Reviews (page 4 of 14)
I've only listened to one other Blur album start-to-finish, and I think I only recognize one track by name on this album. The irony of that is it's essentially an untitled song. As I mentioned in my other review for the other Blur album I've listened to, in the head-to-head Britpop battle between Blur and Oasis, I prefer Oasis. This isn't bad, but I don't quite understand what's supposed to be so great about this.
Having listened to this and Parklife, it’s close, but I think I prefer that album slightly more. It’s very close, but the songs on that record are just a tad bit stronger. Don’t get me wrong, this is still very good. Song 2 is a classic and there’s not really a bad song on this.
Few good songs, lots of filler though.
Interesting
I really tried to come to this with an open mind but it is SO boring… dreadful
me gustó bastante
Good for the style
Couple of great tracks, thr others are good 3/5 compared to the rest of their albums
3.5/5, I like this album and its def a classic. I've heard it before so ima skip the longer review, but def enjoyed!
Pretty solid
ehhh not as good as parkland. this feels like a step down. some good standout songs but overall pretty mid. 5/10
preferred to parklife
First couple of tracks are classics, I need another run at the rest to properly review the album
Some absolute quality, You're So Great is top tier album track. But lose interest at points
If you like Brit Pop this is probably a classic album. Not for me. Can't seem to hear anything at all distinctive. Blur at its most Blur-like I suppose.
I’m not a huge Damon Albarn fan, but I did see him live with Gorillaz which was fantastic. This feels like the album where Blur moved away from their distinctly British style, prominent on earlier tracks like Parklife and Girls & Boys, and aimed for a broader, more American-friendly sound. For the most part, it works. Song 2 in particular is completely inescapable, though I’ll always associate it with a Volvo advert.
There was some fun stuff in there, but Christ there was a lot of there there.
Geez, I'd really forgotten how annoying "Song #2" is when it was a hit, and then played at every single Reds game, as part of the pre- or in-game ritual, for about 12 years. Ugh. I never wanna hear that again. I like Blur when I hear 'em on alternative rock radio, but this album didn't really do anything for me. 2.5 stars
Blur leans into this fuzzy, indie‑rock thing here — rough edges, loose vocals, and a lot less Britpop shine. It’s still catchy, just more scruffy and lived‑in. A few songs blend together, but the big ones like “Beetlebum,” “Song 2,” and “On Your Own” carry the whole vibe.
Too boring, safe and does nothing for me. Nothing wrong with the music, but it's not for me.
Song 2 is such a banger.
3 eme (et dernier) album proposé par le générateur. Je n'avais pas vraiment apprécié les 2 précédents (notés 2/5 - morceaux trop mous, longs et ennuyeux). J'avais déjà entendu 'Song 2', qui alterne des passages calmes et plus intenses, et qui est très concis. Autre exemple de concision efficace : 'Chinese Bombs' et ses 1 mn 24 s. Malheureusement la plupart des autres morceaux sont mous, et/ou trop longs ... =>2/5
One of the great britpop albums if not the greatest.
Carried by Song 2
I didnt mind it, but i also didnt finsih it, i had no time sadly, if i did then i def wouldve given it 5 stars and listened to it all <3
The album is not great with the exception of song 2
this was awesome!
Blur decides writing lame ass Britpop shite isn't fun anymore. Thank God. This album is actually good, interesting, catchy, well written. I'm shocked at how much I like this because I HATED Modern Life Is Rubbish. Cool guitar playing. Glad that it is Pavement inspired. They should have been doing this from the start
Blur helped drive a stake in Britpop by switching things up and showing they were far more than a mere pop band.
Sub par brit shit. Not sure how they managed to get as big as they did. There are two good songs and then a bunch of filler.
I feel like they took the worst parts of American music at the time and Britishized them. Never really been a Blur fan, though. Song 2 does indeed fuck.
Beatles homage Song 2 Mor On your own
WORST BLUR ALBUM CONFIRMED?
Banger of an album
fucking boring. 1 good song
It"s gotta sting to have an album explode because of a throwaway joke song, but that's what Blur's eponymous will always carry with it. At the time, I wrote this off because Beetlebum didn't grab me at all (so much so that on relisten, I didn't even remember its chorus, which is to be fair more lush than expected). So the proof is in the pudding for the post Song 2 tracks, I suppose. I appreciate that the album has a lot of diversity and experimentation on it. Blur is sort of like the more avant garde side of Oasis and the less faffy side of Radiohead in that regard. They don't really reach the highs of either in my experience, but I'm glad someone is in that middle ground. I'd say this album was a victim of a lot of things, but a lot of albums like this in the 90s were really hurt by being overly long. Not that 56 minutes is unthinkably long, but if you want to put 14 songs on an album they need to be largely super strong stuff, so even as we get to the crunch of Look Inside America or the twang of Country Sad Ballad Man, there's a lot of movement that isn't ending in a clutch of really successful tracks. But it's not that this is bad, just disjointed. "Strange News..." has big Bowie vibes, which I like (so does Movin On, but that doesn't hit as well for me). 3ish stars? Top track was Death of a Party
Ooh hell yes
Parts of this album sounded very Presidents-esque
L great start but boring after the first few tracks
Oh we blurrin. This is good but it is absurd that anyone has ever said the sentence "Blur is better than oasis!" I don't think they need to be compared other than a way of like comparing Nirvana to Pearl Jam to Soundgarden; they're all making music at the same time but that doesn't mean they're doing the same thing and need to be directly compared. The little culture war there is really interesting to be because A) Oasis is miles better and B) Gorillaz is miles better. Maybe there will be more Blur that changes my mind but nothing other than song 2 or some of you're so great touch anything on Definitely Maybe. Comparison notes aside, it's good to hear where Damon is coming from. As a primary Gorillaz fan and secondarily a sometimes Blur enjoyer, it was good to focus on his brit pop side and not the cartoon. I like the cartoon more. But these songs are very fun, I can see why this would be someone's favorite band. It's hard to not compare his personal outputs, though, as the entirety of the ST Gorillaz album is better than this album. Still feeling a strong 4, but it would be a hard argument to get this up to a 5. I'm back, I read the wikipedia page! This is their lofi anti brit pop album apparently, more Beck and Pavement than Oasis so I can vibe with that. Doesn't change the score but now I'm more interested to hear their britpop albums; I had always assumed growing up that this was the quintessential Blur album because it has Song 2 on it. Listening to some of Parklife and The Great Escape I get the comparison more.
This album kicks of with a brace of top tracks, but seems to flounder a bit from then on. Overall it has a nice rough and ready sound to it, which may be the much-vaunted Pavement influence.
Right off the bat I was a bit skeptical because of the amount of awful UK albums on this list but this was not too bad of a listen. It sounds like an early ‘90s alternative album but released in the late ‘90s so it’s the sound of a band arriving slightly late to the party. It started off a bit derivative and I wasn’t sure if this album would be essential listening but as it went on it became more experimental which made it a more interesting listen in the end. I’m now looking forward to checking out their other albums.
Something about this album gives me a headache
Just excellent!
