Reviews (page 2 of 14)
Outside of one song being good just an ok album.
Good album. I was wavering between a 3 or a 4 but feeling generous
This album has some classics on it an as a whole its a great time. A bit too long though.
Ah the other britpop darling of the 90s. We had Oasis a couple of weeks ago, and now we get to put them up head to head vs Blur. Fun fact: Damon Albarn, singer and writer, is also Gorillaz. I was way older than I’d like to admit when I learned that Feel Good Inc and Song 2 are the same guy. I think the biggest problem with this album is that Song 2 is just so much better than everything else on it. The album is fine, but just that: fine. It’s not outstanding, groundbreaking, or anything I’d care to listen to in its entirety again. And that’s where I think they break away from Oasis. The critics liked this music better because it wasn’t as commercial and polished as Oasis’ offerings, and while that’s true, I think it’s why they’re also remembered as a one hit wonder in the US. no crossover appeal… maybe for good reason. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Although I'd been a fan of Blur's "Parklife" album for a while, I spent a long time overlooking this record based on Song 2. It just didn't have anything that reminded me of what I enjoyed so much about Parklife and I figured if that was representative of the album I'd rather find other things to listen to. At some point, I gave this a proper chance and realized how wrong I was. Different tracks have taken their turn as my favorite -- Beetlebum, Country Sad Ballad Man, You're So Great... this time through it was definitely On Your Own. About half the songs on this record are among my favorites of all time. Almost all of them are better than Song 2, which I've still come to appreciate in its own right. In leaving behind the britpop sound they were known for, I think Blur finds another level as a band here. I consider it a tossup as to whether Parklife, this, or 13 is my favorite Blur album. Maybe it had been too long since I listened to this album all the way through, but today I would pick the self-titled.
Absolute classic
I just like Blur music. Not sure why, I just do. There’s a chugginess to their music that draws me in. I like the “Theme for Retro” for some reason. Not the greatest voices, but it works for me. “You’re So Great” Drew me in.
Sounded like a parody of grunge.
I know their bigger hits, but I haven't listened to this album in full before. I should have, it's great! It's got the weird alt-rock elements I tend to enjoy.
Everyone knows Song 2, but there is more to this than just Song 2. Also from the 90s, it combines post-Grunge, Art Rock, and Britpop. I had never listened to the entire album, but I was glad that it was on the list.
Solid album with lots of great tracks, and some variety of sound throughout. No I won’t be making any tired comments about the second song on the album (which is solid) and the last song is bit of a throwaway. Otherwise a great listen.
Ok tier 14/20
Blur by Blur is a good album. Starts off really strong. Musically, it continues to showcase the band’s skill and diversity (within the world of late 90s Britpop anyway). It doesn’t have the staying power for me of a 5/5 but it’s a worthy 4/5.
I was really close to giving this album 4/5 stars, and I suppose that in its context, it does deserve better. In the end, however, I just felt like everything slightly underwhelmed. In other words, I was closer to asking why this album is on the list rather than getting the sense that it clearly belonging here. The sound is good, and the overall vibe is engaging, but I likely won't return to it. Hopefully, I am wrong, and it will just grow on me.
Some good stuff here, yeah, I dig this.
Got me hooked from the first track until the end
SO many annoying songs on here. Yea, Song 2 is iconic, but that's it...
Having established themselves as one of the main Britpop powerhouses, all Blur had to do to cement themselves as all-time greats was to reinvent themselves. Refreshing their sound, while retaining their quality. And, well, they did exactly that on this self-titled album.
Finally, after going through Gorillaz and The Good, the Bad & the Queen, I get to talk about the band that Damon Albarn first rose to fame with: Blur. Damon started that group from his previous band, Seymour, alongside bassist Alex James, drummer Dave Rowntree, and guitarist and childhood friend Graham Coxon. They would start with a cross between Madchester and shoegaze before taking influence from 1960s British pop rock groups, leading to them becoming one of the defining acts of the Britpop scene. Though after the release of The Great Escape, tensions strained between bandmates and the band sought to change up their style again, taking influence from American underground and lo-fi music. This change in direction would lead to their self-titled album. Now, obviously, the big hit from this record is "Song 2", as it continues to be prominently featured across media to this day. I still get a kick out of that track, but I also want to acknowledge that other songs on the record manage to be good in their twisted ways. Graham's gritty electric guitar work, Damon's off-kilter delivery, and Alex and Dave's sturdy rhythm section made for quite the foundation to bounce off into a variety of stylistic sprawls. The thudding guitar stabs that give way to the menacing dream pop sequence of "Beetlebum", the rustic psychedelia of "Country Sad Ballad Man", the Bowie-esque rocker "M.O.R.", the drum machine and electronic tinkering on "On Your Own", the bizarre space-dub of "Theme from Retro", Graham's frail delivery on the distant Midwestern tune "You're So Great", the sinister reggae dirge of "Death of a Party", the frantic dive bar rager "Chinese Bombs", the anthemic ballad about life on the road with "Look Inside America", and the psych-folk of "Strange News from Another Star" made for quite the tasty melting pot of sounds. In a way, the experimentation on this record precipitated Damon's work on Gorillaz, and I dug it for the most part. Granted, there were a few tracks I wasn't as into because of Damon's delivery in tandem with the particular style used. I didn't care for his nasally filtered vocals over the swampy stomp of "I'm Just a Killer for Your Love", and I was mentally checking out on the more standard rock tune "Movin' On," followed by the spoken-word and rattling guitar noise of "Essex Dogs" and that instrumental hidden track that seemed to go nowhere. Perhaps a few songs could have been cut from the album. But still, I had an overall good time with Blur's self-titled record. I am curious how their earlier Britpop records fared, but it's clear that they continued to be creative and not rest on their laurels.
Bought this CD because of the very popular Song 2 and never really was hooked by the album. It did really well but just didn't stick with me.
eh not rlly my thing, didnt find too interesting. sounds like it was more revolutiopnary for bringing these sounds to a popular audience then it being interesting on their own. at least from 202's vantage point. Just a lil too forgettable for good background music.
It’s a classic that died out for me but it’s stilled gives me a nostalgia bug.
Oh, Damon. You sexy brat. I will always choose Blur over Oasis, but this self titled album is not my favorite of theirs. It's great, dont get me wrong, but is it 5 star quality? Not today.
The vast majority of this is exceptionally average. Song 2 sticks out like a sore thumb (in a good way) A low 3
Outside of Song 2, nothing else really stood out.
Es un clásico y de fácil escucha.
Yep, ok
All a bit of a blur, but seriously it's fine.
pretty good album and fun listen, personally like gorillaz a bit more but its still really good
Meh. 3/5. Song 2 - overplayed.
This one was good
It's a good album
Starts off SUPER strong, “Beetlebum” and “Song 2” are some of Blur’s best songs. It does dip a bit in quality as it goes on, and the album is just a bit too long, but overall this is really really enjoyable.
Ik weet het niet. Ik vind het zeker niet slecht, maar ook niet per se leuk. Ik voel me er heel neutraal over.
