Blur

As someone born in the early 80s, Ive been primed to like song 2. But the test of the album was pretty meh. Listened to the 2012 remaster and it sounded pretty flat with loads of distortion which didn’t amount to much

The first half is brilliant, the second half not so much. I’d say it’s an album of 2 halves. One brilliant half, one not so much half. The first half is the brilliant half. 3.2

Middling Blur

I liked it initially but it didn’t really mix it up much, and started to sort of blend together to me. Obviously song 2 is a classic, and I really liked Essex dogs, but most of the 50ish minutes I felt like I was listening to well done but sort of samey music.

Not that this a bad album by any means, but as is typical from Blur, I just wanted more. It really drops off after the first 2 tracks, and never hits the same peaks.

I found this to be more engaging than earlier Blur, as the shift from the Britpop sound towards a more eclectic, lo-fi approach aligns more closely with my sonic sensibilities.

Gillar Blur. Så även detta album. Bra pop liksom.

Det här börjar bättre än förra Blur-skivan. Hoppas det håller i sig. Det är lite svajigt. Men håller sig nog på en trea totalt.

Le classique Song 2 est dessus. Je crois que avant écoute j'avais l'impression que ce serait l'ablum de Blur qu ej'aimerais le moins, car j'ai eu une passe où j'ai bcp aimé les plus vieux. Dure presque une heure, un peu trop long. YES: Beetlebum*, Death of a party, Movin On, Essex Dogs (long, contemplatif) NOPE: Theme from Retro (interminable et juste 3 minutes), Chinese bombs

Super famous brit-rock album. Not my favourite; I thought I would enjoy this album more than I actually did. I like the raw qualities on a lot of the tracks, but there are many rough transitions and some songs that I can't connect with. I respect the album and the band, but won't be revisiting regularly. Fave tracks: Song 2, You're so Great, I'm Just a Killer for Your Love

This is a pretty wild album. Of course everybody has heard Song 2 before, but I didn't think much else of Blur beyond that. I have to say I did not have super high expectations, kind of labelling them as one-hit wonders, but this album proved me wrong. This album cycles through numerous genres of rock, I hear influences from Weezer, the Pixies, The Smiths, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones to name a few. Each song is well executed and it's immediately obvious what they were trying to emulate. My one complaint would be that it causes almost a bit of music whiplash, as there is almost too much variation going on here. Fav Tracks: Song 2, You're So Great, Strange New From Another Star

Fine, a necessary jump into different sounds after reaching the limits of their previous approach with The Great Escape. Kind of feels like their ticking off the boxes - this is the Bowie track, the Roxy Music track, the trip hop track...

It was OK. "Song 2" obviously the unlikely effervescent smash hit but also liked "Chinese Bombs" and the more ballad-y "Look Inside America".

Song 2 ist top . Der Rest nicht mein fall

Not as good as the last blur alb I listened to ya know the one with the dog on the cover

Pretty good. Not terribly impressed though.

Not their best work. Fun listen. Full of 90s nostalgia

Better than I remember when I first heard it in the 90s.

Song 2

Never "got" Blur the firsrt time around, doesn't seem to have gotten any better over time. Don't get me wrong, Song 2 is an absolute banger/fifa classic, but the rest is a bit meh.

Reasonable mellow rock that peaks at the opening track

Fine, but doesn't really feature any of their best tracks

Didn't do a whole lot for me! Certainly there's a few tracks that are sticky, and I tend to quite like Albarns voice, but at almost an hour I tuned out quite a bit. Two and a half. Fave track: Chinese Bombs

Much better than some of the other Britpop in this list, Alvaro and Coxon seem to have figured out something so obvious that others try for. Still not their best album, but pretty enjoyable. Decent album. Three and a half. Fave track: Beetlebum

Excited! Only know Song 2 before listening and have heard only good things about this one. Track 3 is the most Beck influenced song I’ve ever heard, it’s not a bad impersonation honestly. So far all the songs are super tight, no complaints honestly, I can imagine though how fans of their early stuff might have been turned off by this shift. Really liking this! Not at all groundbreaking, but just a solid record for the time, the few stand out tracks are fun. I think that’s the thing holding it back from being a classic, there are some great moments on here but other than the bombastic Song 2, I don’t think any song has the staying power. None of them are bad! They just don’t stand out. I think this is a very strong 4/5, damn close to 5, but just missing an extra something, the end kinda limps along and definitely sours the whole.

High highs, but meh mehs

I have not heard of this band before but I was quite into their music. I recognized: Song 2 which was a pleasant surprise. I dug most of the songs but I don’t think there’s any favorites right now. I will probably listen again!

strangely wasn't huge on this despite being a huge gorrilaz fan

Enjoyed the first two songs but it tailed off after that and ended up being yet another well produced/played Brit rock album. Solid but not that memorable.

56/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Rätt så bra faktiskt men inte något som vid första lyssning sticker ut

3/5. I love song 2, and a lot of the rest is great. However, it feels like the record has a lot of filler.

The first two songs on here are great, but after two listens I find the rest pretty hit and miss. Some of the more experimental tracks are cool, but feel unfinished. I'm a fan of Blur's hits, but I've yet to hear an album of theirs that really blows me away. Modern Life Is Rubbish and 13 gone close though.

aw i don’t know why i haven’t listened to more blur. it’s good! easy to listen to…. that’s about it though…not mad that i listened to it tho…will still be listening to some songs off it! win! weiners: they def explored eachothers bodies

The band's pivot to lo-fi indie delivered mixed results, with the grunge diss track "Song 2" being the clear highlight.

Woo-hoo, blur is perfect for 2 minutes and 1 second.

It was just fine. I just didn't love any songs and got kinda bored through the middle. Song 2 is great though.

That’s the first time I ever even paid attention to the fact that song 2 had lyrics besides woo hoo, let alone with they were. I like it! Got some weezer vibes in some of the others, wish I guess isn’t all that surprising, by 1997 irony had become ironic again after its moment in the serious sun earlier in the decade. Like, is she so great? Maybe. Kinda. But also maybe not? There is a wryness to it all that I really like. Also, so many different sounds! Little Depeche Modey on death of a party, some slimmed down punk on Chinese bombs, some nirvana guitar sounds on I’m Just a Killer. And what to even say about Strange News and Essex dogs?! Eclectic. A ride. An eclectic, wild ride. What an album.

