know why, but that works for me); “Song 2” annoyingly effective in an anyone-could’ve-done-that sense; and “Strange News from Another Star” my surprise from this playthrough, as I thought I’d heard all of the good songs on this album, but I guess my mate Andy must’ve always kicked me out of his college room by the time his CD got to this one, probably because his girlfriend was arriving, or maybe I was talking about Slint or Shellac again.

I remember being underwhelmed by this when it came out despite the great single, and its stark contrast with the awfulness of the prior album. Also, Pavement being upset they were ripped off somehow? Hasn't improved with age, Beetlebum is one of their best, rest is highly meh

The day for my final Blur review has finally come. I liked Modern Life is Rubbish (4 stars), but didn't really care for Parklife very much (2 stars). I'm familiar with "Song 2," but other than that, I have no idea what to expect on this album. It looks like it's time to "woohoo" my way into another Britpop album. Overall, I thought this album was fine. The sound was markedly different from the other Blur albums that I've heard, but the songwriting was still really good. I did enjoy the guitar playing in a general sense, but I didn't think that there was anything particularly new or noteworthy about the sound of this album, other than the fact that it marked a shift for Blur. "Song 2" is a fun bump of adrenaline, and the irony that a song making fun of American music is Blur's highest charting song in the states is pretty funny in my opinion. I'm about halfway done with John Harris's book Britpop!, and I'd have to say that "Song 2" nicely summarizes Britpop's view of American rock. "On Your Own" was my favorite song on the album. I really loved the distorted electronic sounds, the guitars, and the percussion. Its rich sound really made it stand out from the rest of the album. "Look Inside America" was really good too, and I thought the string arrangements were done really well. Other than that, there wasn't too much on this album to comment on for me. After all is said and done, I think Modern Life is Rubbish is pretty easily the best Blur album on this list.

Woo hoo (this album is overrrr) woo hoo (I don’t have to listen to blurr). This album was fine and rather uneventful

Think my first encounter with a Blur song was playing FIFA 98. I have no idea what he's saying sometimes. Attempted partial transcription: Woohooo I got my head checked By a chomba che It wasn’t easy The nothingahhh No Woohooo When ifandalpliay Woohooo Andisplayialal

Started out great. Song 2 slaps so hard. I noticed it had the same riff of the Nirvana song Smells Like Team Spirit which is one of the slim few songs from them I like. Other than that, none of the other songs really spoke to me. Most of the songs were just pretty okay. “Chinese Bombs” felt really out of place. Distortions don’t work for me if it’s the entire song. Good thing it was a short. Overall it was fine. I’m not really big into 90s indie rock. 6/10

Musically clever and nuanced with a nice variety from song to song. The risk of going stylistically diverse of course is that you risk sounding unfocused. There's a bit of that happening here, but the album is anchored by some pretty solid songs. Had the band dropped 2-3 of them, this would have been a much tighter album. Fave Songs: Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, Beetlebum, Death of a Party, Strange News from Another Star, Look Inside America

I’m an American whos been exposed to ten times more Gorillaz music than Blur music. I’ll happily admit that and all biases that come with it. But maaaaan it’s so clear that Gorillaz was a freeing, more fulfilling channel of creation for Damon Albarn. You can even hear the Gorillaz creativity wanting to claw out of its early stages, “Theme From Retro” shares some sonic qualities with “Glitter Freeze” from the Plastic Beach album. Albarn is said to have wanted to take a more serious angle to his songs with Blur, so naturally the first two songs on here are “Beetlebum”, then a song that goes WOOHOO! LOL. I liked the ending minute of “On Your Own” as a nice singalong anthem. Maybe that’s my pick from this project. Also, “Essex Dogs” has a super cool intro, but doesn’t really feel apart of this album. I thought Spotify auto-played some sort of Massive Attack song after the album just ended. Can’t say I got a ton to take with me on this musical list journey. This record *blurred* right by HAHAAAAAA. 2/5.

Not my cup of tea! I thought it was gritty and interesting, but the second half of the album didn't interest me as much as the first. I can now say I know who sings the "woohoo!" song!

"Woohoo" on neroutta, mutta yleisesti ottaen säveltäjä on aivan liian mieltynyt keskitempoiseen laahaukseen. Missä "yeehaa"? Tai edes "awright"?