Damn this album is boring. I put it on, and the next thing I knew I was waking up with my CPAP strapped across my face. Fun story about me getting a CPAP: after years of terrible sleep, I finally (smartly) listened to my wife who insisted that I go see a doctor, saying that I sounded like I was dying when I was trying to sleep. So, I went to see the doc and got scheduled for a sleep study. They hooked me up with so many wires, I looked like I had been assimilated by the Borg, and I watched the Grammy Awards until I was told it was lights-out. I fell asleep, and then two hours later they woke me up and told me they wanted to see what my sleep was like with a breathing machine hooked up. Fine, whatever. I slept, then they sent me home at 7 AM. I got a phone call from the facilitators a few days later that went something like this. Facilitator: So, we have your results if you're ready. Me: Yeah sure, give 'em to me. Facilitator: Now, just so you know, it's actually normal for all of us to struggle for air a few times when we're sleeping. Generally, a person who sleeps normally will have five or fewer instances per hour where they're struggling for air, and on the other side, we consider it severe if you're struggling 20 or more times per hour. Me: Okay. Facilitator: Yeah, so, we clocked you at an average of 100 times per hour. Me: Uhhhhh what Facilitator: So, we're actually putting in a fast-track order for you to get your CPAP machine, you should have it in the next day or two. That was nearly three years ago, and I've gotta say, getting that CPAP machine was a game changer. For the first time in a very very long time, I actually feel rested when I wake up. I don't have awful headaches, I have energy in the morning again, and thanks to the privilege of having very good employer insurance, I pay about $10 a month to rent the machine. It's $10 well spent. All of this to say, if I was forced to listen to this album again, I'd rather risk death by a hundred gasps.
Listened before? No Familiar with the artist? Yes Thoughts: - I don't know a lot of Blur, but I've listened to the album Parklife, and I liked that a bit more than the self titled here. This is still a good album though. Song 2 is definitely the standout, but I didn't dislike anything. - I do like the variety here; especially like the slightly darker vibe of "Death of a Party" and "I'm Just a Killer for Your Love." Favorite track(s): Song 2, Death of a Party Least favorite: Theme From Retro
I liked it but I feel like I should have liked it more but I'm not sure why. It feels like it's missing that extra something that keeps it from being truly great. I feel that Oasis has what this is missing but Blur has what Oasis is missing. Essex Dogs has it though
Strong 3, good when good
Not for me...just okay. Favorite track: Theme from Retro
My introduction to Blur; my mom got me the CD when I was in 5th grade after I heard Song 2 on the radio. It was a bit sonically advanced for me at that age so I didn't really get into the album until I was an adult and became a more holistic Blur fan. I really like the album now and can feel it getting a bit experimental - foreshadowing Gorillaz. It drags a bit toward the end but overall it's a solid spin.
Bra men nådde inte samma höjder som Parklife för mig
Lite oklart på sina håll, men topparna är verkligen toppen!
Lite svagt slut, men resan dit stundtals kanon.
It was pretty boring in my opinion, i did not even listen to the whole album, gave up midway.
Some good songs but not as strong as some of their earlier albums.
Stonking opening tracks, with more noodly music later, I can see how this marked their transition from Britpop to a more experimental sound.
I like Blur in the same way as I like the Beach Boys - on the surface, their most accessible songs are the ones you already know, and those are mostly genius song-writing (if perhaps a tad overplayed these days, but that’s hardly the band’s fault). So Songs 1 and 2 here are excellent. But most of the rest stray too far into psychedelic weirdness - like a sub-par Radiohead/Bowie mash up - which I’m sure reveals its genius if you persevere through multiple listens. I just don’t have the time for that.
Aside from the singles this album managed to pass me by at the time and I have no idea why, other than I'd be somewhat disappointed by The Great Escape. I got back into Blur with 13 some time later and I think that's stronger than this. Loses it a bit in the middle.
Never really got into the whole Blur vs Oasis stuff but this is solid enough. Song 2 continues to be a belter though.
Forgot how much I liked this album!
Nunca me gustó tanto este álbum de ellos. No sé si merece estar acá. Se rescatan igual algunos temas. 4/10
Se ve mucha experimentación en el álbum Se siente nostalgia, energía por montones, felicidad y tristeza, contradicciones interesantes a lo largo del álbum Sin embargo nada en particular resuena tanto después de pasar por Song 2, o sea no se vuelve memorable Definitivamente creo que es de esos álbumes que crecen más en uno mientras más se escuche e incluso en un momento vital que calce
#458/1001. There is similarities here to the suede album, with which they wanted to break feom the Britpop mold. Somehow blur doean't do it as convincingly, and they also forgot Song no. 2 to be the perfect half of the Don't Call Me Blur mashup (the other beung Madison Avenue). Also worth checking out the smells like blurvana and supersonic 2 (bluroasis) mashups (my titles not officials).
I think you probably had to be there (the UK in the 90's).
Not as good as the other Blur album we’ve had. One more to go.
3.9 I have never really listened to Blur outside of the singles. It seems to stand out from the numerous of the Britpop offerings that we have had. Theme from Retro was kinda a cool psychedelic-type song
what in the heck is happening in beetlebum i hate it it's scary.. song 2 is banger okay not listening anymore
What a massive cross to bear having such a beast of a single that "Song 2" is. I get pumped up to hear more of that since I haven't heard any other song before, but sadly I'm left with out any more sweets.
Weird, experimental, drugged Blur is the best Blur. Well, that's more on 13. This album has a bit of that with a more Pavement-indie-inspired sound. It keeps them for refined for the alternative folks. Song structures are still in tact, radio hits are more obvious (WAHOOOO), this is still clearly Blur. I guess I like this so much because I'm so American - and I love Graham Coxon. It's great, better than Parklife (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)
This is the 2nd of 2 Blur albums I've reviewed and like the last one outside of the singles I don't think there's much going on here. Maybe repeated listens would make a difference but it's maybe not going to get them.
Nothing caught my attention in this album. Sounds very bland to me. Reminds me of The Strokes in that regard.
Song 2, an absolute classic.
This album is more about sonic textures than lyrics--that much is for sure. Like most Blur I'm a fan but not a superfan. I like most of what I hear here but don't love it. It's good but not attention grabbing. He gave us Gorillaz though.
Never listened to the full Blur album before Beetlebum is a known masterpiece ✨️ I love the whole energy and definitely will listen to this again Fav songs: Beetlebum, M.O.R, Chinese bombs
Not the best Blur album. Not even the top 3 of the ones that had been released by 1997. I like Blur. I don't like this album. The first 2 songs notwithstanding
Moments of brilliance, but not uniformly excellent
Back to 1997 today. I’ve heard Song 2 a ton of times back in the day, but never knew what it was called or that it wad Blur, so mystery solved. I liked this kind of rock in the late 90s.
Good shit. I know it’s popular but I was not the most enthralled. Good shit though
I definitely prefer Oasis
One sharp song, the rest bit of a blur
Great album
Solide. Kann man machen
🤮 no on Blur
gran álbum, conocía la banda pero no tenía tanta info. tiene buenos himnos, seguro siga escuchando mas
I've heard bits and bobs from blur before, i just can't truly get into them. Streets better than oasis but just doesn't grip me.