Decent Blur album. 7/10

Fine. One good song, the rest is average.

I kind of like Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man,

Blur innit

When this came out, it was all about Song 2. I never even heard the rest of the album. Only later when I started to listen to Gorillaz, I checked back on Blur. Parklife was a bust for me and so is this. It's not bad, but it gets weak in the second half and goes on for way too long.

Can’t say blur have ever really clicked with me - maybe I’ve not give them enough of a go. Obviously some big tunes on this album and did enjoy it overall. 3.5/5

Woohoo

Interested to hear this album. Obviously know Song No.2 but other than that, nothing else, never listened to this album. Yeah, only song after 4-5 tracks in, this is alright. Not my style of pop rock.

I will preface this by saying I don't actually hate this band, it's just like football hooligans choosing a side. It's all for the love of the club and respect for the game. With that being said, me and Liam Gallagher would gladly jump this band. (I'd just watch) Anyways, First track is good. Straight up Beatles appreciation -- who would've thought? Song 2 is a great song. It's really funny too how much alike Liam and guy from blur sound alike. This third song is another great example of a song that could also be an oasis song. They really were feeding off of each other. Even some singles released closely together resemble each other. And only one of those bands sold more...ending of third song is sick. Every new song that starts makes me think of oasis. So I'll stop with that. But song 4...was that young Liam that started singing? I'll be back after the rest. As you were, mate. Theme from Retro is cool but to me it's an odd choice for the album. Also really thought for a second they put a theme song they wrote for a show on a record and was quite confused. End of record is some filler. Overall today I've moved dildos, porn VHS tapes, met a scientologist, and listened to a Blur record. The world must be ending. 3.5/5

Oh Damon. This one could have been better. As a huge Blur fan this one stuck to a predictable formula to stay relevant. A few standout tracks but for the most part this is what happens when your feud with the Gallagher overshadows the songwriting. (Middle of the Road, indeed!) Oh Flimsy Steve. Song 2 may have been one of the most popular tracks of all time though, which, good job lads, but what the fuck is Beetlebum? Justine should have knocked you on your ass for that one. Otherwise a fairly unremarkable record with a couple of fun bright spots but listen to Parklife or The Great Escape instead for the better Cool Britannia sound. Or just listen to Oasis 😈

Song 2 is an essential Jock Jam™. The songs are all over the place here but that keeps an hour of material fresh.

Was excited for more brit-pop, but this ended up being all over the place and inconstant in sound and feel. I recognized Song 2 and have always enjoyed it. Super funny to learn it was their parody of American Grunge, only to chart alongside those they were making fun of. Theme from Retro was probably my favorite track; pure organ based psychedelia. All in all, it was tough to enjoy because it felt like it never became cohesive; lo-fi punky garage one minute, singer/songwriter man with guitar the next, some brit pop sprinkled in here and there, etc. Had some good tracks but really fell flat as a album. Then it moves into You're So Great; a lo-fi singer/songwriter trip to boredom. Really wish they'd pick a style. Chinese Bombs - punky lo fi garage, nice. Just a Killer for Love lo-fi fun, experimental. Liking more than not liking. Hate the acoustic IDK even know the term for it. WEirdo experimental parts are cool.

Partly heard before Saved 8/14 Top track: Song 2

Song 2 is an unquestioned banger. The rest of the album is decent but it does fall off in the second half. I liked it more than Parklife but I remain somewhat indifferent on Blur.

He got his head checked by a jumbo jet, I honestly never knew what Damon Albarn was saying there and finally looked it up. It always sounded like jumochet, I just thought it was a doctor of some sort, guess I’m dumb. This is much better than most Brit Pop, could have been a 4 but ran a bit long 3.5 stars

Blur started off really good. For me, a great balance between catchy melodies and riffs and some experimental sections. But there were some parts especially in the middle of the album that dragged a bit. I do like Damon Albarn's voice and songwriting. At its best points, it was really good for me. Just wish it could have kept that same momentum. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could

Good album. I do prefer Parklife greatly to this. This album has some great mid tempo songs but the punk songs and slow psychedelic songs don't work as well for me.

it was ok, i know some of the songs and it made me nostalgic for all those times me and my friends wanted to be cool and listen to blur in the early 2000s, but apart from a few of the songs i like, i wouldn’t listen to the album again….

Blur > Oasis

There's certainly good stuff here but a lot of it sounds like a demo. Doesn't hit the same highs as PARKLIFE.

It's okay

I don’t have a score yet, but I hope these guys are all rich from licensing Song 2 to every-damned-thing for 25+ years now.

Hay una famosilla chula El resto sin mas

blur by blur. Song 2. The rest were also in the same style and enjoyable to listen

Front loaded with bangers. Resolves into eminently forgettable studio noodling.

#147. It's decent enough, I suppose. Song 2 and On Your Own are pretty good, but the rest is kinda forgettable, for the most part. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Song 2 I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

3 great tracks is enough for a 3 today.

Woohoo! Haha This is another album that's kinda all over the place. There isn't a whole lot of cohesiveness. It is good to have variety in the songs (I've docked people for being too one note] but this is just a hodgepodge.

This album does not have as many gecs as it should but it’s still the second best blur album so that’s nice.

Song No. 2 is considered the standout hit but "Death of a Party" is the high water mark in my opinion. Having gone backwards in Albarn's discography, I can appreciate the album in a way that I don't think I would have when I was younger.

Only ever heard Song 2 from Blur before. A few good songs but nothing really stood out.

Listened to this just a day after "Gorillaz" (also a Damon Albarn project), and for some reason I preferred that one. It's hard for me to articulate why. There's a lot of creative stuff in "Blur," just less so. Also not a huge fan of the final song "Essex Dogs," which drags on a few minutes too long without going anywhere.

kind of crrepy, hard to study with, but overall really good music, would listen again

i liked on your own and beetlebum. the end was just ok. almost didnt finish.

Blur. Bien el tema principal "Song 2". El resto un poco más flojo.

Kind of a mess. I liked 'Looking in America' a lot, however. Amazing track.

one hit wonder

Song 2! Except apparently this is nothing like the rest of the album, let’s see. Have to agree, all very different from song 2, which is unreal how hard it goes. The rest of the album was ok, 3*. Highlights: beetlebum, song 2

Better than expected

Reminiscent of David Bowie, it's the good rock and roll and well worth the listen. You'll likely know Song 2, but there is more here to explore and enjoy.