Eh, not my thing. It sounds really dated
This album was immediately getting a 5 as soon as I realized that it had ‘You’re So Great” on it- I love that song so much! This album is all over the place sonically, but I think it works. Some tracks sound like American rock, some sound really retro- 60s and 70s inspired. I had to look up M.O.R. because it sounds so much like Boys Keep Swinging by Bowie, and sure enough he has a songwriting credit. It’s interesting how Song 2 was the big hit out of this album- because nothing else on the album really sounds like it! Kind of a fun experiment.
Maybe I’m just not that into Blur. Second album by them in just over a week. The Brit pop sound is just not my favourite. It was fine, but I had no desire to listen to it again when I finished.
First half is a 4, but it gets worse the longer it goes on.
this found me on an angsty day and i’m so grateful for it!
Not sure how I feel. Pretty unique album, favorite song is Strange News from Another Star, the album is interesting to say. I’d have to listen a couple times to really get a feel but I’m sure it’ll grow on me.
With the exception of "Song 2" I'm not sure I've ever even heard another blur song and judging by the rest of this album, there's a reason for that. I cannot imagine being one of the poor suckers who think this band is better than Oasis. I was actually legitimately excited for this one because there's been so much debate about who is better, but it turns out the debate is simply normal people who are on the right side of history vs people who like subpar music. All kidding aside, though, it's.....okay, I guess? But please, if you think this is better than even the worst Oasis album, get a grip and stop deluding yourself. 2.5 Stars
Twas a blur
Альбом одного хита. Ну, хорошо, полутора хитов
The much derided Britpop that lots of people seem to have issues with. At the time I was more of an Oasis fan than Blur, but have since come to recognise that Blur are the better band. Not sold on this album though, some great tracks but a fair bit of filler too. 3 out of 5 stars
Song 2 is such a stand out track.
Beetlebum great opener followed by Song 2 also a winner. Some tracks seem 'experimental' and I think the experiment failed. On Your Own became repetitive and boring.
ehh
Good album. 2 big hits on it and plenty of experimentation.
First thoughts: “on your own” sounds like a Mott the hopple song, and it’s lit. This album is everything I enjoy about the 90’s without going over the top into cringe slop territory. There’s so many different songs on here, there’s honestly something for everyone. This isn’t even a debut but I still hear influence of so many bands. Roxy was another one, stooges is another. It’s crazy how they can go from glammy sounding, to acoustic, to grunge, to garage rock and keep it cohesive.
Oh hell yeah brit pop from the 90s I have heard this one so much, They got Bowie on this thing I mean I love damon albarn or however you spell love this easy 4
Mid
Indistinguishable from a lot of music from the era.
As much as I like Blur, this is NOT an album I come back to. It's solid, but that's about it.
this was good in the way where you know something is good but it doesn’t fully click. the back end bumped it up to four instead of three though.
hm. svidio mi se, i više od toga, al mislio sam da će biti trunku bolji. svakako nije na razini parklifea, koji mi je bio genijalan, premda je, rekao bih, stilski raznovrsniji. sadrži i grandž parodiju "song 2" koja je amerima postalo neironično dobro pjesma i jedino što su od britpopa u stanju probaviti - naprosto nevjerojatno
I knew the 3 big songs, but not the rest of the album. Ya, it was good, I really liked the rest also.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS- even with the US sports anthem classic, Song 2- which is, arguably undeniable despite its absolutely nonsensical lyrics- this record is such a vibe. I was immediately inclined to side by side this with Oasis. Much love to Country Sad Ballad Man. A true jam. I thoroughly enjoy the sequencing journey of this record. After not visiting this end to end in quite some time, I was tickled moving through these tracks. You’re So Great- another honorable mention! This may have also hit a little differently today since I just watched Damon on SNL with Gorillaz. 5 buckets of popcorn!
Long time since I heard this album and it’s just about as good as I remember it. A slight shift towards weird after the horrible ‘The Great Escape’ but plenty of reminders of how good a song these guys can write. Not their best but not that far off it. A strong run at the end (until the final track.) Good to listen again. Hopefully Modern Life is Rubbish and Parklife make an appearance. Best: M.O.R., Look Inside America, Beetlebum, You’re So Great Worst: Essex Dogs
Kinda aimless. Not a lot of choruses.
Song 2 rips
The shift from the slower Beetlebum to the famously fast Song 2 is wild. And then a country ballad right after... Theme from Retro is weird.
Tja, beetje vermoeiend. Geen melodieën die je bij blijven en soms wat voorspelbaar maar
Het lukt blur goed om passende effecten, riffs en geluiden bij elkaar te zetten waardoor het klinkt alsof als een recept waar alle ingrediënten perfect gebalanceerd zijn en smaken als een hele fijne saus. Het is een album met heel veel fantastische nummers, maar ook nummers die ik zou overslaan. Bij andere albums van blur zoals parklife of 13 heb ik dat minder, die zijn toch net iets meer favoriet bij mij.
Met dit album merk je dat het al wat experimenteler en wat veder weg is van de typische brit pop. Dit geluid is wel alternatiever maar je hoort ook dat ze op sommige nummers weer op het bekende terugvallen waardoor het album wat inconsistent voelt. Op dit album staan wel de betere nummers maar als heel album niet hun beste, wel een van de interessantste. Parklife is wat dat betreft sterker maar ook gelijk wat minder gewaagt. Misschien wilde Damon Albarn al wat meer naar een andere sound maar houd je legacy en bandgenoten je wat tegen. Weet dat natuurlijk niet en zou eens in de geschiednis moeten duiken maar zo voelt het een beetje. Songwriting van Damon Albarn blijft wel op elk album goed. Zou het een 3.5 willen geven maar als we gaan afronden heel klein beetje meer naar een 4.
Toeval wil dat ik helemaal in de Gorillaz zit op het moment, het nieuwe album heeft me helemaal in deze rabbit hole gezogen. Naast dat ik dat album op repeat heb staan ben ik me ook gaan verdiepen in de oudere albums. Blur stond ook nog op dat lijstje, en dit album stelde niet teleur. Wat me opvalt is dat Blur als rockband niet de behoefte voelt om constant die gitaar kapot te rossen (af en toe natuurlijk wel). Muzikaal en creatief gezien vind ik dit van een hoger niveau dan bijvoorbeeld Oasis wat destijds als rivaal werd gezien. Damon Albarn fascineert me steeds meer. Het is zeldzaam om een artiest te zien die zo lang relevant blijft en zich telkens opnieuw uitvindt zonder dat het geforceerd voelt.
First half of the album extremely strong but drops off on the back half IMO. but first half is better than the oasis album i rated so i have to also give it a 4. has some bangers but also some duds at the end
Expected this album to be boring before I remembered that this was made by the dude who later made Gorillaz.