14 songs Beetlebum was a great song which I had never listened to before and Song 2 is a classic for a reason. That being said, the rest of the album didn't really do it for me. There are some cool sections in some songs, but I wouldn't say I loved another entire song.
I feel like there's Song 2, and then there's the rest of the album. For all those that just want 56 minutes of Song 2, this album will be disappointing. But for me, I enjoyed the rest of it more tbh.
Tämä on ⭐️⭐️⭐️ vaikka song 2 on 5 ⭐️ biisi.
I just can't warm to them. Song 2 is obviously very well known - but the subsequent tracks are completely unmemorable.
Brits realizing grunge wasn't so bad after all
Never listened to much Blur outside of Song 2. Maybe I should listen to more.
Song #2 has been a staple of car commercials for years and I expected to like this album if it sounded like that song. I found this pretty boring and none of it sounded like Song #2.
2.25 - I really liked Song 2 when it came out and I’m surprised that I never listened to the full album. The experience did not match my expectations.
This is the second Blur album that I have had to listen to and I think that I am becoming a bit of a Blur fan. I had heard Song 2, which I have always loved, but not much else. Overall, this is fairly engaging record. You can definitely hear the threads of updating earlier British pop from the earlier record (Modern Life is Rubbish), but the palate has been expanded a bit bringing in some slower acoustic numbers, a little bit of electronic influence, and more influence from American rock. The last song drags a bit to be honest, but that's a minor issue. It's a little bit more unfocused, but its still engaging and enjoyable. Hopefully, there will be more to come.
Een album met oké liedjes, maar ietwat vermoeiend om een heel album van te luisteren. 3 sterren
Pretty good, definitely British pop
Alternative Rock/Indie Rock Favorite Songs: Beetlebum, Song 2, Death of a Party, Movin’ On (the final two aren’t fantastic by any means, but it’s at least going into my personal music library) Least Favorite Song: It’s either between You’re So Great or I’m Just a Killer for Your Love. It just depends on my mood. Ah, Damon Albert. The man behind the virtual band Gorillaz. So, I was expecting to like this album when this site randomized it. I was in a sense hoping for something that would fancy me with some really great tracks, and for the first two, Beetlebum and Song 2 were definitely the major highlights for me. And then the rest of the album, while sounding fine, didn’t fully stick out for me. I feel like part of the reason is due to me thinking that I can maybe hint at Damon not being interested with some of the songs. Another part of me thinks that there were two big standouts that it was hard to follow up on the rest of the songs in the album. To me, it just felt like they were there because they were there. Overall, the album’s okay, but I’m only gonna grab three songs (Song 2 is already in my library) and just call it a day. 6/10
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album I know one song, THE one song How do I feel about this artist? Neutral, I like Gorillaz Pre-Listen Thoughts: I have always been more Team Oasis but I like Damon's work on Gorillaz and seem to enjoy Britpop overall (Supergrass had my first five-star album surprisingly) so I bet I will like it. I predict 4–5 stars. Favorite track(s): Song 2 (basic I know) Post-Listen Thoughts: This was OK, maybe my least favorite of the Brit pop I’ve heard so far. I definitely think Gorillaz is the step up for Damon. Fine but not gonna turn into a big Blur fan, at least not from this album.
youthful, contradictory, good mix, very good album
An album which contains the goal anthem of FC St. Pauli can't do any wrong in my world. Not all the songs are as cheerable, but overall a very interesting release.
I’ve never listened to a full album by this band and suspect I like the best of better than i like the band. Let’s see. Beetlebum has such odd timing to me. Not bad, interesting timing, 4/4 but not exactly synchopated, but lagging in parts. Some drummer will be able to tell me if i’m full of shit or not. Then Song 2 hits you in the face. Third song is a bit snoozy amd out of place. Fourth and its interesting timing intersections again. Actually maybe it is song 2 that is out of place as the reat mostly have a meloncholy and are not balls to the wall like track 2 song 2. They do what so many british pop bands do (albeit a bit more experimenty than pop on this album but at heart it remains true) and that is buold on the mods and rocker band base (which is essentially rocknroll sensibilities popped up) bands like the beatles, thw stones, the kinks, the jam, etc, etc. British bands take the derivative nature of music and derivative the fuck out of it. Nothing wrong with it but its a bit samesy across the board at times. Anyway back to this album, i like the production, the thought that’s gone into the aound, what channel to put what sounds and when, etc. any thw tunes at the base are catchy melodic pop. Its a little moody but mixed with a little fun.
I got into Britpop in the early 00’s. The genre got very little radio play in the US so it was all new to me. But somehow I missed out on one of the genre-defining bands. So I have no nostalgia for this album. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems like a precedent for Gorillaz’ penchant of periodically releasing albums that borrow heavily from other musical idioms. The Mountain is to Carnatic classical as this album is to US indie rock. It’s definitely an album I’ll have to give a few listens to really have a strong opinion about. Other than “Song 2,” that darling of turn-of-the-Millennium indie movie soundtracks and car commercials, a zeitgeist-defining track, very little here really stands out much.
conhecia song 2. não curti mt a vibe das músicas. acabei não ouvindo o album todo também.
Song 2 really is an absolute classic of a song. As a whole I liked this album a lot more than the other two Blurs I've had to sit through.
Demon Albarn
I prefer Oasis, purely from a technical standpoint their vocals are better imo. This feels slightly more experimental and whiny. Still a good listen tho. Fav track: “Death of a party”
Just gonna copy this over from my other Blur review: "this is just such bland British alt rock. It's fine. I didn't actively dislike it, so a begrudging 3/5 it is." I feel like this was just included because of "Song 2", which is a good track, but the rest is just kinda there. Also, self-titled albums should be your first album or nothing.
Not their best, aside from Song 2, which is too short, though I’ll always associate it with the Starship Troopers trailer
6/10
it's good but it feels too long at times
Good album
The 90's British Invasion was some kind of rock nostalgia movement that was more of a miss than a hit. There's something classic yet edgy in Blur's sound, however nothing really remarkable beyond the commercial tune "Song 2".
It's fine, but nothing really excited me (except Song 2, certified banger)
не знаю почему этот альбом так важен для брит поп сцены я не пойму чем он хочется казатся смарите какой я наркоманский чувак или смотрите я сделал хиты я курб кобейн!! енивей, нормально
Really not as good as I thought it would be; I almost want it to be more melodic? Idk, just not the best imo
BLUR
The 90s and early-2000s were such a bore, musically, and this album cements that assertion. It's not bad, it's even good. But it does nothing unique, nothing special, nothing remarkable. Even the big hit Song 2, while iconic and recognizable, is such a tame song, the kind of which you put as background music for an establishment shot in a movie about entering college. Everything good this album does is done better by other bands, before and after them.
Great stuff, but it just makes me want to listen to Gorillaz
This album contains "Song 2", the deliberately lunkheaded charm of which saves this record from 1-star status but lord almighty, singer Damon Albarn has such a colorless, personality-free voice that nearly every song here has the appeal of a stale biscuit.