Album was pretty solid, but it's not lost on me, and surely not lost on the band, that the best song, and their biggest hit, was meant to be an ironic aping of a sound outside their norm.

woulda given a 4 if it wasn’t so bloody long

It’s got that one song!

Once again, I think Blur do disappoint a bit on the album front. You're kicking off with a classic in Beetlebum, and the other singles on the album are great too, but outside of those it's a bit meandering. I do admire them switching things up a bit and trying different things creatively, but there's not enough outside of the big hitters.

Kinda cozy, even with the weird sounds/ instrumentations. I liked M.O.R. and Death of a Party

Enjoyed, need to listen again

Song 2 carries this, along with a few other stand outs. Again, I feel like this project has a small 'debut album' problem, as I definitely enjoyed Parklife far more. 3/5

I had no inkling of who this band was until the track became "Song 2". Highlights: "Death of a Party"; "Look Inside America";

Blur is the fifth album by the English rock band Blur. This indie/alternative/art rock album marked a transition for the band away from Britpop, since they had become bored of it and their audience shared this feeling as well. The change allowed this album to be more popular in the US, while staying on top of the charts in the UK. Critics loved the mixing of Britpop and American alt/indie rock because the band was able to highlight the best parts of both. Blur is certified gold in Australia, Denmark, & the US and platinum in Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, & the UK. This was a good album that starts out hot with tracks "Beetlebum" and "Song 2", but there's also flashes of greatness in the rest of the album's tracks. The band Blur tried something new for this album and it paid off. I recommend this album to any fan of alternative or indie rock.

nüt wahnsinnig speziells, aber no vibig

Why is song 2 called song 2? xD

First song is the best 3.3

This album was a true two-outcome hitter. Grand slams, or swinging so hard and missing you tear the muscle fibers from your bones as you shred whatever ligaments and tendons used to exist in peaceful harmony there. And no I’m not just talking about “Song 2”.

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I assumed it was going to be all punk like ‘Song 2’, but it was Beattle-esque in my opinion.

That whole album was a blur in my ears!!! Not digging it at all...

Fun alternative rock from…..? 🥁 🥁 🥁 England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🙄 They’re fun to listen to—fun energy. Kind of like the Pixies but English …. Their famous song 2.0 was a big hit at the time and rivaled Oasis in fandom and such… I remember watching a Netflix docu about how that song upended Oasis’s popularity and corner on the alternative scene. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I’d come back to this …eventually.

3.5 last track is a nice surprise

A couple good songs. Mostly not enjoyable though.

Meh. Didn't do much for me outside of the couple of classics on this. The deeper cuts felt very generic to me. Wasn't offensive either, though. Solid 3. Would not buy.

It was okay. Good background music for life.

I somehow missed these guys during their heyday. Not bad.

I thought the first few songs were great and got my hopes up that this would be my first high rating, but then I got a bit bored and some songs I really hated (Country Sad Ballad Man and Essex Dogs).

i liked the second half better than the first.

oasis did it better

pretty decent but nothing that blew me away, prob wouldn’t seek it out

Good album. You can hear the future Gorillaz poking their heads up occasionally

Maybe their 5th best album after Great Escape, Parklife, 13, and Think Tank.

I'm happy Blur chose to change their sound and influences to create something different. Similar to how Ratatat and LCD Soundsystem feed both into and out of Justice (I'm upping Justice's Cross [album 186] rating to 3.5), Pavement had a profound affect on Blur's sound as things got a bit looser and the band made some changes. Song 2 obviously stands out as one of those songs everyone knows but can't put a finger on. This definitely begins to bridge the original Blur content with what will eventually become the Gorillaz. 3.5

More sad boi music but song 2 slaps

i got what i expected from this one. doesn‘t mean i didn‘t like it, but i‘m not suprised

Didn't know the album but have heard Song2 a million times. So expectation was high, expected more of such. But unfortunately no, the others are not bad but different. It could have been a 5 with more Song2-songs but the rest is simply not special.

Of course Song 2 is a classic, that's for sure and maybe the greatest song of the album, even tho there are some other songs that sound great but it didn't exactly shocked me. It's a cool album.

Olha achei mais ou menos. Tem umas faixas boas mais o álbum todo não me encantou não. Sei lá não curti muito.

Has a few hits and the band developed later to make more impact

Some excellent tracks including a foray into some heavier American influences. Though this includes some bangers, they fail to carry the weight of an uneven collection of songs.

A well crafted album that is well worth a listen. However, there aren't any good singles that stand out during its play. It's not their finest work as it leaves me wanting to listen to other better Blur albums but it does scratch an itch after a full play through.

Några stora hits men jag tycker ändå att plattan inte håller fullt ut.

not a fan of blur

Wooooooo-hooooo! Overall: 6/10

Decent rock album. Enjoyed more than just Song #2. 3.5*

Ультрахит Song 2. Как бы шифт от бритпоп к Америке? Хорошие песни в начале, сомнительные в конце. Лучшая песня - Song 2 (очень хотелось бы не быть нормис, что называется, но никак не получается!)

Some Beatles and Bowie influence

3.5

Some songs stood out more than others (Song 2, On Your Own) but overall the album was fine. Not sure if I'd re-listen to it.

Standard 90s throwback

Reminds me of High School

So we are putting one-hit-wonders on the list now? Oh wait, the are from London... Anyway, I actually enjoyed this album more then I though I would, but probably won't listen to again.

Uff, buena buenaaa 7/10 Me gustó la verdad, pero en fin, es que este señor es pa rezarle todos los días y darle las gracias por crear Gorillaz🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

consiguió sacar mi lado alternativa emo soy indie y escucho música que tú nunca escucharías. lo volvería a escuchar. 7/10. canción fav: you are so great (porque además de alternativo, soy un romántico)

Very cool album overall. Would listen again for sure.

Loved the songs and much more refined then modern life is rubbish, cheers Damon

Receiving a 2nd blur album in under a week by this system kind of turned me off. They were a mediocre band that I guess is important as one member went on to the Gorillaz but this was a so-so album and not an all time great.