Solid interesting album
3/5. Blur’s self titled in the context of the bands discography is a transitional record. It saw them moving away from Brit pop and more to a 90’s indie rock influenced alt-rock sound. The results of that shift are best showcased on this albums follow-up (and IMO blurs best album) “13.” As for the self titled, it is an album of peaks and valleys for me. “Song 2” is a banger even if a bit overplayed, I love the energy of “MOR” as well as the intro “Beetlebum” and “On your Own.” But there’s also a number of songs on here that feel like the growing pains of Blur trying to change their sound.
Better than I remembered 👍
Woo hoo! But album as a whole, is just ok.
Song 2 really stands out, the rest is so dull and MOR. 2.65
Classic BritPop with London swagger
I understand why it only ever heard one song from this album now
Song 2 is a bit of anomaly as much of the album has a completely different sound.
First song was the best. Never got back to that level.
Decent enough!
I’m a huge 90s alt rock fan and it just didn’t feel that special to me. Some of the songs were ok but I was always thinking about if I actually liked it enough to add to my playlist. Music is very subjective so I probably just don’t mess with their sound like I mess with others.
The only song worth listening to on this album is song 2, the rest of this album is an in-cohesive mess, I actually had to pause it multiple times during Essex Dogs it was that bad to listen to Would give this a zero if I could
90. nice
All these 90s alternative Brit pop bands sound the same (until Radiohead came through and crushed the buildings). It’s like one big 90s car commercial or teen movie: derivative and dull, but still listenable.
Two amazing openers give way to a rapid deceleration. A few songs in and it's background, by the end it's actively frustrating that it's still going
I remember liking Blur but it's been forever since I listened to them. This is a decent album, nowhere near as good as I remember it. I think the upbeat songs are pretty great but there are way too many slower boring songs. Overall a decent album but not sure I would go back to it.
Des morceaux très variés.
It's blur being blur but just speeding it up in parts.
Whoo-hoo! Solid listen. 4/5
Although I was very excited to finally listen to this album, it didn't grab me in the way I would have hoped. There's little to outright complain about here and I'm happy to have finally listened to a Blur album, admittedly. "Song 2" is iconic, and I did enjoy a few other songs on this, especially "Strange News from Another Star." The album drags, though. I found myself wondering when it would wrap up.
4/5 Song 2 alone has become so well-known, even though it’s largely misunderstood. But this album showed that Blur not only had life post Britpop but thrived as well
High 3. I wasn't wowed by it, but toward the end I started to hear some interesting moods & experimentation that I liked.
In 1994 Blur invented Britpop, and a year later Oasis turned it into music for a completely different audience — let's say, the English working class. Blur struggled a bit more with their next album, but ultimately realized there was nothing to be gained from it and moved on. They arrived at the American indie sound. More precisely, they were introduced there by guitarist Graham Coxon, who had been listening to the music of Beck and Pavement. The label, journalists, and fans were shocked, but the album still took off. Blur proved that sometimes you need to change things up. At the same time, the band openly mocked Americans at times, and "Song 2," which became a major hit in the US, was intended as a parody of grunge. In this regard, Blur still hold their own: they recently openly stated that their Coachella show was completely off-the-charts, as it's the only festival where audience members film themselves on their phones, not the stage. Well, they aren't wrong.
6.5/10
I didn't know what to expect except for what Damon Albarn sounds like (and "WOOO-HOOO"), turns out ... Pretty good. I feel like it's a good snapshot of where alternative rock was at in 1997, with a lot of influences digested and doors being opened for later bands (for example, I now realise Muse owes a lot to them). Theres a lot of old-school influences coming back to haunt the genre like The Beatles (Look Inside America, the aptly names Beetlebum), Bowie (Strange News From Another Star that sounds like Nirvana slowly morphing into Bowie), there's some slightly-doorsian slightly-something else I can't put my finger on mellotron on the ethereal Theme From Retro, there's oversaturated folk on You're So Great (damn right I am), some bluesy country on Country Sad Ballad Man (sidenote : some of these titles are really not subtle, Song 2 is indeed the second song good job), and a bunch of stuff I didn't get (like I'm not sure what M.O.R. reminds me of, I do know that I like that one). And then there's the more contemporary sounds and influence with stuff that sound like grunge (Song 2 is famously a sort of parody of the genre that ended up just being another grungy hit, I think the noisy saturated solos of songs like Look Inside America or You're So Great also sound very grunge-adjascent), there's lots of stuff in there that reminds me of Nirvana, Radiohead (The Bends mostly) and even Oasis (funny since I think they had a beef, but both bands have huge Beatles inspirations so it makes sense), all while still having fortunately their own solid identity. What I like most about this album though is something these tree other bands and tons of others (Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, AIC, also The Pixies that I forgot in the likely inspirations ...) also did to a degree or another and that is quite emblematic of the general vibe of 90's alt rock : there's a huge contrast between melodies, vocal, slow and clean-ish sections that are very moody, with a sort of old-school pop-rock restraint that would make these melodies sound quiet and even boring in isolation, but then it's contrasted with huge overwhelming guitar parts with big open chords drowned in effects, some noisy shit, some crude solos, a production that sounds unpolished (it is polished, but the feeling is what matters), and unpredictable rollercoasters of hyperquiet and hyperenergetic that makes both part elevate the other instead of contradicting it. In Blur's case it creates this kind of dreamy ethereal mood that I like (that is very appropriate considering the name of the band and album, and the cover), with the contrast of Albarn's moody vocals and the big overdrowned riffs especially making it sound like their music is ever-so-slightly disconnected from our reality, in a haze of sorts. It also makes me thinks a bit of shoegaze (which I know very little about), a genre that probably influenced and was later influenced by Blur, at least I'm gonna go with that until further investigation. So yeah I like Blur now. And I just realised I'm probably gonna like Oasis later when I actually listen to them. It's too late, the bougie british alt-rock I used to hate on principle (except Radiohead for some reason) now has a hold on me, pray for my soul.
Good album but terribly sequenced. The first two tracks are so strong the rest seems anticlimactic. That's unfair though as not a weak song on there. Feels like they were lazy with presentation. No title, lame sleeve.
you're so great & look inside america are honestly terrible, i'm not a very big fan of wailing on top of an aimless strumming. i'm just a killer for your love was nice. song 2 was great. otherwise, not really anything special. it felt like a typical indie-rock album, sort of a nothingburger. i feel like it doesn't have a real identity: some songs veer into pavement-sounds, shoegaze, britpop, even the beatles. it doesn't feel cohesive. some of the guitar sounds are cool, but i feel like they are not very interesting, they're not new and not very original.
Blur!!! Always hated them because of how they treated nardwuar (same reason as to why I never ended up listening to sonic youth all that much), but I always knew deep inside of me… they’re pretty great. And in this case, “pretty great” means Oasis if they were lo-fi. I mean that is literally what this is. Pavement but Oasis. Oasis but with slacker/post-hardcore influences rather than shoegaze influences. It’s weird and not necessarily bad, but even… even that “pretty great” that I talked about earlier has an asterisk already, that being that I really will only return to Beetlebum, or maybe you’re so great (song 2 is great but like it’s not entirely my thing lmao) much of this album is, while intriguing, much less capable than it wants you to think, especially in songs such as theme from Retro, or Country Sad Ballad Man, which even as I enjoy that song, I must admit a lack of genuine merit all the way through. Not to mention the closer is a dubious host for any easily detectable reasons to like this album. Basically what I’m saying is you CAN like it and I’d agree with you, but… you can also dislike it and… I’d agree with you. 7.0/10
“Song 2” is easily the best song. A lot of the rest of this is pretty weak.
