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.

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

Brit-rock trying to be American Indie.

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

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

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.

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.

Blur blur

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

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

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…

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.

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.

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

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

Though the Beatles influence is blatantly apparent, this is a wonderful mix of everything I love about 60s music and 90s music, with a couple moments that you can imagine singing in large groups at a bar that is mostly absent in American music. The darker moments like Death Of A Party, You're So Great and Beatlebum are poignant and raw. This is an easy 5 that I wish I'd heard sooner.

Look Inside America is one of the top songs to have play during the credits at the end of your life.

First listen great album

I don't think i was expecting this much out of Blur, i was just expecting a good album just like the previous album i did by them but this was more than just a good album, it was great! The instrumentals were actually really great here especially the guitars because those could be the right amount of both rough and refined. While there were some songs where they mostly sounded like noise, the noise just somehow managed to blend well together and click with me to the point that it didn't really hamper my enjoyment of this album. It might not be perfect but it is a really great album that's more than worthy of a 4.5 Best Song: You're so Great Worst Song: Theme from Retro

Very good

Excellent Blur album. 4.5

Best blur album in my opinion

Y'know, I'm really glad that there's another blur album on this list, and not just because I enjoyed the last one of theirs I heard as much as I did. No, I'm glad I have a second chance to review them, after my first was some Letterboxd/Stan Twitter-type nonsense that amounted to "hurr, Gorillaz, am I right?" These days I kinda really hate that style of "review," so it's nice to have an opportunity to say something more. Though, to be 100% to start: I still kinda just hear 2D whenever Albarn sings. Like, yeah, I know, that's just how he sings, but you spend as long listening to PLASTIC BEACH as I have, it's hard to hear anything else. That said, I really do like that voice in this musical context, all rock-y and pop-y and... British. Come to think of it, maybe I just like Albarn's voice in general, or at least the beds of music he chooses to place it in. And let's talk about that music by switching lenses, from Gorillaz comparisons to Oasis ones. For the longest time, I'd always tended to listen to Oasis more because of--well, to be blunt, their Beatles-ness. As much as that's an insult hurled against them, it **is** why, alongside the general hugeness they aim for, I'm more likely to put one of their songs. The fact that general Western pop culture is aware of more Oasis songs than just one like blur doesn't help. But actually putting on blur, honestly, they interest me way more. I feel like they're more keen to experiment than Oasis is, who, meanwhile, tend to stick in their Beatles-inspired wheelhouse (from what I've heard, anyway). It's something I can hear clearly carried over to Gorillaz and their tendency to play genre roulette. Of course, blur still fits pretty nicely into "Britpop" (and they're **very** "Brit", goodness), but I really enjoy their willingness to try other tones, textures and soundscapes. Of course, that experimentation (not to mention, again, the Brit-ness of it all) is probably why Oasis won the "Britpop wars" over on this side of the pond, and why Albarn didn't really get his time to shine until he put himself behind cartoons. That's really a shame. Don't get me wrong, "Song 2" is great, but I kinda wish a few more blur songs had become hits. Wha'cha gonna do, though, eh? In all... Y'know, from what I remember, I believe I gave PARKLIFE a 4. I liked that album a lot, but I think what kept me from pushing it over into a 5 was... Like, I think you got the sound of this album pretty early on, and I don't recall very many exceptions or deviations except for a few. PLus, if you care about lyrics but you're not a Brit at that specific point in the 90's, you may as well not bother with 'em. Lucky for me, I don't tend to, and this album has way more sonic variation than PARKLIFE. So, yeah, I'll happily give this one a 5. Makes me feel pretty "heavy metal," as one might say. "Woo-hoo," indeed.

An eclectic yet pretty damn good selection of tracks, which while including Song 2, feels like sort of a predecessor to the first Gorillaz album more so than your typical Blur tracks. Solid 5 for me.

Love how the band change their style for this record but are still recognisable. Beetlebum and Song 2 have got to be up there as one of the best opening two tracks on any album. Death of a Party is a real highlight, as is Graham Coxon’s You’re So Great.

This album has a fantastic and diversified sound. I really enjoyed it. The first song or two might be familiar to you. A couple favorites on first listen were "You're So Great" and "Death of a Party," but that could change on the next well-deserved listen.

Wonderful stuff from one of the greatest British bands.

Another enjoyable listen from Blur. I never really understood the hoo haa with Oasis but I'm glad they found a way out of it. Faves: Well I gues Song 2 is iconic, Beetlebum is cool, and Death of a Party is a fave.

my album

The Brits still got it

5/5

good

Amazing lyricism. Biggest fan of killer for your love and look inside America. I like how they don't shy away from discussing their life as it is, in music business, with the public as it can still relate to the everyman for the messages in between the l8nes. Essex dogs is a masterclass in painting with sound.

Loved it

This was the album that got me into Brit Rock, and I still think so many of the tracks are incredibly brave and innovative. "Song 2," for all the overplayed flack it may get at this point, is still a great song and hits hard - just like "M.O.R." and "Chinese Bombs," and there are just so many other atmospheric odd-ball brilliant tracks like "Essex Dogs" (a favorite song of all time for me) and "Death of a Party," "I'm Just a Killer for Your Love," "Strange News from Another Star" plus beautiful songs like "You're So Great" and "Look Inside America." I genuinely love every track on the album. "13" may be one of my favorite albums of all time, and "Modern Life is Rubbish" is my go-to Blur album, but the self-titled album is just as special and wondrous to me.

cool

It’s not a 5 but also not a 4. Behind Beetlebum and Song 2 are some really great tracks and showed how much Blur had evolved musically. I’m biased as I love the band, and it was a great antidote to the Great Escape. There’s even a little Bowie plagiarism thrown in for good measure.