Nice.

One song was good, rest was not my cup of tea

Fine album. Not sure why it’s one of the 1001 to listen to though.

Half the songs are awesome. The other half are too much.

Very grunge-like influenced mixed with Britpop and some electronic effects. Sounds very 90's. Next to Song 2, Beetlebum is the most stand-out track.

Song 2 goes hard but that might just be because it’s familiar to me. I found it an in between land of BritPop and Grunge that didn’t quite work for me.

Good album song 2 was familiar

Never heard of these guys before. I looked them up and followed the lyrics. Interesting, but won't be on my playlist.

I liked listening to this album and really should have checked them out long ago. Like everyone in the entire world, I only knew of Song 2 and that's rather unfortunate because its not even the best song on this album. Death of a Party for the win. Will revisit.

I definitely dig brit pop and shoegaze. As one of the flagship bands I'm a big fan off Blur. Love their overall discography but in a vacuum none of their albums blow me away. Blur self titled is a solid entry, but at 14 songs and 56 mins is a little threadbare by the end. 3.0 stars would gaze again

Background music

album has a good variety of songs; creative

In terms of the over-saturation of Britpop on this project, this was better than a lot of it has been. But even this grew old as the album went on. I liked the diverse, gritty, lo-fi sound that is present here. Parts of the album seemed clearly inspired by 90s Britpop kings such as Oasis, whereas other parts of the album definitely seemed to pave a unique path. Each song was pretty unique in comparison to the others, too. So yeah, in any case, I thought this was an okay album.

"Song 2" sehr guter Track. Macht spaß. Rest des Albums war auch nicht schlecht, aber kein Track, der noch richtig hervor sticht.

An unfriendly and slightly strange album; the Pavement influence is pretty clear. It’s interesting to see their style filtered through more of an indie rock approach, but I don’t know if I enjoy it too much. Opens really strong before getting hazy and kinda boring. Best song: Beetlebum

One of those bands that I immediately recognized the name but couldn’t recall their music. Enjoyed some songs. Others I could have done without… like the last one. What was that? Might listen to it again someday…. But probably won’t.

Blur is more of a greatest hits band for me, but this is still a solid album.

While still sounding rather British, Blur distances themselves from the UK and glances toward the US. A bold move that doesn’t quite pay off.

A couple great songs at the beginning, then it kind of trails off into mediocrity.

A little more melancholy than their earlier albums, and Britpop in general. Sometimes that works, like Death of a Party, and sometimes it doesn’t, like I’m Just a Killer for Your Love. A couple of great upbeat songs sprinkled in (Beetlebum, On Your Own). And a cutting take on American culture from the Brits, Look Inside America. Song 2 is there also, woohoo.

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures with my partner. We lost. Well, I knew one song on this album...but if you grew up when I did, it would be impossible not to know Song 2. So how was the rest of the album? Meh. It kinda overstayed its welcome a bit.

It’s pretty clear that Blur was trying to capture the alt-rock audience with a harder-driving sound, but it leads to a disjointed album. Song 2 is a good example and sounds like the last days of all-day music videos on MTV.

Iets te experiementele Indie muziek. Beetlebum en Song 2 prima nummers.

By no means the best Blur album, the change in style to appeal to American audiences is not an improvement to my ear, though perhaps better than just releasing the same old stuff I suppose

Some decent songs, some not-so-decent songs. I appreciate the melodic variety here, but it can be a bit too overblown for me.

Disappointed with this one. Expected a lot more, not really worth listening to past second song (song 2)

This was my first exposure beyond Song 2, and I enjoyed myself. Roughly half the songs are too noisy / dissonant for me, but the ones that don't have weird buzzing in the background are exactly my shit. Good individual songs, even if the album as a whole isn't entirely for me.

In the emo alt rock BritPop 90s war, Oasis is the clear winner. This was ok though.

Bit of a Blur to be honest. I like how you can hear Damon gearing up for the Gorillaz stuff in this one.

Quirky and very British and 90's. Song 2 is ok, but very much overplayed. Lyrically quite strong but I think Leisure is a much better album.

i feel like. there's some songs on here i realized i Really enjoy... i've listened to this album before but never that attentively and i feel like the reason is because the back half starts to kinda drag. the good parts are great, but the rest of it kinda ... well... blurs together... into a low-fi drone with a british guy saying something to me. and that's okay.

The album starts off promising with some energetic songs including that, Song 2, which I didn't realize was by Blur. You hear that song at pretty much every sporting event as a way of pumping up fans and it's a good solid song. I must admit beyond the first handful of songs, it becomes a blur (sorry!) and loses it's stream towards the end and was a bit of a struggle to get through. Otherwise, a decent listen and apart from a few songs I probably won't be spinning this often.

Unlike the famous Father Ted sketch... I've always liked Blur and Oaisis. I really liked a lot of the guitar work on this album, it was a bit less of a brit pop endeavour for Blur... but it didn't really pull it off for me, so I found this album very middle of the road, nothing stand out.

Song 2 is an all timer but the rest of the album is ok

My mates who did albums were all Team Oasis. The first two tracks are pretty stella hits. I don't think I've ever heard the rest of the album. And I quite like Blur. It's feels a lot more Coxon. It's fuzzier and grimier than you'd expect.

I have to revisit this

1. Beetlebum - instantly forgettable. 2. Song 2. Yeah! Classic quiet-loud grunge format, nonsense lyrics, all about the vibe, too short and classic because of that. 3. Country Sad Ballad Man. Slow string scrape at the beginning reminiscent of a front porch hammock. Silly falsetto vocal amusing. Goes to a very silly place. Fun. 4. M.O.R. Call and harmony response - nice bit of borrowing from Beach Boys/Motown/Do-wap. Good dance track. 5. On Your Own. Filler. 6. Theme from Retro - half-baked idea, could be a song one day. 7. You're So Great. Acoustic cardigan-swinger that goes heavy, nice. 8. Death of a Party - can hear Gorillaz coming in this one. 9. Chinese Bombs - BOSH! Proper punk track. 10. I'm Just a Killer for your Love. I'm a sucker for this head-nodding, foot tapping tempo. Not a fan of the one-note bass in this track. Nice bit of wah in the interlude. 11. Look Inside America. reminiscent of House in the Country. 12. Strange News from Another Star. Nice vibe, bit Bowie - Cold-War Generation blues. 13. Movin' On.Good ol' Rock track - could be Stones. Funky ending. 14. Essex Dogs. Artsy Fartsy. Soundtrack track - not an album track. Filler. Faves: 2, 7 & 12. I'll give it a 3, but I mean 3.5

Not sure why this one passed me by at the time. Interesting change in direction. Knew the hits off this album already (are all Blur hits the ones where they are sarcastic or a comedy take on another genre of song) but the rest is a good mix of Pavement inspired sound mixed with Albarn’s interesting music craft. Would go back to and listen again.