Hmmm it’s ok
Pretty boring, disappointing as I like Damon Albarns music with the gorilaz
remember owning this album through record club got on the strength of song 2 recall being underwhelmed, but that was probably 30 years ago now better than i remembered, but still a far cry from wall to wall bangers 💥beetlebum 💥song 2 💥death of a party
Mangler revidering
YESS A GOOD ALBUM
Incredible album with a unique mood
Set de rock vol 1 - volume único
The first half was pretty solid, but it dragged on in the second half. I got bored, and it felt like they did too. The two “experimental” tracks could’ve been left out.
꩜ Oh no, I LOVE Blur. Or... is this that classic thing where I'm mixing up Pulp and Blur in my mind again. ꩜ Song 2 and absolute classic, love it forever. Listen to it and jump around. ꩜ Though I'm wondering if Park Life is the album like I like most (of theirs)?
Beetlebum - 4/5 Song 2 - 5/5 Country sad ballad man - 2/5 M.O.R. - 3/5 On your own - 2/5 Theme from retro - 2/5 You're so great - 4/5 Death of a party - 3/5 Chinese bombs - 1/5 I'm just a killer for your love - 2/5 Look inside America - 3/5 Strange news from another star - 3/5 Movin on - 2/5 Essex dogs - 1/5
Great first two tracks but rest of the album doesn’t maintain those highs
My favorite 90s Britpop
Taking sides here, Oasis has a definite edge for richness and complexity of sound – but it's clearly cool to like blur.
1. "Beetlebum" 2. "Song 2" 3. "Death of a Party"
I like their I-am-british-and-I-love-it albums more than this one, but yea, its still very good
Boy, this is surprisingly a tough one to rate. It starts off so hot -- "Beetlebum," "Song 2," and "Country Sad Ballad Man" are all genuinely exceptional songs. And then it just kind of goes flat. Don't get me wrong, there are good moments all along the way, but there are a bunch of really mediocre-at-best tunes too. I like this, and I want to like it more. But I don't think I do. Fave tracks: - Beetlebum - Song 2 - Country Sad Ballad Man - You're so Great - Death of a Party - I'm Just a Killer for Your Love - Look Inside America (almost cringe...but it's musically cool enough to end up working) - Movin' On
Starts off hot, it's meh
Mix between “that one song everybody knows but can’t name the artist” and “peak 90s” and “hmmm maybe they aren’t that good”. A perfect 3
I LOVE BLURRRR
hey, did you check to see if they had any consonants in stock at the big tescos?
Man the first two tracks started off so strong and then it droned on into a forgettable boring atrocity. Shame.
This is the first Blur album I've gotten, and I'm going to guess that it may be the one I'm into the most. This is known most (as least here in the states) as the album that broke Blur here, mostly with "Song 2". But I also think its probably the most American album they have, while not completely dispensing with their Britishness. It's a pretty great album throughout that covers a number of sounds. Totally digging this.
Great Songs: Song 2, Strange News from Another Star, Movin' On Good Songs: Beetlebum, Country Sad Ballad Man, M.O.R., You're so Great, Chinese Bombs, I'm Just a Killer for Your Love, Look Inside America, Essex Dogs Mid Songs: On Your Own, Theme from Retro, Death of a Party Bad Songs:
Everybody knows the second song, which, of course, is Song 2. A stretch of songs from Death of a Party through I'm just a Killer for Your Love brings some energy, but not as much. News from a Strange Planet sounds like Bowie.
I like Damon Albarn.
Mediocre album from the late 90s, a mediocre period for alternative rock.
Best thing in the world
Listen, I know it was probably really important and influential, but I didn’t find a single song on this record that I liked. It was kind of just okay….
Another one that is burnt into my musical history. For me, this is when Blur stepped ahead of Oasis by proving they could write a variety of songs. The opening 2 tracks are about as good as it gets and almost warrant 5 stars on their own. The rest of the album has high points and some mediocrity and it becomes apparent there are 2 songwriters trading songs, i prefer the Albarn penned ttacks rather than Coxons work. Over all it a welcome album and seminal in this type of music but not quite a 5 star.
Three Blur albums in a very short timespan may be affecting my rating. I remember buying this CD when it came out, based solely on “Song 2”, which was a banger at the time and holds up. I also remember being disappointed I paid full price for a CD with one song I liked on the Album at the end of the day. While I can say I appreciate the rest of it more now than I did then, it still needs a round up to get to a 3 for me. 2.5/5
At first I was thinking that getting 3 Blur albums in a few weeks was unfairly gonna skew my ratings due to overconsumption. But I was wrong. Their stuff all sounds the same. Even though as I’m listening there’s nothing that really makes me think anything negative about them. And yet I exit each listen not remembering a damn thing about the songs. Their albums are way too long overall and strangely forgettable. Whoo-hoo? Not so much.
Three Blur records in like 2 weeks. I saw the first one and was thinking “oh, I like blur do’ sure.” Now I’m not so sure. There’s a couple good songs, some interesting and creative stuff going on, but mostly just kind of meh. Tough to say if song 2 is my fav of their songs. Maybe. But it was just played so dang much. Regardless, that it was kind of a joke. They sent to the record company thinking they’d reject it and become their biggest hit. Beetlebum is fun. But yeah, the rest of this isn’t very good. 2.5
Thought I'd be rounding up on this one since I owned it as a kid...but it ended up feeling quite similar to their other albums on the list. Starts strong and then drags... this would have been a killer 35-40 min album. 3.5/5
Good album, very Blur.
Phenomenal album
Started out awesome, quickly became grating. Had higher hopes!!
Love blur
First album I've heard here that did not appeal in the slightest.
Blur are ok. This is not their best album to me.
bem bom. tenho visto algumas reviews negativas ou medianas sobre o álbum, sobre ser um pouco sem alma e ser um tanto réplica de músicas anteriores da banda. Eu, particularmente, nunca ouvi nada deles, então não posso opinar sobre ser uma cópia deles mesmos, mas sobre ser uma cópia de outros artistas, acho que não. Claro que houveram inspirações, mas acho que o álbum não demonstra essas inspirações como roubo. Em geral, eu acho que lembra muito os anos 90, uma coisa meio video game antigo, uma guitarra bem maneira, especialmente boa em 'chinese bomb' e do meio pro final do álbum em geral, todas as músicas ficam muito boas a partir daí.
Way too much filler for an album on this list. It's as if the tracklisting was done by Kirsty MacColl "I like this one best,m then this one, then this one..."
I don’t want to say this is a one hit wonder, but the other songs just did not leave very strong impressions. It strikes me with a tone that I probably would’ve appreciated in high school, but just don’t resonate with anymore. It’s youthful in a way that doesn’t necessarily appeal to me. Objectively a decent album that I just did not like. 3/5
Blur is just not for me I guess. They never really hit big in the US so I never really got a lot of exposure to them when they were putting out music and now that I am, I just don’t enjoy it.