Good blur album but not great
Defining album for Britpop in the 90s this and few others
This was the album Blur made to break into the American market, something they studiously avoided with their previous albums, and it worked. With a more American indie-rock sound than what they'd previously produced, this was a bit of a stylistic departure for the band, though I've never really been able to decide if I preferred them before or after the change. Whichever way I slice it, this is a great album to have playing when I've got things to do, through there are a couple of tracks that make me stop and pay attention when they come on. So let's give this one a not-quite-perfect four and a half stars.
Rv
I knew I'd heard of Blur but didnt know where. I fuck with this shit 🤷♂️
I listened to this album as I got ready for the day, pushing through my post-late night exhaustion to go see my sister and her family. While I was very familiar with Song 2 prior to this album, almost all of my familiarity with Damon Albarn comes from his work as Gorillaz, so I was excited to hear his wispy voice and trademark songwriting in a new context. Without the grand worldbuilding and whimsy of that project, Albarn instead leans into an ironic approach to songwriting typical of English rock bands, especially around this time. Knowing that Song 2 was written as a pastiche of meaningless pop songs, I can't help but interpret many of that tracks here as satirical as well, taking the piss out of other musical movements or cliches (most especially in a song like Country Sad Ballad Man), but this is far from being a critique. Rather, the sarcasm dripping through the lyrics provides a personality to the album that helps it stand out from similar sounding bands. Of course, it also doesn't hurt that the music itself is well-written and tightly performed, each song hitting you with countless hooks between the vocals, riffs, and fills, keeping you engaged from one earworm to the next. While I enjoy the more varied and maximalist approach to music which Gorillaz represents, it is refreshing and to hear Albarn sounding so good in this different form; I need to listen to more Blur. Highlights: Beetlebum, Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, M.O.R., On Your Own, You're so Great, Death of a Party, I'm Just a Killer for Your Love, Look Inside America, Strange News from Another Star, Movin' On, Essex Dogs
This album is okay. Only one song really grabbed my attention and that was track two. Also called song two. The rest of it is just more shoegaze music.
the vibes and aesthetics of this album are quite unique and difficult for me to define. to say that is what i think the british and the UK were in that period of time, would be the best. But more than that, and more than the superficial feeling of this like something similar to Skins (the series), i feel that the aura of decadence, and corrosion, and this torpor that permeates the album, makes it something really special for me. like chemical flashbacks, like tasting the color orange. the odours and spirit of a puke and trash filled street. it's unique in the way that's not really that conventionally dark, or obscure, more happier and mellowdramatic. I think that's what makes it so special . specially essex dogs, paints really well the aura and feeling that i get from this album. perfect for a rainy afternoon, with your brain cooked, coming home.
I’ve heard this before, and I own it. My wife loves Blur; I don’t dislike them. I am not a fan of britpop, Blur is the best of that genre at least. This album is their break from the britpop sound apparently but I still hear it in most of the songs. I liked Song #2 first time I listened to it but I could go the rest of my life without hearing it again. None of the songs here are bad, there are good melodies and some decent riffs, and some of the deep cuts are better than the radio singles, but this just doesn’t do anything for me. Surprisingly, since there’s a Graham Coxon solo album that I really like, so he must have kept the better stuff there.
Good
tipo, legal. lado a fodinha, o lado b me cansou um pouco. song 2 clássica e essex dogs do caralho
One star because you are making me review it.
This record is actually quite good. Interesting songs where the theme and style shift from one to another. It's not just Song 2, there's much more. Some dips where I lost interest, but overall good
first two songs were decent, the rest gave me a headache.
Damon Albert doing a creditable impression of Ian Hunter on a not bad album
Good but not great.
Enjoying the vibe rocker and chill all at once
One hit wonder. the rest is .. OK
On your own was my fav. But in general I don’t love their sound. Solid 3
the nostalgio again. favorite is beetlebum
I'm guessing this isn't something I was supposed silently on my headphones to listen to while at work because it just didn't feel interesting. The last song was cool, though.
Like a cooler version of the Pixies but maybe not even that is a fair comparison. But indeed an extremely cool and confident feel to them. Chord progressions stood out as some of my favorite aspects as well as the vocals. Really good variety while staying with a consistent listen through.
Got bored of this album kinda fast. I've heard Song 2 hundreds of times before. A few songs stuck out to me but not enough to make me want to revisit this album.
3.5/5 Woohoo
Another fun album that will stay with me for a while. For a Britpop group, this album is immensely American. The guitar takes obvious influence from alt-rock and grunge bands from the Stars, while precipitating sounds that would later be mad popular by the 2000's garage rock revival. The guitar and the constant American references in the lyrics reall make it obvious that Albarn and co looked away from the UK fir this album, and while it loses some stuff that made so many Britpop albums work, it gains a certain bravado that feels particularly American. If I has one complaint about this album, it's that while certainly good, and even great, it lacks something that would make me come back to it more. It's really good, but lacks something that would make it an absolute must listen classic. Maybe in an attempt to experiment they're own sound, they made theirs fit very clearly in line with an American sound that I'm used to. As well, the weirdness that is in this album doesn't feel that built upon. Albarn would experiment more with his next group, and with better results, but this here it lacks a originality in a way that all Britpop bands don't, even if they're derivative. Its still a good album though, and well-worth a listen, especially Song 2, which is one of those perfect rock songs that sou ds like it's always been there. Would recommend, but don't expect your life to change. Highlights are Beetlebum, On Your Own, Movin' On, and the previously mentioned perfect Song 2.
Fav: Beetlebum Song 2 Death of a Party *also if you can listen to the extra track dancehall from the japanese edition!
I never quite got this album when I was young. Today I learned that Blur was heavily influenced by Pavement and the album makes so much more sense to me now! The combination of Brit Pop and American indie rock is brilliant, but it just didn't click before today. Now I love this. In the war between Oasis and Blur, Blur is still my band and it's not even close. Sorry to sleeping on this one guys!
Song #2 still slaps but this sounds more 90s than I remembered. Good trip down memory lane but not an essential album.
I cannot ever pretend that I care about Albarn, but Song 2, Death of a Party, and Strange News from Another Star are all solid.
I've been a Blur skeptic/agnostic, but this puts most of my indifference to rest. Really strong stuff.