WOO HOO!! (And 13 forgettable alt rock tracks)

This is #day84 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... woo-hoo! It's because of this challenge I listen to Blur album-wise for the first time in my life. As I've mentioned in the Parklife review, I've always perceived them as more of a single-song band. "Song 2" was my introduction back in my teenage years, thanks to a Tuborg beer commercial. Since then, I've enjoyed beer more than this band's music. Now, the self-titled... It's a head-scratcher for the most part. Blur going indie and alternative rock, so? Also, and I must have said that before as well, their records are disrespectfully and groundlessly long: everything up until Think Tank drags on for about an hour or more, which gets annoying sooner or later. In this case, sooner because halfway through, I felt like turning it off. It's a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day85.

So Blur was one of the few albums that I had never listened to all the way through, that actually got worse after each subsequent listen – which is rare for me… There was decent diversity in the music throughout the album, and most of the compositions were fairly well done – it’s just that not very much grabbed me… “Song 2” is obviously quite catchy, and probably the most well-known track from this album, but after a few listens, it pretty much loses it’s “muchness” as there just wasn’t a lot of substance there… Not a bad poppish tune at all, but it’s certainly pretty limited… The best track IMO was the last one – “Essex Dogs”, and “Death Of A Party” & “Just A Killer For Your Love” were somewhat interesting, but not nearly enough to make up for the pedestrian nature of the rest of the album… Also “Country sad Ballad Man” is just a truly awful song – not as bad as “30,000 Monkies” from Lightning Bolt (i.e. a band from the apparently the “Noise Rock” genre, that I had to listen to a few weeks back on the 1,001 – but I digress…), but still dreadful… Had some decent expectations for this one, so a bit disappointing to be honest… Nothing but a solid 2 for me…

I had a pretty negative reaction to this album. It’s too long, I’m a bit burnt out on this genre, and the lyrics didn’t do enough to hold my attention. That long song at the end felt especially brutal.

Woo hoo! was fun. The rest was bad.

I guess they were onto something with the 2-minute pop single. This got too long pretty quick!

First two songs were bangers, the rest of the album was kind of a... blur...

Boring as britpop - isn't that a saying? ;-) Well, at least Blur is better than Oasis, they do occasionally make a good song

1 good song, the rest was just really loose and jumbled noise to me.

I thought it was going to be good, bud in the end it was all just a big blur

Had never listened to a Blur album before (although obviously know quite a few of the singles). Song 2 always transports me back to 1998 and playing the world cup Fifa game (think that was the one where they had the indoor mode too)? Overall, though, decidedly underwhelmed. Maybe there's a better Blur album out there (there must be, surely?), but if there's not then I've no idea how Blur vs Oasis was even close. 2/5.

Disappointing. I really loved Parklife - lots of varied melody and creativity. This one can only be described as abrasive; in music and vocals. The ubiquitous "Song 2" has always been a bit obnoxious outside of a sporting chant and unfortunately it's probably the most catchy of the lot. I don't have anything creative to add - maybe would add boring. Pass on this, focus on their earlier work for sure. 3/10 2 stars.

4/10. Despite the fact that I read the title of the first track, I thought the guy was saying "Pedo Bob" for the first few verses. Otherwise, the album was long, uneventful, and quite forgettable.

This a very light 3. Every song starts off strong af and then doesn’t go anywhere.

This could be revisionist history, but I think this album came out right at the time I started to piece together some things about alternative radio, such that upon hearing the Woohoo Song, I immediately understood there would not be a single other Woohoo Song, or anything remotely like the Woohoo Song, anywhere on the rest of this album. And so I never bothered to listen to it… UNTIL NOW. I was right.

Well, Song 2 I've heard before. I would have guessed this was Weezer maybe based on that song alone. This feels like the 90s. The album as a whole has some bad songs on it but I clearly am not the target demo for this. As of this album, I'm instituting my rating system as follows: 1*: terrible, no redeeming value that I could find, or just not my thing at all. 2*: I can see the reason this is on the list, it's well produced or influential or whatever, but I can't imagine listening again. 3*: this is OK. I might listen again if it came up in a random playlist. Or, I don't like it but it has extremely good productions or is hugely influential or something. 4*: I like this. I would listen again. Good music. 5*: This is amazing and is now in semi-regular rotation. Changed the way I listen/taught me something/cured major disease.