It's fine, some good songs, lots of filler
Overall: 6/10 I'm surprised I didn't like this one as much as I could have. It seems all over the place with it's style in a way that I found a bit offputting. It's almost like a collection of B-sides rather than a fully realized album. There's lots to like here of course, but I don't really think it's all that special compared to other Blur albums. Fav Song: Strange News from Another Star
Song #2 was everywhere.
not sure if this or _parklife_ is their best, but i don't care. this is another great blur album. they sound like britpop, the kinks, pavement, and other sounds throughout. great, great stuff
Forgot how great this was.
A few excellent songs let down by a lot of naff ones. Just too long as well.
Mixed bag. The highs are 5 star but there’s definitely a fair few skips here too. The Pavement influence on this album is obvious.
Listened before?: yes, a couple times. i come back for a handful of tracks tho so my memory of some is foggy Beetlebum - 5/5 Song 2 - 5/5 Country Sad Ballad Man - 3/5 M.O.R. - 4/5 On Your Own - 3/5 Theme From Retro - 2/5 You're So Great - 5/5 Death of a Party - 5/5 Chinese Bombs - 3/5 I'm Just a Killer for Your Love - 3/5 Look Inside America - 3/5 Strange News From Another Star - 4/5 Movin' On - 4/5 Essex Dogs - 4/5 Average score: 3.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ like I said, i usually only come back for maybe a handful of tracks. Beetlebum and Death of a Party are probably their best tracks here. Song 2 is also great (albeit a bit mainstream and overplayed personally). Graham's performance on the track You're So Great makes for a simplistic and cute track. that's about it that being said, this isn't a bad album at all. this just barely qualifies for 4 stars in my book. Blur's discography has always been a mixed bag for me in that way, a few great tracks while the rest are... meh. this is likely considered one of their best material by most though, and i don't necessarily disagree
Didn't like it as much, I just know the most popular song from the list.
I love all these songs. Graham's guitar never sounded better. I was in high school when this album came out which definitely gives me a bias toward a higher score but I just think it's the best.
I enjoyed the first half, but later it got pretty tedious.
Even by Blur’s standards this is great. Their best, I reckon.
Lacked a cohesive feel. Liked a few but several weird ones as well.
только форс норм
mid
Listened to it twice through. It was alright but I think that’s enough for me
I liked this more because it felt like a rebuke of the Brit pop style. I also like that Albarn retains his British accent while singing, it’s either the Brit’s sound like Americans or the Americans sound like Brit’s in popular music
I knew we’d get into Brit pop at some point and at least I knew song 2 lmao I was worried as a non Brit pop enjoyer, but I can see how this one is the “American indie rock we love pavement, too!” attempt and I appreciate that! Would’ve loved this in middle school
This is 90s alt rock in a good way to start off. Obviously recognize Song 2. Feels like quintessential alt rock of its era. Very late 90s/early 2000s. This is all solid. It’s more interesting and I like the sound more than the first Blur album I heard on here. There’s a clear influence from 60s rock but it’s more muted in the sound. Hint of psychedelic but in a 90s alt rock way. Best of it is really good but it’s a little uneven after the opening few tracks, which I really like. It’s a bit more experimental the further you get into it. I like the mix of alt rock sound with some psych rock influence. Something like Look Inside America has such a different sound from the more out there Death of a Party, but like that both songs exist on the same album. Definitely at least a 3 here. Felt like a 4 early on but not sure it gets there. I enjoy it though. I’ll go 4 just because like a lot of it.
God, this is dull. I almost gave it two stars because of the nostalgia kick of Albarn's voice, but I just can't.
J’aimais bien avant maintenant un peu moins
7/10
Couple of famous songs, the rest are okay, wouldn’t listen to the full album again.
Favorite Track: Song 2
Brilliant album can’t find a fault
Everytime I was feeling kind of done with this, a song would come up that would reel me back in. I love the guitar and bass tones and rougher production on this. It just feels at times that it drags a bit. Very strong 3, probably a 4 if I give it a few more chances.
This is the most 3 album ever, it’s so middle of the road. There’s an equal amount of good songs and snoozers, the whole thing could’ve honestly been 15 mins shorter.
I love Beetlebum. Song 2 is a parody of grunge. Good song but overplayed. The rest of the album has good tracks here and there but there are cuts that drag on this. Strong 3 for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I've always known Song 2, you hear it all the time on SXM. Great track. But there's so much more to love on this record. You're so Great and Death of a Party are excellent tracks. M.O.R. is cool as well, as is On Your Own. Not everything on here is great, which is why this isn't a 5 star for me. However, there is more than enough meat on this bone to make it a 4 star album. An excellent effort.
4.5
- beetlebum: 17 year old me ate this up, I listened to this on repeat. - song 2: I can only think about just dance 2014 tbh but such a banger. - country sad ballad man: so summer depression for some reason, I like the instrumentals. - M.O.R.: good vibes, I like it - on your own: I think this is my fav until now, this could be in a coming of age movie bro, love it - theme from retro: I need lyrics so😔 but sounds good though just give me something to sing along to. - you’re so great: I like this a lot, and the lyrics are beautiful. Making me kinda emotional bro. - death of a party: 17 year old me also listened to this a lot it just gives off vibes that I can relate with? - Chinese bombs: okay punk - I’m just a killer for your love: idk i like the vibes though - look inside America: idk - strange news from another star: I like this, yeah - movin’ on: 15 year old me would’ve loved this, maybe 16-17 year old me, but I don’t feel like I’m this dramatic anymore😔 still a great song, I like the lyrics. - Essex dogs: felt like an mri at some point but alr, I liked the first part with the lyrics, 15 year old me would’ve loved it, I just don’t think the ending should be that long. It’s always with the songs I love most, there’s always an ending off 5 minutes long with nothing happening.
It was fine,no standouts other than the obvious
Opens with Beetlebum so we already know this one bangs. Surprised to see I don't recognise a lot of the track listings however!! Yeah good in the end
Not my favorite so far. I understand it was ahead of its time, but definitely not my go to for 90s Brit rock.
Didn't get through it, Blur have highlights but this is a slog. RYM: N Saved a song: N
good good
So boring with only 2 good songs
I feel like the more I listen to Blur, the less I like them. They have a decent greatest hits and some genuinely stellar songs but sometimes they just sound like they're either aping or mocking someone else. Beetlebum aside, I just found this incredibly dull, meandering and lacking cohesion and Damon's voice pisses me off more than it doesn't
Fun up tempo rock
A couple of good songs, the rest is just guitar noise with voice sounds. In that realm it’s quite punk but some songs just aren’t good. Good songs carried the album.
Por eu ser um fã fervoroso de Oasis, admito que nunca parei com muita atenção para escutar nada do Blur. A única coisa que eu tinha escutado era a música mais famosa deles, a Song 2. Olha, gostei demais desse álbum de estreia deles. Algo bem diferente do Definitely Maybe do Oasis, por exemplo. Aqui temos elementos um pouco mais experimentais, algo meio hip hop - que acredito ser por influência de Damon Albarn, que mais tarde criaria os Gorillaz - algumas coisas mais sofisticadas em questão de escritas etc, bem diferente de outras bandas Britpop por exemplo. Death of a Party é a minha favorita desse álbum. Mas todas as outras são muito boas, misturas de Punk rock, acústicas, hip hop. Excelente!