Love the many weirder parts they have here
I forget how much i actually really like Blur lol.
overall fun album but I wish i liked it more than I do, doesn't really compare to my favorite Gorillaz stuff
Blur to me has always felt like the bridesmaids of Britpop, sure, they were undoubtedly the second biggest band of the movement (Oasis were bigger, I won’t hear otherwise), but they never seemed to settle into the Britpop label as other bands did. Of the big four, Suede practically invented the sound, Pulp were able to reinvent themselves because of the movement, and Oasis is a band which can only exist inside the confines of a national musical wave. Blur did produce Britpop music and did experience success because of it, yet to me, they have always sort of felt like outsiders, joining in because that is what was popular at the time. Blur never really did have that classic album, I suppose Parklife was their closest, but even that didn’t quite achieve the level of acclaim that their contemporaries had; Oasis had What’s The Story, Pulp had Different Class, even The Manic Street Preachers had The Holy Bible. Blur, or more accurately, Damon Albarn, never really felt like they belonged, or like their hearts were in it. If you ask a Blur fan their favourite album, you would most likely hear the answer 13, which has far more to do with the American indie/alternative scene at the time than with Britpop. Blur’s self-titled is the band's first array into that sound, the famous example being Song 2, which is said to be a parody of Nirvana and the Grunge scene, but Blur is full of experimentation. I do consider myself to be a massive Britpop fan, Pulp are a top two band all-time for me, yet I never really connected too much with Blur. I feel like each Blur album has a handful of amazing songs, but then the rest is just simply average to good. I feel as though most of their albums are bloated. Damon’s vocals are also hit or miss for me. Sometimes he sings with great passion, and other times he sounds uninterested. I do quite like them on this album, however, as it seems at times like he is doing a David Bowie impression, which is a positive in my eyes. I think it really isn’t any surprise that Damon went on to do Gorilliaz, whereas Pulp, Oasis, Suede, etc., fit the Britpop movement, and therefore produced the music that they felt represented them. Noel Gallagher or Jarvis Cocker didn’t go on to reinvent themselves because they accomplished what they wanted to in the 90s. You can tell that Damon always dreamed of more. Say what you want about Gorillaz, you can tell that it is the music he always wanted to make. As for Blur, I actually did just re-listen to this album the other day, so the timing was quite nice as it was still fresh in my mind. I think this may be the best Blur album; there isn’t really a bad song here. I definitely enjoyed it more than I did in the past. Even though Blur have never been my go-to Britpop band, I would still take a second-tier Britpop band over 90% of all other bands. Best Songs: Beetlebum, On Your Own, You’re So Great Worst Song: I’m Just a Killer For Your Love Score out of 10: 8.5
Song2 is great even if it gets overused.
Some big songs at the start - overall a strong 3.
Front-loaded. Was hoping for some unknown-to-me-juicy-booty but alas that was not to be
Ugh. This started out okay, but it got more and more painful as the album continued. I no longer wonder why I never heard any of this album except for Song 2. If I want to listen to Hüsker Dü or Pavement, I would just put them on and actually enjoy what I was listening to.
Excellent late 90's Brit Pop. Blur, along with Oasis, and Pulp was a huge wave back then. Excellent album. "Song #2" was a huge international hit. Other songs i liked were "Death of a Party", "Strange News..." and "Beetlebum"
This started out slow and I was like, oh no, not another boring washed out 90s album. Then every song was better than the previous, more creative and ahead of its time, and by the end I was like, holy cow, I can name like 4 or 5 bands that would have been influenced by this!! While I don't know if Blur necessarily did it the best, but bands to come that were influenced by them certainly did! So this album is one of the few that in and of itself, I would give like a 2, but because of how influential and ahead of its time it seems to be, I'll give it a four.
Another group I was unfamiliar with. Glad I was exposed.
I really enjoyed this album however it only warrants a three. A lot of these albums from the late 90s sort of sound the same to some degree not a lot of variety as I can see at this point.
8/10 – Very Good
1st two songs awesome. The rest. Ergh
Not my cup of tea
favs: song 2 country sad ballad man strange news from another star rating 1/5
Surpirsingly mid. not very enjoyable, but I also listened to it on the bumpiest flight of my life, so who knows.
some great moments, a lot of boring moments
Nothing burger
Didn't like this as much as I thought or hoped I would. Not impressive at all beyond "Song No. 2".
Surprisingly, Blur never got past the "one hit wonder" status in the US. This album is top notch!
Rock, 1997 -> 2
4/5
Some good songs, but most were just okay. None of the songs had any bad elements of many rock albums. Overall, a decent album.
This one reminded me a bit of Vanishing Point by Primal Scream, by which I mean that it felt more artistically driven than most music that sounds like it, but still wasn't all that enjoyable to listen to. This one especially felt like it traded too much listenability for experimentation and ends up just fading into the background. Favorite Track: Theme From Retro
schizophrenic album
slur- bong 2
This is Blur moving past their Britpop phase and looking to American indie/noise rock for inspiration, and since the latter is some of my favorite music and what I grew up with, I'm predisposed to liking this album, but it wouldn't work if they didn't do it well. Damon Albarn dives into the genre quite smoothly and doesn't confine himself to just distorted guitars, diving into a variety of sounds across the length of the album, all of them with strong melodies and distinctive, individual tones. As much as there are homages to other bands across this album, the songs don't feel beholden to anyone other than the band playing them. A terrific, eclectic album that I find extremely joyous and rewarding.
I wish Damon Albarn would just shut the fuck up and let someone else on the mic, as this album was actually fairly interesting, psychedelic and artsy beyond the first handful of numbers, but it's mired by his vocal style which gives me the shivers. Invariably, it does descend into "trying to be too clever for its own good" territory, but I quite liked the track "Death of a Party", and everyone knows the woo hoo song for being on car adverts and the like.
Very enjoyable. ★★★★
*Song 2 is a great song, but the overall album didn't have the focus enough for me to enjoy it
Woohoo! Better than Parklife. Cover art is blurry.
Ok, not my favorite from the 90s but whatever
This was fine. Obviously "Song 2" is iconic, but nothing else here really sounded that strong. It wasn't bad, but this vocalist is not great. This album didn't feel very cohesive either. The instrumentalists are strong, but sometimes the vocals are too exposed/too chaotic Liked Songs: "Beetlebum" , "Song 2" , "M.O.R." , "On Your Own" , "Chinese Bombs" , "Look Inside America" , "Strange News From Another Star" , "Movin' On"
3.5
Song 2 poznamm od prej, pa se kkšno
Gewoon heel vet album, iconisch
Feels boring to bring it back to Blur vs Oasis, but I honestly think this album more than any other proves that Blur were better because they were daring to try new styles, to have a vision and to pull it off. Some of the musicianship and lyrics across this album and the following “13” is astonishing. The sounds that come out of it are so eclectic but gel together so well Oasis, and this is proven in their respective solo careers, never found their way out of writing arena rock football chants. Appealing to many football fans, but ultimately boring as fuck. This is Blur at their best, and that’s saying something. 9 / 10 Best track/s: Beetlebum, On Your Own, Death of a Party, Movin On
There's something about Britpop that never quite does it for me. A lot of the time it's the vocals, and I've never been a Blur fan anyway. Few songs in and that hasn't really changed...Country Sad Ballad Man, I don't know what some of the vocals were here, not good to me. M.O.R. wasn't too bad and had some good moments. "Death of a Party" I enjoyed more, this moody feel then got flipped on its head by "Chinese Bombs" which sounded like an old frantic heavy punk song. "Strange News From Another Star" is another surprising track with an almost trippy feel to it. I'll give it a 3 - though mostly not my thing it had some moments.