Man it's just not very good now is it? The first two songs are leagues above the rest and they aren't very amazing either. Half of these songs are playing incorrect notes on purpose and I guess I'm supposed to think it's artsy? Stop with the Blur.

The best part about Blur is that they died to give us the Gorillaz. One song would end and I had already completely forgotten it. If you look up the definition of ‘generic’ it just says Blur. Once again these songs are way too damn long. I waited for a hidden banger but alas, said banger never came. I don’t like Song 2. I don’t like this album. If held at gunpoint and told to pick my favorite song from this album, I would die. 2/10

This album does not belong on a "must listen before you die" list under any circumstances - Its really mid. Theres like one top 10 track and the rest is totally forgettable, damon-albarn-fucking-around-on-a-mixer stuff. 1/5

Bilge

ITS A CLASSIC! YOU'RE SO GREAT BLUR! LOL

Song 2 - obvious banger Love the dynamics

Extremely consistent album which elevates their style from earlier albums mixing it with more hard rock. Blur is just a really great listen which captivates the whole way through.

Love this one & love that everyone is surprised that not at 14 tracks are Song #2

Bloody brilliant

This was their comeback album after the shockingly shite great escape. Heavier sound for them that works. Some great sounds song2 beatlebum and on your own great standout tracks.

Very enjoyable; indie pop classic.

9.5/10

Wow, pretty blown away that I’ve slept on this one until now but previous Blur albums failed to grab me so I’d probably just naively assumed they were all similar. The variety on this album keeps it from getting boring, something I thought was missing on say Modern Life. The lack of their brand of (for me) corny, pseudo-quirky Cockney thing that was there in abundance early on is a great progression imo. I can definitely hear early prototypes of the Gorillaz sound in this album - as well as parts sounding slightly darker, almost Radiohead-esque, with a hint of a trip-hop influence. No skips on this album, every track had something different, and considering I only knew of two songs near the beginning that is quite impressive. Amazing guitar work by Coxon as per usual, some really cool and interesting sounds. Will definitely be listening again. I can’t think of a reason to not give this my first 5/5. Standout tracks on first listen: Beetlebum (obviously) On Your Own Theme From Retro Death of a Party

Deep soundscapes. Need to relisten.

I really enjoyed this. Probably partially nostalgic.

Having won the Britpop battle but effectively lost the war, the only thing for Blur to do now was retreat towards uncharted, hazier territory. Diving headfirst into murkier waters, they came out of it a different entity, one less fixated on Kinksian topics and brass accompaniments and more inclined to become buzzier, abstract, abrasive and taciturn. With a low heart rate, facing sped-up lights on the gurney, Blur roared back to life to reject what came before once again. But what would come afterwards only indicated that the clock was ticking and all good things must come to an end.

Quite the enjoyable listen. This album is very experimental on many of the tracks which i dig. I will likely go back to this album. It has a very unique theme to it which I haven't seen before. Overall solid album, with a couple of songs saved to my main playlist.

it’s alright i guess. OK you got me. that was just a little joke. :P but in all seriousness i have spent so much time listening to and thinking and talking about this album that writing my thoughts down here seems like an entirely futile gesture, mostly because i STILL can’t put into words why i love it so much and what it means to me. it defies categorization on every level. well you know what they say…WOOHOO!!!!! fav tracks: essex dogs; you're so great; country sad ballad man; death of a party; i'm just a killer for your love; beetlebum; look inside america; strange news from another star; song 2

I don't remember ever listening to this entire album in the past. The last track was a real surprise.

People dismissed Blur in the 90s as little more than a boy band. Hopefully that opinion is being reevaluated now that there’s distance on it. They crafted smart, interesting art that it just so happens had massive sing along choruses. This record is a departure from their Kinks-like British slice of life schematics,but ultimately yielded the hit that broke them in the US. Skip Song 2 if you must, but give the rest of the record a listen.

14 cançons per quedar-s'hi a viure dins totes elles. El més interessant és que consolida a Damon Albarn com el major compositor/productor contemporani. Aquest àlbum és un calaix de sastre, una proveta d'assaig de tots els sons que, anys després, enlluernaran el món. Potser no totes lliguen les unes amb les altres, però totes elles són hipnòtiques o espurnejants. Només per l'audàcia mereix totes les estrelles que hi càpiga.

Perfect.