Ts was booty ass cheeks
Song 2 will live on forever, the rest is blurry and also surprisingly boring/slow.
I was always more of an Oasis fan myself
So yes... I will agree with critics and a lot of fellow Gen X-ers... This album is great. "Country Sad Ballad Man," "M.O.R.," "You're So Great," and "Strange News From Another Star" (any song that mentions destroying the Death Star will rise to the top in my book) were the highlights for me!
9/10
Didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected. Pity it’s this on the list rather than 13.
I respect them for moving away from the Britpop sound. But it sounds like they copied someone else’s homework and forgot to change some of the words around.
Art school boys turn celebrity pop band play with lo-fi aesthetics. Take any of those elements out and this wouldn’t be the extraordinarily friendly, grounding, perfectly pleasant sensory experience that it is.
"Movin' On" and "Beetlebum" are my favorites ❤️❤️❤️The latter is an amazing opener. I actually heard "Song 2" before, but I forgot I did. It makes sense. I think this song is whatever. "Country Sad Ballad Man" was a bit scary. 😂 "M.O.R." has a catchy chorus. 🎶 "On Your Own" grew on me by the 2 minute mark, but then it got boring again. 😓 I love "Theme from Retro" so much. 👻 🎞️ "You're so Great" is such a sweet song. Super cute. 🩶🩶 "Death of a Party" is good, but the gloominess makes me feel bad. 🥹Then "Chinese Bombs" made me forget all about how I felt 💞 "Look Inside America" sounds like the kind of music I listen to when I'm feeling carsick and need to cheer myself up. This was great!!! Thank you.💛💛
I thought i would like this more
Tiene un temon el resto ayuda
Damon Albarn is such a good artist. Blur is a great band and a good album but I still think Damon has some better stuff in the Gorillaz discog. All I could think of while listening to this album was how much I want more Gorillaz to be on this list.
Of course I’ve heard Song 2, but I was just disappointed in this whole album. The whole thing felt disingenuous and ambivalent.
Tiene palos históricos, pero no me ha gustado tanto el global.
Joy!
Not bad.
It is easy to forget that Blur were a bunch of art school kids making music when they formed their band. They so frequently get put into the Blur/Oasis battle, that it you might think that what the two bands were doing were interchangeable. Also, Blur's most commonly played songs "Parklife", "Girls and Boys", "Country House" etc are also quite far away from the more experimental sound of this album. That being said this album does have two massive hits on it "Song 2" and "Beetlebum". The start of the album has an indie rock sound. The middle starts to feel a bit more punk. Then the end starts to feel like space music. Remember, Blur composed the return signal for the ill fated Beagle 2 mission to Mars. (3.600)
Already one of my favs.
Another album I already own! Blur for the win!
Favorite track(s): Beetlebum, On Your Own, You're So Great, Death of a Party Listening to this album right after Dirt makes me realize just how cringe Song 2 really is as a parody of grunge. Rest of the album ain't bad.
How are you supposed to rate an album after 1 or 2 listens? It impossible.
Guter Start. Song 2 Nostalgie. Auch ne guter Name. Track 4 klingt wie Beatles mit E Gitarre. Mache mit Lotta Frühstück nebenbei. Wenig Zeit auf die Texte zu achten. Krasser Stilbruch mit theme of Retro - passt meiner Meinung nach nicht. Orchestrierte Dystopie. Musste nach der Hälfte aufhören, da Besuch. Bis dato ganz gut. 3,5 von 5
- Cant stand it - Absolutely forgetable record besides Song 2 - Cant find any structure in the record - "Theme from Retro" is a kind of psychodelic Bullshit Track - horrible - don't feel like ever listen to this again
Unfortunate banger to flop ratio
This reinforces my view that Damon Albarn & Co. are fundamentally imitators, and if when they manage to innovate a new sound or a great song its somewhat an accident of the influences they combine plus a flash of good luck or inspiration. It's pop experimentalism, but always designed for pop appeal. So, "Song 2" is a great success at parodying grunge dynamics and sound that works as music. It's loud, fun, woohoo, etc. Five stars as a single. The rest of it, all pretty good, but Pavement is much more interesting and musically engaging than a Pavement-imitation. But the pop fundamentals are definitely there, and it's a pretty good listen. But must-listen? Nah.
Arranca muy potente con dos temazos, el primero no lo conocía, el segundo sí. Después se plancha bastante. Pero me parece un buen disco igual, y una buena banda que no tengo tan escuchada. 8/10
britpop at its best
Pretty cool. Quirkier and not as rocky as I expected. Good textures.
This Blur album is yet another wild mix of genres, but this time they blend in to a better musical buffet. I was really sceptical when I listened it for the first time, but ultimately I cherished the diversity. It has soothing alternative rock, dirty hard rock, and even psychedelic rock parts, but overall it's tone remains rather controlled and less extreme. Very confusing...
Song 2 is here. Two minutes of noise rock that became Blur's biggest hit almost by accident. It sounds nothing like the rest of the album, which is mid-90s Britpop indie that mostly serves as filler around it. 2/5 — came for Song 2, found mostly padding.
FIFA 98, anybody? I think big part of why I loved that game was "Song 2" playing as menu music. Still, it took me 28 years to give the whole album a listen! My loss, because it turns out the album is pretty good. The band incorporating influences from alternative/indie rock was a good move, as I like "Blur" much better than the pure britpop of "Parklife", which we listened to some weeks ago. It's really raw at times, with screeching guitars and feedback, which is great. At other times we get Trip-Hop beats or lo-fi / Slacker Rock vibes. Every track has its individual identity, and still it comes together nicely for a listen from front to back. Bonus points for writing a QOTSA guitar riff in "Movin' On" before QOTSA ever existed. 4/5 - excellent
I love Damon Albarn. Notably excluding rip roaring hit single Song #2, this album is pretty electronic and downtempo and you can hear pockets of what Albarn was experimenting with that led to Gorillaz. Despite this, I wouldn't put this up among the more compelling Albarn works. I do enjoy it though.
#382 I’ve always been more of a greatest hits fan of Blur and never really got into any of their albums. Maybe there is something about them I don’t quite get, perhaps because they’re from London and in the great Oasis vs Blur wars, I was firmly in the Oasis camp at the time, and even though I’d much prefer to listen to Blur these days, I don’t enjoy them perhaps as much as I ought to, which was on my mind when listening here; there was a lot to like, it was musically interesting, Song2 is a banger (although overplayed to the point of tedium), and Beetlebum represents the type of Blur song that I gravitate towards. It’s a 7/10 sort of album that is teetering between 3 and 4 stars. Heard before?❓(Probably) Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? 🫳 Fave track(s): Beetlebum; Death of a Party Rating: 7/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nice!
8,5/10. Relativamente variado.