Filler. Decent sounding filler. But filler nonetheless
One classic that was everywhere at the time and relatively nondescript besides.
Already knew I loved this album and thoroughly enjoyed listening back to it. The American alt influence filtered through Blur's British POV works so well. Loads of interesting sounds and arrangements on here. A brilliant departure from their earlier stereotypically Britpop sound. The opening few tracks are unbelievable and quality doesn't waver all the way through.
Love this album! Song 2, Beetlebum, look inside America are the best songs
I only knew Song 2 before this listen. The rest of the album is hit or miss.
Craig: didn’t really care for it Courtney: i love it, but i am a sucker for Brit Rock
I remember really trying to like this album at the time. The high points are great - Beatlebum is on of the best songs of its era. However, like a lot of Blur albums the quality control is lacking, with a lot of 'experimentation' that doesn't encourage repeat listening. Some great songs, but not a great album.
Good on them for changing direction away from Britpop. The attempts at being "experimental" feel a bit chaotic, and the more traditional Indie elements can be a bit dated by the standards of the US scene. Still, this album turned out to be way more enjoyable than I expected.
Maybe I’m more forgiving of Rock. There’s a lot of good tonal ear candy in here. Some of the songs are surprisingly emotional and reflective, some are meta-critical of entertainment, and others are all sound no meaning. But nothing felt strange or too underbaked to me. Good overall.
Too many mediocre songs for more than a 3
4.1
Not really memorable by any means
Sorry, no. Not my cup of tea. "Song 2" is pretty much a standard, to be sure, but there's not much more on this one for one to hang one's hat. Not unpleasant, but definitely not one I'd go back to anytime soon.
Woo Hoo! Blur accidentally wrote the best UK grunge track ever while trying to distance themselves from the Britpop scene and get back to the raw energy of the band I first saw supporting The Jesus and Mary Chain in '92.
go to another party and hang myself - - - gently on the shelf ive heard this album a couple times before but this time more of the songs are sticking
Very good album, i like it
I do like this band. My friends loved it. But it just didn't resonate with me like it does with others
It was alright 😉
This is the Blur album I've heard the most, because I bought it for my Damon Albarn-obsessed girlfriend when it came out. I liked Blur, but was a casual fan at best back from when "There's No Other Way" was a staple on 120 Minutes. As straightforward as "Song #2" and "M.O.R." are, this album still has plenty of Blur eccentricity. I appreciate their artistry, even if it's not something I need to hear repeatedly. I saved my favorites (including "On Your Own") a playlist, and I'm good.
I’m not much of an Oasis but was this really a question? One immortal jock jam and a lot of Brit pop homework.
Nothing exceptional
I didn’t know what to expect, but I enjoyed it. There’s a sort of grit from the guitars and effects chosen that really add to the tone of the album. For a song title as uninspired as Song 2, it was an instant favorite. The tracks seem to go back and forth between impulsivity (Chinese Bombs) and then introspection (Death of A Party). Even “Essex Dogs” begins with revving noises and slowly fades and closes out the album. Listen Again?: Yes, I have a feeling it will grow on me even more.
Really enjoyed it!! Will have it in my playlists.
The hits were fun to listen to again. The others were okay. Everything flowed well, but nothing else stood out.
Song 2 remains iconic but the rest of this album is uneven. Some songs are GREAT (Death of a Party is a real standout for me) and some aren’t bad, they’re just kind of mid. Rounded up rating of 3.5.
Song 2 carries
Not bad, but a little bland. It’s energetic at times, but still has a neutral feel to it. I don’t know, it’s fine.
It’s ok but I was never really that taken with the whole Britpop thing. Song 2 is a belter though!
Loved the start! Tapers off a bit, but cool guitar and voice. Good atmospheric album
It's so funny how the only thing I can think of when Damon Albarn sings is Gorillaz
There were some interesting things going on here, especially since a good bit of it sounded like it could be a prototype Gorillaz, but realistically this album was just “Song 2 And A Bunch Of Songs That Don’t Sound Like Song 2 At All”
Anything with Damon Albarn has my interest, and this certainly earns my attention! I don't mean to automatically go comparing them to Gorillaz, but I do love that Blur gets into the same sort of weird genre experimentations here, going from punkier cuts to trip hop detours like it's nothing. It works for me! To the rotation it goes! Standouts: Beetlebum • Song 2 • M.O.R. • On Your Own • Death of a Party • Essex Dogs
This album was honestly a crushing disappointment for me, which made me really sad. I love Parklife and I love Gorillaz, so I'm very familiar with Damon Albarn and his creative content. Unfortunately, this felt like another overly-long, bloated alt rock album. Can't count how many times I thought it was almost over and there were still several songs left. On a few tracks, like M.O.R., Death of a Party, and I'm Just a Killer For Your Love I felt like they were really doing something cool and experimental. The rest felt very generic and forgettable.
Sounds a lot like Oasis. Definitely a really good album. Pretty essential 90's rock album. Has Song 2 on it which makes it a very popular album. Pretty good, overall.
I knew Song 2 and Beetlebum. I like Brit Pop, but Blur has never been one of my favorites in that genre.
I think the best that Blur ever did is to dissolve and give birth to Gorillaz.
Sounds galore.
We don't like Blur in this household. Rude, self-important, pretentious Brits thinking they were making waves when it was just a drop in a lake. Rude to interviewers, rude to fans, rude to producers. This album has their one famous song that elevated their ego to astronomically unrealistic levels. Ironically, their best and most popular and famous song was them trying to poorly imitate and make fun of American rock music of the time. Little did they know that their poor mockery would be better than the rest of their entire anthology. The whole album is a stepped in wet shit. 1/10.
Good, not great. Even in the UK, where it was most popular, it ended the year as the overall 29th best-selling album. In the US, the largest rock music market on the planet, it peaked at 61. 'nuf said.
The best guitar playing in Blur’s catalogue. There’s not a bad song here.
Disappointing. Aside from "Song #2" there was nothing good. I find it interesting that as soon as the album finished my algorithm played "county house" and "girls and boys" to at least remind me that Blur isn't horrible
Standard late 90's grunge lite alternative. More focus on attitdue and distortion than production and composition. Mostly forgetable.
I really didn't enjoy this to be honest, apart from Song 2 and Beetlebum which I already knew. Essex dogs was quite atmospheric but I wouldn't listen again. Just a lot of tuneless noise that sounds like a boring version of Oasis - sorry!
Some great songs on this, it's mostly a fun, anytime listen album, cheery chod progressions, energetic. 3/5
Okay, finally a album without sad moaning for the whole set
Some very creative sounds and a great start to the album but not enough to keep me interested throughout
I can't tell whether I think this sucks or I'm just in a bad mood. I don't think I particularly hate any of the songs but I'm left feeling a bit irritated. Is it the vocals? Maybe, most likely. I'll have to relisten to this in the future because right now I have nothing. I want to give it 2 stars but I'm rounding it up to 3... as a treat (a treat for whom?). Whatever, I'm going to bed.