I really like the direction Blur took on this album. It's an odd mix of lo-fi with Street's slick production. The album's packed with great songs. I love You're So Great, but I've never been a fan of Beetlebum. (Sorry I prefer Coxon over Albarn!) Liked Songs Added: Song 2 Country Sad Ballad Man M.O.R. On Your Own You're So Great Look Inside America

A great sound that seems like it would be pop but it isn’t exactly. Like if the Beatles were influenced by the 80s

Blur's second-best album after *Parklife*, simply put. First, it's got the essential one-two punch opening the proceedings, i.e. "Beetlebum" and "Song 2" (which are part of the most iconic Blur songs, along with "Girls And Boys", "To The End" and "Parklife", from... *Parklife*). Sure, "Beetlebum" can be considered as a White-Album-era Beatles pastiche, but it's one that's pulled off in such a stellar way that it just becomes irresistible. The song goes from ominous to elated in a blink, and it's a perfect opener to state what the whole record's about (but more on that in a second). As for "Song 2"... WOO-HOO! That goddamn guitar riff! Those vocals hooks! That sudden turn into a short and oh-so-impactful saturated mayhem! You got to be allergic to simple fun pleasures not to recognize the stroke of genius behind such a banger. Yep, you can use the words "fun" and "genius" in the same sentence. That track is one of Blur's most recognized songs for a reason after all. Secondly, *Blur* is the album where Albarn and co. understood they had to get out of the dead-end that "Britpop" had become around 1997 (a year where Radiohead also did the same in a strikingly different fashion, by the way). Not that the record doesn't have its share of British references ("M.O.R." still sounds like the Kinks, even if it's on steroids this time around! ; "On Your Own" indeed winks at Bowie, as another reviewer in here smartly remarked ; punky "Chinese Bombs" pays a tongue-in-cheek tribute to The Clash...). Yet clearly, the band had also listened to pivotal American acts such as Pavement, The Flaming Lips or Guided By Voices before recording this thing, yielding to more abrasive or more ambiguous-sounding results. One good example is the lo-fi-albeit-touching Graham Coxon number 'You're So Great" (where the guitarist taking on lead vocal duties in such a vulnerable manner brings unmistakable emotion to the tune). Or it's dreamy and moody cuts such as "Strange News From Another Star", replete with Rhodes piano tones and spacey, echoey soundscapes... Thirdly, and going beyond the America-against-Britain debate, this adventurous-yet-still-cohesive-enough LP develops a knack for endearing weirdness that makes it stand out from the pack decades after its release. It's those evocative carousel sounds in "Death Of A Party" (and also the quasi-instrumental interlude "Theme From Retro"), suggesting an atmosphere akin to Ray Bradbury or Stephen King yarns. Or it's the equally hypnotic "I'm Just A Killer for Your Love", part trip-hop, part Primal-Scream on valium. The pop songwriting is rarely left aside in the album though, even in those "weird" cuts, very fortunately. Except on the instrumental closer "Essex Dogs" ending the album on a question mark instead of a bang. Were The Fall or The Residents the key influence here? Your guess is as good as mine... Weird is weird, whether it's British or American. Interesting conclusion, at least, even if a bit underwhelming. Doesn't matter if the album ends in a valley anyway. The many peaks speak for themselves, don't they? Few bands have managed to reinvent themselves from scratch this gracefully and this effectively. Which is why this record MUST be included in a list such as this one. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around forty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 456 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 271 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 331

Another 90s album with bloat, but the songwriting is really good - full of unexpected moments and melodies.

Peak

As a step away from the Britpop sound that Blur were known for, they do a very great job at making music that sounds more like the stuff that you'd hear in America, even if they were doing it in a joking manner. Mid 9

Excellent and inventive

A. Ritpop classic with some interesting and iconic sounds. Classic song2 has stood the test of time, Daemon Alban's lyrics and iconic stamp really set the album apart

experimental by blurs standard at that point, more influenced by american guitar and a departure from pop central. Good times

Yet another amazing offering from my favourite band. A clear influence from American slacker rock/lo-fi bands like Pavement, whom I find alright, but Blur take this subgenre and make it their own. ‘Death of a Party’ is a FASCINATING song with plenty of subtext as well as a great hook. 10/10

I LOVE BLUR THEY ARE THE BEST SO MUCH BETTER THAN OASIS

Referent

Didn’t listen to it all but liked what I did. Country sad ballad man was a fav