Isn’t it odd when a band has a self-titled album that’s not the debut album? This is Blur’s fifth album and it’s mostly good stuff, buoyed by an immaculate rock song. It could be better with some editing. Top tracks: “Song 2,” “Essex Dogs,” "Beetlebum"
--Beetlebum...a bit grungy --Song 2...woo hoo! --Country Sad Ballad Man...I didn't know this group got so sludgy --M.O.R....meh --On Your Own...didn't get me at first but it eventually comes together --Theme from Retro...creepy organ intro. not really sure what this is trying to accomplish --You're So Great...production is interesting the songwriting is not --Death of a Party...head bopper. the production finally elevates the song --Chinese Bombs...nice riff. not much more to it --I'm Just a Killer for Your Love...some chunky production, but the song ain't tops --Look Inside America...it's best if you don't --Strange News from Another Star...feels appropriately alien. another point where the production and songwriting is complementary --Movin' On...another mediocre song built around a strong riff --Essex Dogs...ooo, a little off-balanced to start, I like it. But, Damon, buddy, you don't need a hidden song on an album that's already pushing an hour
It's a shame that in America they're mostly known for Song when they have so much more to offer.
Alright, I've finally gotten all of the albums on this list to prominently feature Damon Albarn. Here we have Blur's 1997 self-titled album. With other "self-titled non-debut albums" that I've heard, it's been a little unclear as to why the album was self-titled, but I can definitely see why this was the case for Blur's album. This album was a pretty big stylistic shift for the band. Of course, Blur's music had always had a good amount of diversity in its sound and influences, but starting with this album of theirs, the band effectively abandoned their britpop roots in favor of something closer to art rock and alt rock. I think they pull off the sound pretty well here. Sure, this album isn't quite as good as Parklife, but it's still a great time. I mean, you've got the funny whoo-hoo song that us Americans know the band for! That's gotta count for something, right? For real though, I've always liked "Song 2" quite a bit. There are probably better Blur songs out there, but "Song 2" is still a great deal of fun that I really don't have anything against. "Beetlebum" comes before it on the album and I do really love that song too, maybe even more. This is one of those openers that does a great job of showing you what you're in for with the album. After that, songs like "Country Sad Ballad Man," "On Your Own," and "You're So Great" continue the experimentation streak that Blur had been on for a while with a new lo-fi attitude to it. At the end of the day, despite the changes to the band's sound, this is still a Blur album. Seeing as I happen to really like Blur, I'd say that's a good thing. This isn't the band's best outing, but it's still worth a listen in my eyes. Good album. Solid 4/5.
Solid alt rock album from the legend Damon Albarn and team. Couple weird ones with some cool ones mixed in
Pensé que era un álbum de britpop y no lo disfrutaría, fue todo lo contrario, una experiencia algo nueva dentro de lo que había escuchado sobre Gorillaz. Varios componentes electrónicos, experimentales y alternativos.
Really strong beginning , not as strong in the second half. Got a bit too chaotic for me, still a great album. I love song 2
First two songs, amazing. Rest of the album??? Meh. It's crazy how much pull the first two songs have on how people perceive the album. I liked maybe one other song on the album but I couldn't tell you which one it was. If it wasn't for those first two, it would be 2. But it gets a solid 3 instead.
oh jeez an album by the gorillaz dude man ballad sad country--there's this japanese band called ogre you asshole with an ep from like 2024 called outside of the house and the little synth bit in here reminds me of that. oya does it better, tho. 2 stars what unique characteristics is this supposed to bring to the table? all i hear is the dull drone of mediocrity, which is something that i am not in a mood to tolerate more than 5.5 tracks worth of.
Two blur albums in a week! And this was the worse of the two
Just when I thought this Britpop crap couldn’t get any worse, they abandon the “pop” part and make a bunch of repetitive “alternative” music.
I like Blur. I've always been around this album, I've known it existed, I've had Blur songs in heavy rotation for the past 20 years. I've probably listened to this album somewhere in my past and then shrugged and put it aside. I gave it another listen. This album sounds like a really tired band unable to string their exhausted ideas into songs. I know I've listened to it before, or tried to, but nothing here resonates with me. Some of it's straight up grating and boring.
As far as Britpop goes, I've heard better. But I've also heard worse.
Wait I really did love this album. Each song had this alternative-electronic-rock fuzziness to it with a through line of melodic electricity. Contrary to the album title, all the songs felt distinct and individual. I don’t think it’s necessarily a five star record, but surely a strong four! STAND-OUT SONG: “Beetlebum” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Song 2”, “On Your Own”
Album #114: Blur Genre (W): Indie rock, lo-fi, alternative rock, art rock Singles: Beetlebum, Song 2, On Your Own, M.O.R. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: I love the new, harder, ear-blasting influences this album has. After listening to Parklife, I was wondering what this one had to offer, and I believe Albarn’s lyricism has improved. Song 2 is one of the best alternative rock songs of all time. I’m pretty impressed. Favorite songs: Beetlebum, Song 2, M.O.R., On Your Own, You’re so Great, Death of a Party, Chinese Bombs, I’m Just a Killer for Your Love, Look Inside America, Strange News from Another Star, Movin’ On
Blur’s self-titled 1997 album is a polarizing, inconsistent experience that highlights both the band's creative peaks and their experimental growing pains. While the record opens with the undeniable power of "Beetlebum" and the quintessential, high-energy adrenaline of "Song 2," the momentum frequently stalls throughout the tracklist. Tracks like "Death of a Party" and "Theme from Retro" offer genuinely captivating, eerie textures and unique instrumental flourishes, yet these highlights are often buried under a collection of filler material that ranges from lackluster ballads to garage-style tracks like "Chinese Bombs" that feel jarringly unpolished. Ultimately, the album suffers from a disjointed production quality; it oscillates between refined, atmospheric brilliance and abrasive walls of sound, resulting in a project that feels more like a scattered collection of ideas than a cohesive artistic statement.
Wow al geluisterd? Maar misschien ff opnieuw omdat ik oprecht geen 1 lied meer kan noemen Oke heb niet meer opnieuw geluisterd dus ik geef gw 3 sterren
Really enjoyed this album. It was at the height of the Britpop era, but you can feel at times where Damien would eventually go with Gorillaz. Overall a really fun romp in one of (IMO) music's finest eras.
A fun, nostalgic ride. Lots of variety in style.
Wasn’t a fan then, still not now. Don’t get it. Very hard listen
It’s very … eclectic. In this case, eclectic mostly means crap.
It was good but not great. Maybe my expectations were too high.
ни разу раньше не слушала этот альбом полностью по song 2 и не подумаешь, что он такой интересненький, но местами затянуто
3.7/5
Good pop album Song 2: famous song. Lots of guitar hooks. Catchy songs Male vocalist:: good Beetle bum: good song A great album: four stars.
Outside of “Song 2” this album is mostly just a big nothingburger.