I couldn't make up my mind with this album. Maybe I was expecting too much? Liked some of it (Death of a Party, Strange News). Hated some of it (Country Sad Ballad, Theme from Retro). But mostly it was just meh. Certainly if I was picking a winner in the great Blur v Oasis battle based on this debut then I'd put the house on Oasis. And so it came to pass.
Punky and quirky. Nice blend.
J’ai pas vraiment écouté mais je connais donc ça va
This one seemed more consistent to me than their other albums on the list, it's got more of the sound I associate with Blur in my head, less wackiness for the sake of wackiness, but still dynamic enough to have some tracks that stood out during the listen
я знаю пісню 2аое мабуть мені не нрав голос але музика чудова боже 14 пісень це жахіття ну кароче голос не дуже я б 3.5
Only Song 2 really resonates and is probably the only one anyone still cares about.
Blur, Blur!
- 1 nummer toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
mera chimba de álbum, me gustó mucho, la buena pa blur
The guitar and bass throughout this album are constantly surprising and inventive
2026.01.23.
GOING IN: Not fussed really LISTENED WHILE: moving furniture FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Gave up entirely REPLAY VALUE: Once was plenty DISCOVERY CURVE: Never happened ALBUM ARC: Strong start, tailed off VERDICT: Waste of my time BODY'S VERDICT: Statue mode FAVOURITE TRACK: Beetlebum My Rating: 1
I listened to this album while working, and by the end, I realized I hadn't really paid attention, so I played it again. And I still didn't pay attention; nothing really stood out as awesome or terrible. - Heard before? No - Will I listen again? Given the trouble I had listening the first or second time, probably not. - Does it inspire me to listen to more of this artist? This is tough, because I actually own their first album and liked it, although I haven't listened in years. So, maybe?
WOOOOHOOOO Oasis can suck it. Like everyone else in the US, I bought this back in the day for "Song 2" which is now played at every sporting event everywhere. But the rest of the record is pretty good - Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon both have been pushing the envelope on pop music for a long time by now and this record is a good example of that. The music and lyrics have a great, sloppy, snotty, sarcastic feel to them. Beetlebum, Song 2, On Your Own are all banger tracks, the last song is kind of a mess though.
Really enjoying the vibe. Song 2 is the well known one, but some good sounds, a little Oasis/U2-ey. Really unique sound, think I enjoyed Death of a Party the most. 3.5/5.
One hit wonder band. Unclear why they have *3* albums on the list.
This is my second Blur album and I see now why their only hit was Song 2.
vibe
hell yeah
Tuff not super crazy but not bad just a solid b or C would listen to as background to stuff
7/10
Exuberant, emotional, punchy, restrained and unhinged. How Blur manages all of these sensations cohesively across an album, and sometimes within individual songs, is the wonderful strength of this album. The self-titled album is wrought from a broad sonic pallet, notably including organ loops, and dub echoes. Stylistically, the album's songwriting sways, lurches, and wobbles, all while never leaving the listener (unpleasantly) confused. While the album is a paragon of rock-craft, with excellent songwriting and execution, the degree to which it is finely wrought is both a feature and it's highest insurmountable hurdle. Damon Albarn's precise and thoughtful songwriting plays a referential role, keeping the musical direction rooted in familiarity, while giving room for ideas to grow. "Theme from Retro", notably, presents a minor-chordal rhyming with the chord progression of the Animal's "House of the Rising Sun," but cleverly on Albarn's part, with added tonal movement that moves away from (while never abandoning) the forlorn menace of the aforementioned, into more sad and introspective territory. "M.O.R" borrows from Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging". The album is rife with noisy distortions, judiciously applied to nearly everything at one point or another. Vocals, organ, synth, and of course guitar are less metallic though, and saturated more like a soaked and broken jagged wet wooden crate of treasure they found on the seafloor. Graham Coxon's guitars seem overdriven to the point where the feedback welling up between fretted notes are the actual notes. Incomprehisible dub-echoed vocals take center stage on "Theme from Retro", buoyed by a claustrophobic organ that dominates the sonic landscape. There is also digital looping technology present, which outside of electronic music (and less-wieldy analog tape loops of decades past) I have not heard as present in composition, as on Blur. At the farthest reaches of the album's noisiness, shrill feedback peal can be heard low in the mix, carried through the crescendoing outro of "On Your Own". It is slight, and ephemeral, but unmistakable. Even more so when the song suddenly shifts, everything cutting out, to solo the vocals. The liberal use of organ keyboards on Blur also helps unground Albarn's pop-sensible songwriting from the realm of the Beatles' ivory tower, attaching it to lineages that kept the line to the pubs and dancehalls intact, such as the Kinks (who's use of piano at their time set them apart from guitar-bass-drums groups like aforementioned Four and the Stones, as well as glam groups like T-Rex who also bear influence on Blur's sound). Another notable decision, the acoustic guitar in "Song 2", the album's most driving song, is a nuance that pulls pleasantly away from overt aggression of high tempo, staccato riffs, and young hooligan "WOO HOO"ing, giving the punky song an unexpected dimension of depth. It's in the moments of deliberate decision, such as sharp cuts from chaos to more serene moments, or when the continuation of a leading guitar line, via ad nauseam repetition, transitions subtly into a support line (as in the final laps of "M.O.R", brilliantly) that the album's writing and production ascend into something unique and new, for the time. It's also in this careful assemblage of so many small but potent sonic details, something that still sounds fresh today (Albarn is thoroughly presaging his own future pop successes here. How different from The Gorrilaz is this album truly?) that Blur's self titled album achieves a surprising longevity. This album has longevity, uniqueness, craft, intention, and a raw energy. All these together are rare. And special. My only hesitation to giving the album five stars is that, in the end, all of the fine-cut craft of decision-making comes off as a little precious. Even the album's closer, "Essex Dogs", at eight minutes long, and leading with a delightfully unsettling tempo-agnostic tremolo guitar riff, while a fully welcome foray into outer reaches of the bands' creativity, still feels like the cork on the lightning in a bottle, where the bottle was the point the whole time, rather than the lightning itself.
Song 2 and not much else.
plus je l’écoute, moins je l’aime les 2 dernières minutes de Essex Dogs sont bonnes
Great stuff by the boys.
Beetlebum - 5 Song 2 - 5 Country sad ballad man - 4 M.o.r. - 3 On your own - 3 Theme from retro - 2 You're so great - 3 Death of a party - 4 Chinese bombs - 3 I'm just a killer for your love - 4 Look inside America - 4 Strange news from another star - 3 Movin' on - 3 Essex dogs - 1
I thought I might like this a bit more but Blur can’t write albums. And it has to be said, they wear their influences very much on their sleeve to a point that it sounds more a collection of tributes than songs
Did not finish, didn’t really get into it. Wild sounds.