Blur This was the album that really got me into Blur. I’d liked their big singles previously and had the Great Escape but hadn’t really really liked them until this album. I loved the Beetlebum single, it came out right in the middle of A-Level mocks right as I passed my driving test. Strong memories of it being on cassette mix tapes that I played as I drove on my own for the first time. It really is a superb album, it felt really different at the time and still sounds excellent. Lots of of oddness and strange atmospheres, with some great catchy pop hooks and, obviously, loads of fantastic guitars, whether big, loud and crunchy, or more subtle, complex and loving. When it came out I loved Beetlebum, On Your Own and MOR, and they are still fantastic, with On Your Own being one of my top 5 Blur songs. Listening over the years since it was released a lot of the songs I’d is t immediately love on release are now some of my favourites - Country Sad Ballad Man, Theme From Retro, Death of a Party, Strange News From Another Star, Essex Dogs. Look Inside America is interesting, not sure whether it was a holdover from around the time of Park Life and The Great Escape or a deliberate evocation of those albums. It bears quite a strong resemblance to End of Century so I guess it probably is a deliberate contrast between their old style of music with their newer more ‘Ameriphillic’ outlook. Also, never really noticed but some of the guitar breaks towards the end are very Harrison. Alongside their stated influences like Pavement etc, there is clearly a lot of Bowie and later Beatles across a lot of the album. Strangely I find myself almost wanting to skip Song 2 nowadays, having loved it so much when it came out. Maybe it’s its ubiquity and its overuse in media to lazily indicate excitement, but it feels flat to me now - I don’t hate it, but it’s not that interesting anymore. Knowing it’s genesis as a kind of semi joke, that’s why it probably feels a bit too knowing and contrived.. The only other, very very minor criticism is that it’s quite long, possibly a victim of CD bloat. I’m not sure what you could actually take off the album, but for such a lyrically and musically dense album an hour is perhaps a lot to process. But that can’t take away from what a great album this is. Possibly my favourite one of theirs, it’s an easy 5 🪲🍑🪲🍑🪲🍑🪲🍑🪲🍑🪲 Playlist submission: On Your Own

With Song 2 being so overplayed, I’d kinda forgotten how good this was. Very few misses on this diverse album

Fuck Oasis. This is real britpop

From the first song I was hooked. I've never heard of Blur before but this was a standout.

I will stand by this album until I die. This is Blur's masterpiece, and every song on is as good as, if not more, than "Beetlebum" and "Song 2". It's just really experimental and fun, even surprisingly beautiful at times (I'm talking about "You're so Great". Absolutely incredible song). Like, how can you listen to something like "Theme from Retro" and call this a generic Britpop album? Damon Albarn ate the forbidden fungus and the masses couldn't handle his spore fumes. Happens to the best of us.

woo-hoo

Brit pop at its finest, debate and recreate but here we are.

I didn't know the history of Blur and how they changed their sound for this album. I really like the sound and energy of it and am glad they made the change. Especially because we got that Whooohooo song out of it.

Surprisingly good the whole way through

Wonderful.

Blur have always made good albums and this, their post Britpop album is no exception. My least favourite track is 'Song 2' woohooo.... but probably their finest moment ever is 'On Your Own'. Every time I hear it, it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck (apart from when I've had my hair cut, that is). The drum machine, that abuse of a guitar, the wonky melody, just perfection! To run away from a scene of which Blur were so central, was a bold and thank goodness, a very good move. It made me really sit up and think. I'd already realised Graham Coxon was a very good guitarist, and one of my favourites of the 90's, but this reinvention put him up there in my opinion, one of the most underrated greats. A 5 star.

relisten. my 2nd favourite album of my favourite band of all time. i love everything Blur has done but this record and 13 (1999) changed my life and music taste forever. its the epitome of the late 90s music and everything ive ever wanted from an album. i also appreciate how balanced and diverse it is with fun tracks like On Your Own, moody tracks like Beetlebum, devastating tracks like Strange News from Another Star and the experimental tracks on which they really let their imagination flow like Essex Dogs and Death of a Party. i also think this was the first time they implemented that spooky sound (Theme from Retro, Death of a Party) that they later perfected on 13 and Damon carried over to Gorillaz (which was always my favourite part of Gorillaz early projects). long story short: amazing album that influenced even more amazing music

Well, this certainly takes me back to high school. Love it.

Old classic I haven’t listened to in years. Immensely enjoyable

Schon ganz gut, wenn man's mag. Ich gebe mal 5 Sterne.

Surprisingly good and a fitting treat for my 100th album from the list. "Strange News..." especially was right up my alley.

I really enjoyed this album. A mix of rock and angst and just a very listenable album. Makes me want to go listen to more of their music. I will also listen to this album again.

My favorite Blur album, and one of my favorite British albums of all time. Beetlebum lived in my brain for a whole summer, and overall the whole album is guaranteed to put me in a good mood so…… 5 wholly deserved stars.

my favourite band when i was 10 and i still love them