Oh hey its that gorillaz guy

Hmmmm questionable. Bit too much for me. definitely not my style oops. Some songs are okay but medium. Most bearable song: Theme From the Retro

It was okay. Beetlebum was kinda interesting, Song no 2. Is a song you've heard everywhere before in short bursts and listening to it for a longer time is... not much better.

I surprisingly enjoyed listening to this more than I thought I would. A few interesting tracks.

The average Blur album, couple of good tunes, and a few more I instantly forgot.

Not as good as Parklife, The Great Escape or 13, but still pretty good in its own right. It has classics like Song 2 and Beetlebum, but not much else that is massively memorable.

I really wanted to enjoy this one more but all I can say is "it was ok". Solid 3 at best.

So I know that "real music fans" like Blur for all their songs other than "Song 2"...but I just can't get into them. I guess I'm basic. 2.5.

A fun rock album that would be good in most settings

I was excited for this one but found it underwhelming. Vocals are atrocious in places and he has a good voice.

3,5

Allez, faisons un petit crime de lèse-Damon Albarn : Blur c'est sympathique mais ça n'a rien d'incroyable. J'ai bien aimé /Death of the party/ et les chansons que je connais déjà, mais on n'est pas sur du showstopper.

Пацаны напердели от души 7/10

A classic, but never my favorite

Great 80s pop.

Once again, interesting to hear a classic. Otherwise, I didn't find it very interesting.

Sympa, j'aime bien la voix de Damon Albarn mais je préfère Gorillaz

I had heard really good things about this but beyond Song 2 this fell a little flat. I like the sound of it all, and it feels like they’re having fun in the studio, but it’s missing that spark.

Some good songs for an indie disco.

This could be vastly improved by sheer subtraction. I invite you to join me in considering Blur a pretty great 8 track 34 minute album, rather than than the 56 minute sprawl that it actually is. Track listing (rating 4.0): Beetlebum Country Sad Ballad Man M.O.R. On Your Own You're so Great Death of a Party Look Inside America Movin' On Actual rating: 3.4

I like Blur! But.. the tail end of this album feels very off. There are some enjoyable bits. But a lot of it is just unsettling.

I prefer the earlier more cheerful britpop albums, but this one has Song 2 and Beetlebum of course

They won the battle but lost the war. What a strange thing britpop was. Sure Noel Gallagher could write songs and Graham Coxon could on Occassion match him - song 2 is a rightful classic. And the standout on this album. They mostly evade lasting success in America and australia for that matter. But this is a good document of a time in which its first pioneers - the spice girls - are the only band which is still culturally relevant. 2.5. Rounded to 3mainly because of song 2. Maybe song 2 should knock it to 4.

Interesting that around the time this album was released, Albarn was having a drug buddy relationship with Justine Frischmann of Elastica. I was a big Elastica fan, but really thought Blur were neither here nor there. Until I heard Song 2. For me, that song was one of the highlights of the 90’s. Apart from that & the single Beetlebum/On Your Own, which spent a lot of time on my jukebox, I’d never heard this album before. It’s a decent listen (I love the Bowie-influenced Strange News From Another Star), although I don’t think it compares with the best of Oasis.

I never really understood the cult of Blur. Some great singles, but over-rated albums. It's a British thing, isn't it? Maybe you had to be doing coke in Camden in the 90s with the Britpop crew to really _get_ it. And I don't know why they have THREE albums on the 1001 list. I found the Parklife album far too Anglo-centric for this Australian listener. I just didn't get it. But the increase influence of Amercian indie rock on this next record and more immediate and aggressive production style makes it more palatable in my opinion. That said, there's not too many songs to write home about, except for Song 2, which is an absolute banger and far and away the best track they ever released. I happened to be in U.K. around the time it was released, and it was everywhere. I could immediately sense that this was a track for the ages, and bought the 7" from a record store in North London somewhere. I still keep it in my DJ crate; crowds go bananas when you play it, even to this day. I wonder if this album would be more listenable if they pared all the songs down to a fat-free 2 minutes like this track? Maybe much better than the versions here, which are typically over 4 minutes. And when they geta bit 'experimental' towards the back half of the album, I just want to jam a fork in my ear. It's aimless and not very enlightening. This is a 2.5 star album for me, and it is growing on me a bit after a few listens. it's my favourite Blur album of the three I have listened to for this project, although that the constant over praise from the British music press still annoys me. Rounded up for Song 2.

By far the most interesting of all the Blur albums. It killed off Britpop (hurrah!) and turned towards smack instead. Happy, happy, joy, joy. Damon's voice sounds great, especially on Beetlebum. I had to skip Song 2. There's only so many times you can tolerate the grunge piss take. There's some killer melodies with On Your Own. It gets dark with Death of a Party. I sniggered at Essex Dogs. Not a lot has changed.

It's ok.

First 2 songs were good, maybe 1 or 2 more. Couldn't hold my attention.

Really liked Beetleburn, did not really listen attentively to the rest of this album. Would love to revisit it at some point when I'm more in the mood for this type of rock.

Gorillaz > blur > the good the bad and the queen

An ok album not my favourite Blur offering. Look Inside America and Your So Great the outstanding tracks on the album which contains a lot of experimental pieces, which may take a couple of listens to appreciated fully?

This album was good. Their song “Song 2” is very popular. The style of their music is cool; just not necessarily my style.