Boring
Solidt første lyt. Faktisk ikke nok Blur jeg har hørt gennem livet. Andet og 3 lyt var også positive. Men det bliver aldrig bedre end de første 2. Så dem høre jeg nok igen en dag.
Det ukarakteristiske Blur album hvor de søger væk fra Britpoppen og over i en mere amerikansk Indie lyd. Blur var altid mere et single band for mig end f.eks. Oasis. Men hold nu op der er noget guld gemt på albummet her. Beetlebum, Song 2 og This Is A Low er selvfølgelig fantastiske gamle bekendskaber. Men sange som Death Of A Party, You’re So Great og I’m Just A Killer For Your Love er hermed blevet nye favoritter.
Listened to in the queue for the tip. Favourite song: Song 2
Fan discovers the guy behind Gorillaz was good at album rock
7,7/10
Good blur album but there are better ones.
I didn't realise Blur actually sounded like this. I thought they were going to be much more Pulpy, not this grungy dirty feel. Really enjoyed it, although occasionally forgettable (Aside from Song 2)
At last on this list, a 90s album worth re-listening to.
Like the woohoo song
The instrumental components are kinda listenable (though mostly "why bother", verging on tedious/fatuous) but the vocals (lead and backing) are wildly off-putting, and the lyrics (unintelligible from audio, foolishly I looked them up) are IMHO shit. Too many songs I had to skip on first listen (couldn't make other people in the room put up with them), and found painfully tedious on second attempt. 1/10 is as low as my scale goes. (I hope the generator doesn't ask me to listen to anything worse than this ... fingers crossed.)
i fw gorillaz pretty heavy but i never really got into blur. definitely just for a lack of trying tho, this might be my breakthrough
Song 2 might raise this one whole star
pretty good
Pretty good. Not as polished as I would like coming from Blur but it was pretty good.
I tried. I listened about halfway through and I get it, but I don't want anymore
87/100 Mon premier album de Blur. Je m'attendais à un album Britpop classique à cause de toutes les comparaisons Oasis vs Blur. Au final même si il y a évidemment des éléments de ça, l'album explore pas mal de styles et d'influences. Je retrouve un tas d'éléments Trip hop qui sont excellents et globalement les instrumentales sont extra quasiment tout le long. Le rythme est vraiment bien géré et il y a pas de moments de flottement à mon goût. Maintenant le chant de Damon m'a géné à plusieurs moments et il y a quand même des morceaux fillers. Globalement très bien
Непоганий альбом, багато цікавих шумних звуків використано, всі пісні в одному стилі дуже брит поповський, але мені не вистачило доаматичності в вокалі
not as good as I thought it'd be, beetlebum, song 2 are stand outs, death of a party, chinese bombs also pretty good
I preferred Parklife. Whoo-Hoo
Forza 4 Vibes 🤨
Super good enjoyed it fr
Blur over oasis tbh. This album feels like heavy to listen to but in a good way. The guitar is awesome ofc. Idk how to describe it but the album cover matches the vibe of the album perfectly. It feels like running and seeing streaks of orange light. Fav songs: song 2, you’re on your own, death of a party(!!!)
Not what I expected.
1001 Albarn Generator.com is more like it.
Parklife came up earlier in this project for me and I was blown away by it. I know Blur's radio songs, but I was too focused on grunge and american alternative rock at that time and wasn't spending my limited resources on anything else, lol. So I was excited to get this other Blur entry in the queue. There's some solid music here, and I appreciate the eclecticism and occasional weirdness of their music. But tbh their hearts don't seem fully in this one. There's a generic-ness to this album as well. There are hints of what Albarn ends up doing with Gorillaz which I appreciate, but this was just a solid, fairly unremarkable entry for me.
271221 18:04 3
this song makes me feel like a small ant going to work my blue-collar ant job at four o clock in the morning. i am a bit grumpy about the early wake up but find beauty in the rising sun on my commute to work. maybe ill grab a beer with the boys after i clock out.
slightly to the right of Britpop and the music I know from them best. I've listened to a lot of this album before, but not a whole play through of it. the instruments in this album are probably the part I like the best, I feel like they are put on central stage for it and make it an engaging listen. rating: 7.6/10 fav track: Essex Dogs (or maybe beetlebum, just classic)
Surprisingly boring at times
Couple good guitar riffs. Lots of extra noise. I get Blur and Sublime confused for some reason. Oasis is better than both!
Hade höga förväntningar men vet inte hur bra det verkligen var, mycket låter rätt likt och fattar inte riktigt innebörden, men mitt typ av sound iaf!
Snooze
Beetlebum and Song 2 are great but the rest is just OK. 35 albums in and I believe this is the first one I own in a physical format. Overall I think the best album Blur has ever made is their Best Of. Souce: I am fucking MADFERIT. Sorry
fav: Beetlebum. Diverse album, with sounds and ideas. Enjoyed the music very much.
The first few tracks are excellent but it then shifts to a different tone that I didn't enjoy
Sick album
Solid,
Fun album, obviously starts out hot with the songs everyone knows but stays consistent with some gems I hadn't heard before
Very simple and repetitive lo fi rock. Song 2 was definitely the highlight. Beetlebum, Movin' On and On Your Own were also pretty good but not great. A lot of the songs are a little too lethargic for me and as an album it feels very scattered with different production styles and tonal shifts that come out of nowhere. You can definitely here the proto-Gorillaz sound though.
Genre: Alternative Rock I was expecting something a little more contrived than this. This was fun, British as hell, and had some really solid tunes. Knowing now that Damon Albarn is the Blur guy AND the Gorilaz guy, you definitely gotta give him his props. Very creative, very rock and roll, this was a really nice late-90s surprise for me. Still not one I'd revisit all the time, but solid. 3/5
What a fucking joke. On it’s own merits an album like this can’t rate higher than a 2, but when you realize this bunch of vacuous twats have 2 albums on this list when bands like Genesis, Jethro Tull, and Yes rate 1 you’ve really got to question the validity of the whole project. One, for spite if nothing else.
Started off strong then felt really dull. Feel like the album didn’t many songs that stood out.
Did not buy what they were selling, couldn’t make it to song 3
In what twisted world is Damon Albarn’s can’t be arsed vocals essential listening? Quite honestly they sound like a really crappy Pavement tribute band that hasn’t really listened to any Pavement.
OK it's not so good at the start but it gets better. Songs like 'M.O.R.', 'You're So Great', and 'Chinese Bombs' really pick it up, and it finishes with the quintessentially British 'Essex Dogs'. And 'Song 2'?!?! Beautiful. I think we can all agree it's one of the coolest songs ever, right?
I'm pretty sure we already covered this. Beatlesque-ness. Brit-pop. Yeah. Competently done. But heard it already.
Wow I went into this not expecting to like this as much as I did, as I listened to Parklife ages ago and it didn't click (may need a relisten of that). Song 2 is the one everyone knows, and it's a cool track but I find it baffling THAT became the hit from this album really. If this album didn't drop off a bit towards the second half, if it was just a bit shorter, this would be a 4 instead of a 3.
Første halvdel funker bra
Great album