Pierwsza piosenka narazie mi sie podoba tak fajnie brzmią spokojne ale jednak coś tu sie dzieje fajne Perkusja boss Mega good serio podoba mi sie naprawde dobre to bylo daje temu 8/10 aha w ostatniej piosence sprankowali mnie że album sie skończył a tak naprawde dalej jest troche
Good 90s album. I like that they were trying to shed the pop star sound and ended up blowing up in the US because of it. Song 2
Solid album, I like
Man this is great! I always loved Beetlebum and MOR but haven't listened to the whole record. Song 2 is great too, but it's been so overdone in my life that it's kinda annoying now. But this whole album is awesome, I'll listen again
Song two is brilliant in its simplicity. When Blur tries for more complex songwriting, it doesn’t resonate with me. Full respect to Damon Albarn and his amazing influence on music. He created a lot of fantastic stuff! This album though… not brilliant. To me.
Pretty bad, instruments were almost in tune with each other, and they almost sound good
I had to talk myself back into finishing this three times...
I <3 Damon Albarn
It's.... Really good. Man. He just doesn't write bad music.
This is a fine album. However, it feels criminal to have 3 Blur albums and only one Gorillaz album. Maybe Damon Albarn moved the industry (or Euro music?) a lot with Blur. But given that only one song from this (or any of the 3) album ever really did anything, I'm not convinced Gorillaz isn't his bigger legacy. #justiceforgorillaz
I was shocked to learn that Blur was the fifth studio album from Blur. I had always assumed that the self titled album was a debut and they faded away from the spot light afterwards. I guess with a change in style from Britpop it is a bit of a debut of sorts for this style of Blur. One of my high school bands often played Song 2 at community shows. One of our friends who had recently shaved his head of his long hair sang for us. Not knowing that the lyrics were actually “I got my head checked” instead of shaved. We mainly recruited him entirely off the notion that he shaved his head. He spent the time learning the song to play with us either way. We had a ton of fun playing it at random shows for practically nobody at weird small town events. Those exposure bucks were so much fun to earn and look where it took my music career. Song 2 is the only song I knew from the album. It was popularized from some Labatt Blue beer commercials showing feral youth racing shopping carts, etc. Nostalgia aside the rest of the album is actually what I enjoyed most today. Though Song 2 will always have a special place in my heart.
Woooo oooooo When im pins and needles Wooooo oooooo Well i lie and im easy Woooooo oooooo
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/blur/blur/ For some reason, even though I love all of Damon Albarn's other projects, I've never reaally got into his main thing (if that's what you can still call it). I always like it when I listen to it, but it never captures me in ways that Gorillaz and The Good, the Bad and the Queen have. So yea, of course I like this album (although not their best), but at the same time it's also overlong and not always as exciting.
Not to date myself, but this was the soundtrack to my sophomore year of high school. Still holds up.
Blur moves pass Brit Pop in fascinating ways
I wish I liked this, but I would be grossly misrepresenting my feelings on this if I said otherwise. I get that blur was going for something a bit less commercial and differnt from their norm, and I appreciate that. However, really doesn't work for me. I think the first 2-3 songs work well, but agter that it really became a chore to power through. I'm curious as to how differnt the other blur albums are as I hope to enjoy them more. Overall, really struggled to connect with this and I found the instrumentation at points to be very unpleasant to listen to. First 2 songs are fire tho, that saves it a fair bit for me. Whatever, I like 'Song 2' the most, I'm basic I guess. Fav Track: Song 2
Liked the first song immediately "Beetlebum" - unique sound, good movement Song 2 is obviously a great song, cool vocals, good feel Enjoyed Country Sad Ballad Man Really like the vocal layering in M.O.R. On Your Own and Blur started sounding to me like additions to a movie soundtrack
this helped me get through my calculus homework.
++: Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, On Your Own, Death of a Party, Strange News from Another Star, Movin' On +: Beetlebum, M.O.R., Theme from Retro, Chinese Bombs, I'm Just a Killer for Your Love, Essex Dogs/Interlude +-: You're So Great, Look Inside America 6,4/10
I love blur by blur
I don’t know what I thought blur was but this wasn’t it
I want to like Blur but it is just...missing something. That being said I still enjoyed this album a lot. A 4 is fair here.
woo hoo
A varied selection of pretty unique sounding tracks, but nearly all of them suck. The vocals are interesting at first, but they get real annoying real fast.
Awful singing.
One great song, somewhat underwhelming
already listened to it and i listened to it again. absolute banger, been listening to it since i was 12 peak
Song 2 is so damn good, it makes the test of the album, just a tad better. I loved the 90s riffs and listening to this made me feel like I was 14 again, listening to a new band on a cd.
Some decent songs I guess. I’ve definitely heard Song 2 before, but that’s about it.
Highlights: Bettlebum, Song 2 2.8
Didn't quit like it really
Prefer the earlier stuff
Solid stuff. Not as brit-poppy as their early stuff? Should probably be a 4.
A mix of genres with a lot of fuzzy guitar. I love about a quarter of it, like a half and the other quarter I could do without. 3.5/5
Damn I like blur a lot less than I think I do:/ won’t be running back to this, apologies - still good! But ‘Parklife’ is better. Wil concede that ‘Essex Dogs’ is a banging closer though
Not what I expected at all. All over the place sonically but always feels like Blur. A seriously good time
I enjoyed this
It’s all going a bit Kid A! Good album, although it does feel a bit like a Special Edition where they’ve tacked on some demos and studio outtakes to beef up the run time.
I had a really good time with Blur!
I grew up in such a big Blur household so I am very aware of their discography, however it was primarily restricted to their Greatest Hits DVD (I would often come home on a Friday afternoon from school and my mum would be watching it while baking something). So I know the singles and their videos very well (and there are some GREAT videos. I even seem to recall the M.O.R. video was filmed in Sydney), less so everything else. Song 2 is still just a huge jolt of energy and fun and so powerful, Beetlebum and On Your Own were always my favourites. Some very intruguing and sometimes spooky sonic exploration on here which I enjoyed even if it didn’t always become a memorable song. Hope maybe their self-titled or Parklife will be on this list in the future?
Britpop has never really inspired me and whilst I like Blur better than Oasis I am not wowed by anything here too much.
This one has a couple of high points but for the most part hasn't aged gracefully, with each track sounding more like the last.
Typical Blur. Some great single tracks, very creative with a lot of variety but just too hit and miss.
its ight
chill. mellow.
There's a certain weariness to this album that I'm finding difficult to embrace. A heaviness. A jadedness, perhaps. It feels like an album a bunch of disillusioned dudes in their late 20s and early 30s would write. I say that as a disillusioned 32-year-old, weary of what the world's become. There are many elements I appreciate - some of the production, some of the instrumental choices (harps, surprise surprise!), the experimentation (looking at you Essex Dogs, though I can't say I'm itching to listen to you again any time soon). And there are certainly some gems on this album. Beetlebum sets the tone, but plays with expectations. Song 2 is a classic, and rightfully so. Country Sad Ballad Man, You're so Great, Look Inside America, even Movin' On to a degree... There's something there. Yet I kept finding myself wondering... Is this Bowie? The Beatles? Radiohead? What IS this? WHO is this? Perhaps I'll try this album again in the future.