3/5 close but no

song 2 still great, other songs fine

A solid collection of 90’s grunge tunes. On my side quest to get some background info on the band, I found out that this was Blur’s official departure from making mainstream-aimed pop-rock, and that really comes across in the sorta rebellious and carefree sound of the record, and how the songs jump from style to style while maintaining a roughness around the edges. The album sorta reached a lull for me around the midpoint, but the songs really pick up steam in the final stretch. I will say though that the lead singer’s voice isn’t always easy on the ears, though I guess people don’t really go to slacker rock or grunge for immaculate vocals anyway lol. Fav tracks: Beetlebum, Country Sad Ballad Man, Strange News from Another Star, Movin’ On

Song 2 is great but Damon Albarn is much better suited in Gorillaz.

Song2/5

Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it? Anyway, the second part was a tad bit better. Song 2 will be a classic always, other than that, this was all just a blur.

It's tough to rate this one. I've never been a huge Blur fan outside of their big singles, but it seemed like this was supposed to be the point where they branched out from the brit-pop sound to experiment a bit more, and you can hear that pretty clearly. It does make the album feel a bit disorganised, but also not that much of a chore to listen to even with it being nearly an hour. Only had the chance to give it one listen, but i will come back to it in the future. Feels like an album that will really benefit from more listens to let all the different ideas and sounds sink in.

Fun fact: Disney World queue lines are not the best place to attempt serious album listening. Don't worry, I came back to it later. Album #8. Unfortunately, I've never quite caught the Blur virus beyond their few ocean-crossing singles, which I will admit to loving wholeheartedly. Yes, even "Song 2". There was a chance of this completely winning me over, but it's difficult for me to holistically appreciate it outside of the context of the overall discography. Blur is a good album, but you can hear that it's an experiment, even if "Beetlebum" puts a foot confidently forward in the intended direction. Plus, it's still jarring to hear Albarn singing on a track that isn't remotely connected to Gorillaz. It's like seeing young adult photographs of one of your parents. Some moments and ideas popped out of the mix, but I'm not cultured enough to appreciate this yet.

I still have a hard time knowing the singer of Blur is the singer of The Gorillas. This album is better than I expected. Song 2 is like a fight for your right to party in that it's a hit but isn't really what the band is like. They sound way more like pulp on a few songs than I would've expected but they are contemporaries. Not a bad album, it makes me wonder if they ever did anything interesting on later albums as they grew.

This album is alright. Nothing too bad or great that stands out or is ground breaking. I'm not opposed to listening to it but I also don't think I'll be searching it out again for a relisten any time soon. Solid 3 out of 5.

Favorite Track[s]: Beetlebum Song 2 Death at a Party

The first two tracks were great; the rest was rather average.

Technically admirable, but after a while I find Albarn's schtick a bit tiresome. It feels a bit forced and try-hard for the sake of catchiness, getting duller on repeat listens rather than revealing anything more.

Just an okay album. Only a couple of songs grabbed me and it wasn’t the overplayed Song 2 which reminded me of being a kid at a school dance again. Song 2 is the only song I’d heard off this album before. Beetlebum and Death of a Party were best to me. Some interesting sounds but meh.

Blur is leuker dan ik wist

Classic Brit pop album. Some classic tracks. Some tracks Bowie would be proud to have written. Lays the blue/Damian sound that evolved and made the band instantly recognizable

2.5

55/100

First five track sound like 90s filler. Hard to get through. "Theme from Retro" thru "Death of a Party" sound like a different album. Way more interesting. You can definitely see the scaffolding for Gorillaz. This album is an incoherent mashup of very boring britpop and something much more brilliant.

Pretty mid.

Imo it will always be Blur > Oasis. Classic Blur sound, live Damon's voice and the good guitar riffs on this album. Throughout the album there is a good mix between heavy guitar riffs and slower, more emotional songs. Obviously, we can't talk about this album without acknowlodging the greatness that Blur has achieved with Song 2. Because let's be honest, everyone in the world has heard at least someone chanting that song once, it's just iconic. Anyway, it's a good album, not my most favourite of theirs, but definitely a good one Favourite songs: the punky sounds from Chinese Bombs & I'm just a killer for your love.

One thing I can certainly say in favour of this album is that it’s very eclectic and unpredictable. It doesn’t ‘do it’ for me but is clearly a highly accomplished album

Song 2 is a classic

Typical 90s rock album with a little accent.

Certainly Blur’s most interesting and eclectic album, especially sonically, with shades of electronica and hip hop added into their usual mix of (brit)rock and psychedelia. ‘Song 2’, ‘Country Sad Ballad Man’, ‘Death Of A Party’, ‘I’m Just A Killer For Your Love’, and ‘Movin’ On’ are my faves here.

While Song 2 and M.O.R are great tracks, I don't think this album would be regular rotation for me.

Wasn't a particular fan at the time. But I love the gorillaz having the same singer makes the blur stuff more accessible for me

Etwas planlos reihen sich die Songs aneinander. Blur kombiniert alles zu einem Chaos aus lärmenden Punk, langweiligen Pop, verstörender Trance und Jahrmarkt-Fiebertraum. Auch die an für sich gute, rohe Produktion, die vocals aus dem Festnetztelefon, können manche der einfallslosen Songs darunter nicht mehr retten. Der Sound der Instrumente ist von Zeit zu Zeit großartig und immer mal wieder blitzt ein interessanter Akkordwechsel auf. Trotz der vielseitigen Instrumentation (Hammondorgel, diversen elektronischen sounds, Slide Gitarren, schwere drum beats) überschreitet das Album über weite Strecken nicht die Schwelle, wirklich interessant zu werden. Viele Songs starten spannend, dümpeln aber irgendwannn nur noch vor sich hin, beispielsweise "Death of a party" oder auch "I'm just a killer for your love". Trotzdem gibt es einige memorable mentions: sad song ballad man ist mit Melodie, Chord Progression und Songstruktur der erste Interessante track, Chinese bombs lockert das träge Album mal kurz mit etwas punk auf und sorgt für Abwechslung. Auch "Look inside America" ist eine unerwartbar schöne songwriting-Achterbahnfahrt. Alles in allem ein schön abwechslungsreiches Album mit Reizüberflutung, weshalb seltsamerweise aber nicht viel hängen bleibt. Trotz mancher eingängiger Refrains, wird kein Song ein wirklicher Banger. Vielleicht wären die einzelnen Tracks auf verschiedenen Alben besser aufgehoben gewesen, wo sie stärker herausragen könnten. Eine starke 3 (3,8)

Hatte bei so einem abgekultetem Album mehr erwartet…? Sounds fand ich durchgehen zu schraddelig-Bandkeller mäßig, aber nicht auf ne dezidiert noisy Art. Songs haben mich auch nicht beeindruckt, hab mir zumindest nichts davon gemerkt, lief so durch.

Einzelne Lichtblicke gepaart mit belangloser Edgyness. Hat sich auf eine Weise sehr unreif angefühlt und vermisste trotzdem die ungefilterte Brutalität der Jugend. Hatte das starke Bedürfnis zu sagen "Bro du bist 30". Am Ende hat Essex dogs für mich das Album total gerettet, weil es viel aufrichtiger wirkt. Die Edgyness ist nicht so aufgesetzt. Hat mich so überzeugt, dass ich eine 2. Chance gegeben habe. Dann konnte ich etwas besser damit connected.

I can see Blur starting to branch out from the Britpop sound with more experimentation, eventually culminating in the Gorillaz sound. Some songs are not catchy but I respect the effort. Outside of the obvious big singles, I enjoyed Death of a Party

Solid three as this is my childhood sing star track - 'song 2'

Not interested in this music.

Beetlebum and Song 2 are fantastic songs but the rest (forgive me) blurs into a rolling soundscape with not very many highlights. I kind of liked I’m just a killer for your love even though it’s lyrically nonsensical. This album starts off with a bang and ends on a whimper.

I enjoyed this. Can't recall what I rated other Blur albums we've listened to but this one sparked nice memories of catching a song like Song 2 on the radio or at a party and how good that felt. Country Sad Ballad Man, M.O.R., Moving' On .... all just brought me back to a simpler time when the biggest question of the day was where am I meeting Jen after work.

Goid

Apart from the massive "Song 2" - woo-hoo! - and the hit single "Beetlebum", I wasn't overly impressed with this album and found some of the tracks a bit of a dirge.

I remember being 17 and working in Pizza Hut and wanting to treat myself to a new album. At the time, I loved Song 2 but hadn’t heard much else so I bought the album to listen as a whole. As a stinky teen, I was disappointed by the album, but then years later I listened again and enjoyed it. So who knows what I’ll think today? Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Song 2, Beetlebum, M.O.R. I enjoyed this, but I do see why I felt disappointed in my younger years. This album starts strong and finishes strong, but the middle is notably weaker. I enjoyed most songs, but there are definitely some skippable ones (I’m looking at you, You’re So Great). I’m still a much bigger fan of Damon’s side hustle Gorillaz, but this was still overall a good listen.

4/14, 29%

Classic, but not really nice 😅3*

I definitely preferred this to Park Life and the more Britpop stuff I’ve heard from Blur. Did kind of just make me want to listen to Pavement, but Song 2 and Strange News From Another Star were quite good.

Hoge hoogtepunten, maar het lukt me niet om hem in een keer door te luisteren

'Song 2' came out the year I was born and other than 'Parklife' and 'Girls and Boys', I didn't know any other songs by Blur. They have such a variety of sounds. Loved opening song 'beetlebum'. 'You're so great' was really feel good, lyrics were so catchy. Psychedelic at some points like in 'Strange news from another star'. The singer sounds a lot like the vocalist in the Gorillaz.

not only woohoo

Love Blur, but this album as a whole is pretty weak

Song 2 is one of those songs that Lisa and I always sing but never remember who sang it so I'm glad it finally popped up for confirmation. We were just trying to find it the other day. Blur is one of the few UK bands I hadn't heard before that I'm learning to like. I enjoyed Parklife and in real life, they just released a new album last week I think so they are still kicking.

Album 119 of 1001 Blur - Blur Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Song 2 Has that 90s sounds, for sure. Was quite familiar with Song 2 from the radio and also from commercials, I believe. Good album. Sounds like a lot of others from the time. Some good tunes but none quite as strong as their big hit. Worth a listen but nothing to write home about.

Decent brit pop! Not a song on here that I'm like "wow gotta add to the daily rotation", but that's show biz

Enjoy Song 2, but the rest was a blur.

Wasn't previously familiar and enjoyed it!

I only knew Song 2 from this band, but I've heard they were the 90's Beatles. So I had my hopes up a little too much. Only the first track sounded Beatle-like to me, and the sort of throwaway Song 2 was the best track. The rest was either kind of boring or heavily distorted. All in all, it was average.

Song 2 awesome couldn’t get through the rest

For me there is no Blur album that I enjoy from beginning to end. There are some decent songs on this one but the style jumps all over the place and I feel like a few songs could’ve been cut. The album is a mixed bag and doesn’t feel like a ‘journey’. I like Graham Coxon’s tracks but they might’ve been more suited to a solo album. It feels like they just threw everything into this and it is a mixed bag. I do really like what each member brings to the band, I’ve always liked Albarn’s vocals and the guitar and bass tone is really satisfying. I think James is an underrated bass player and I enjoyed his work on this album.

Very fond of Song 2🤟

A quirky and interesting album with one known song, it was ok for me but not likely to listen again.

This is about the same as their Parklife record I listened to on this list as my first album. It's solid British alternative rock for that time, only this one has the catchy Song 2 on it everybody knows. I did like anthem quality of On Your Own, that one was a favorite.

Yep, een Britpop stem. Er zijn veel ergere voorbeelden. En vaak matcht het ook wel met de muziek. Vooruit, drie sterren.

Battle of the Britpop, deel zoveel. Zoals gezegd ben ik meer van het recht voor je raap geluid van Oasis. Blur is wat te artsy fartsy af en toe, maar dit album verrast me toch weer positief, net als eerder dat album met die trein erop. Het rockt voldoende om niet teveel dat zeikerige Britpoep te zijn. Dat gezegd hebbende, kan ik na 2x luisteren alleen die 1e 2 nrs opnoemen. Dus het beklijft te weinig voor 4 sterren

Song 2 - Banger woohoo (4) Death of a Party - Decent (3) Everything else meh (1.5-2.5)

I was listening to this while working, so I wasn't being super intentional about the music. Overall I didn't hate this album, but I don't think I particularly liked it. I definitely heard the British roots and liked the rock-ish aspect of it, although it did feel a bit muted overall. I found it very interesting that there was so much drama around the mastering of this album; I expected to be blown away by some unique sound, but I don't think it was really there for me. Maybe it was more influential when some of those sounds/techniques were less common, but I don't know enough about the subject.

Album #: 192 first impressions: Yeah, I know this band. Song 2 is a certified banger. The rest of this ranges wildly from sounding like a less fun version of that song to basically unlistenable 90's crunchy guitar noises w chaotic drums and extremely disaffected vocals. after listening through: There were a few catchy songs. I can see how this is an album emblematic of the 90's. post-reading reviews/wiki: I always forget Damon Albarn did blur before Gorillaz. It's weird bc I really enjoy Gorillaz usually...I guess he really shines when he's out of that 5-piece rock band kind of mold. Even though a lot of the reviews praise Blur's versatility, it just feels directionless in a lot of spots on this album. relisten?: probably not, other than song 2 ofc, and maybe Beetlebum (which is like a 90's-ified 70's singer/songwriter vibe) & M.O.R.

I enjoyed this Blur record a lot more than the last one I got. I could tell they were moving more towards an indie-rock sound than their previous britpop sound. Of course everyone knows them for “song 2” but there’s a lot more cool songs on here.

Eh. 3 stars.

Just because you have found a new, well-polished sound, doesn't mean you can just be patting yourself on the back for an hour. All of the intrigue of their earlier albums is gone in favour of something reliable, and totally serviceable, but mostly just knockoff Pavement. If the book wanted something from the art rock era of Blur, they should've went with the album 13, which does something purposeful and innovative with the change in style.

Three stars good but nothing special

I enjoyed this album.

as a fan of blur, this isn't my favourite but not a bad album either

OK album, not exceptional and a little too noisy from time to time.

Ok, not really that special. Didn't mind at all when my playlist started when it finished

Listened to this album 3 times now and forgot about it every time. Therefore 3 stars.

Not as good as Parklife!

The album is fine, but nothing to write home about. Seems like a filler album for this list to pad out getting to the 1,001 number.

Seeping with britpop charm this is an album full of really good songs but only a few truly excellent ones. This album was more important for what it became than what it was at the time. It still sounds pretty good in the modern time as well.

Get rid of the last 15 minutes from the album and I think it's a solid 3. I'll still give it the benefit of the doubt because of the very strong start and some gems scattered in between, but a disappointment overall. Came in with high expectations and left feeling underwhelmed.

A few classics. A lot of dross.

Obviously some bangers, but i think they have some stronger albums

I do not know anything about this band at all, aside from knowing "Song 2" was a bit radio hit. And then I realized who Damon Albarn after he tried to discredit artists who are not singular writers of their songs because co-writing doesn't count. The dude seems like a bozo. Anyway, this album was a lot more poppy than I thought it would be, I assumed that with the breakout of Song 2 as having an underground (at the time) sound, that rest of the album sounded like that. But no this is just straight pop. There are a handful of songs that feel like they could have been pulled straight from a Kinks record--in a good way. All in all this record was fine.

This is an old favorite from way back.

My wife loves this record and it was one of her faves as a teenager. I didn't really love it though. It's interesting and innovative and to people of my generation definitely historically important. I will give it a 3 but it barely makes it.

Light-decent 7/10

3.5/5 I was a lot more careful to listen, just listen and read the lyrics this time. I enjoyed the first song the most. It seemed so sad and raw. I think Britpop could grow on me. It might just be a mood thing, or a time to day thing.

Blur aren't my favourite - I was always an Oasis girl - and this hasn't changed that. I felt like this went on too long and some of the tracks were too experimental for my tastes but the hits HIT and that's okay.

Epitome of 3

medium-low energy generic brit rock with one well-known song. most songs feel low effort and all... blur together. 2.5/5

the first two songs are beetlebum and song 2 the first half of the rest tries to stick with that sounds the second half is barely music 3.5

Pretty much the same review I gave Park Life. Good enough but, other than Song 2, not fully memorable. As in hearing a song, knowing you've heard it before, but, for the life of you, you can't remember why.

Song 2 was not representative sadly

Mum: We have OK Computer at home The OK Computer at home:

Blur

song 1 is better than song 2

Yup, this is the album that has that one Blur song that everyone knows. It’s also got a bunch of other good songs though. Would rate it 3.5 if I could, because it’s definitely better than other albums I rated a 3/5 (not reaching a 4 though)

Blur in a more playful mood perhaps influenced by American indie. Not all the tracks work but at least they expanded their horizons a bit. Beedlebum and Song 2 open the set then it is a voyage of discovery. 3.5

Rinky Dink is standout here

Standard Brit Pop fare; decent singles, a bunch of filler tracks, and couple of awesome album tracks (Death of a Party and Essex Dogs)

There were some decent tunes, but the lyrics were pretty clique and it was a stagnant album. There are lots of good synth pads and tiffs though. It deserves to be on the list, but just not my list.

Heb het gevoel dat zo veel 90’s muziek langzaam aan wordt vergeten, dit was mega toen nu hoor je het ‘woohoo’-nummer alleen nog als gimmick ergens. Prima album, song 2, Chinese Bombs en Essex Dogs m’n favs

A satisfying 90s album full of okay songs. Considering Blur were at their prime during my young years I'd have thought this album could bring a twinging nostalgia but nothing. Ready Salted record, less good than their more famous album, and a fair precursor to better material from Albarn's later projects.

The first two songs are awesome. Song 2 is the background music from a childhood viral video that I was in love with, Warthog Jumping in Halo. A lot of this album sounds kind of the same after those first two songs. I enjoy this style of music. It might be too similar for me to listen to while working because a lot of it is forgettable. 3.5 mostly because 12 of the songs are forgettable.

Always have been a fan of Song 2, gets me hyped up every time. The rest of the album was decent.

I swear this generator is messing with me. Yet another 2 consecutive albums from the same artist! Well, at least it's easier to compare and assess the artist's progress that way. Blur in particular seem to actually dive right into the rock territory in the beginning. "Song 2" in particular is an almost metal-ish banger. They do not shy from other areas as well, like punk, art-rock, funk-rock, etc. This isn't necessarily a good thing, however. Because as a result, this debut is quite messy and much less concise than "Modern Life is Rubbish". It has great moments, but as a whole, it sounds like a typical generic pop-rock like most britpop albums do. At least they clearly improved later on.