Blur

Nisu Oasis. Šta da im ja radim

Jedan od najpoznatijih album Blura nakon Parklifea, a ja ga baš nisam detaljno ni preslušavao jer sam se cijelo vrijeme vraćao na Parklife, Modern Life is Rubbish i 13. Uglavnom, ako ikoji album od njihovih prvih šest najmanje zvuči na britpop, to je ovaj ili 13. 13 zvuči puno bolje od ovog albuma što se tiče kvalitete, ali kod ovog albuma volim taj lo-fi/slacker rock stil, zvuk. No ni to ne može namiriti da dođe do ocjene što sam dao onim albumima koje sam prethodno spomenuo. Nije čista četvorka, ali je bliže četvorci nego trojci. Izbacio bih čak 3 pjesme i bilob puno bolje. Zašto nema jebenih pola zvjezdice? Ovo je godina kada je britpop umro. (vjeruje se da je zbog smrti Princeze Diane te godine znantno potopio britpop). Možda je to ona na coveru u kolicima/s. Parklife > 13 > Modern Life is Rubbish > *Blur s/t* > The Great Escape > Leisure > itd.

Opet nakon slušanja mi se mišljenje nije ni pomaklo na tu peticu. Stvarno album jeben, svaka pjesma kida, nemam šta reć osim da ko da mi nešto fali da to bude 5/5 album, šteta.

Enjoyed this immensely - was hoping Song 2 wouldn't be one of the best songs on the album though, but it was. Death Of A Party the highlight. Some late Beatles vibes too. Can hear where The Vines got it.

It was all a blur

Varied and interesting, exploring way outside the box i'd put them in.

Woooohooo

Uneven in places, but some excellent tracks and overall a very good album!

90s nostalgia

WOO HOO

A classic

This thing is paced…horribly? Song 2 is good enough to carry this further than it deserves but whew this felt interminable

It was hard to not get the idea of "proto-gorillaz" out of my head in the first few listens. Some tracks just felt like stuff Damon would go on to tackle later under the moniker. However this album and Blur are far from what we would come to know. Tight grooves and riffs spice up the album in between the main chunk of the tracks. It's very easy listening with more to appreciate on each listen.

Love

Surprised by this one. If you can look past the FM rock snore fest singles there’s a lot of experimentation on this album, particularly towards the latter half.

Sulky from losing the Britpop wars but making tons of cash in the process, they embraced American alt-rock. And heroin. But mostly alt-rock and came up smelling of roses. The uni-browed Mancs looked on. Best Tracks: Beetlebum; Song 2; You're So Great

Probably my favorite Blur album so far. Can't go wrong with Song 2. Couple other bangers. A couple "experimental" which were eh

Britpop was huge in the mid-90s and you even though the big bands all had their own distinctive sound, you could tell they were all Britpop. But something changed just a few years later with Pulp's This Is Hardcore and Blur's self-titled. It suddenly took a much darker, less optimistic turn, taking inspiration from not only the alternative music of the 90s, but also still the 60s they already tried to emulate, and the 80s use of synths and electronic. Blur's self-titled is changes its style to something interesting yet melodic, if perhaps a bit abrasive. Starts off with the Beatlesesque psychedelic "Beetlebum," then onto the parodic "Song 2". I was shocked when I heard "Song 2"; I grew up with the song and had no idea Blur wrote this until yesterday, but I did find the punk chorus, grungy guitar, and nonsensical self-deprecating lyrics pretty funny. As a general theme, I love the lofi sound, complemented by static vocals and distorted bass. I heard "On Your Own" with the synths and back vocals is like the predecessor to Gorillaz... I didn't even know Gorillaz is by the same lead vocalist. I give points to innovation, but I wasn't a big fan of a lot of the songs, especially in the latter half. The only thing I like about "Chinese Bombs" is the title reference to London Calling... too much distortion. My least favorite on the first side is "M.O.R." which sounds a lot like their former music, but also it's pretty generic. Another weakness is that it's not terribly coherent, switching between all sorts of styles that it's a bit difficult to keep up with. If you're into a lofi mood or want to pick out some great tracks, this album will do it. Otherwise, it's outstanding in songwriting, production, and innovation. Favorite Tracks: Beetlebum, Death of a Party

amazing production

Did not know blur was so deep. Of course song 2 was the highlight.

This is the breakup album, right? Not that it should be anthropomorphised to one person's unhappiness, obvs. (Later) No it isn’t. Apropos of nothing, time for a self-clarification of this wretched star system. Five stars. Indispensable. It is a privilege to be (re)acquainted with this masterpiece. Will be downloaded onto my device and listened to regularly. Four Star. A fine album. My impressions may be tainted by subjective memory muscle responses (on the whole, albums released between 1985 and 1999). At the least, a prompt to explore the artist/band’s back catalogue, get a sense of context. Or an excuse to wallow in nostalgia for a bit. Three Star. Serviceable. At the worst inoffensive, at the best well made but ephemeral. Every so often, a song or two give cause for closer consideration, but on the whole nothing here that will change any aspect of my life. Two Star. Poor/cynical/unformed. Like most music, it will mean something g to someone somewhere. I’m not that person One Star. Mum got her church group to buy a copy each. You know the Brian Eno anecdote about the Velvet Underground? Well, whoever made this album went to a Kenny G concert and was similarly moved. Poor us. Blur is a four star, even though objectively I think it might be a three. It was a big break from Britpop. In retrospect, they did a Radiohead before Radiohead. (Alburn, who is one of the most curious people in pop - a compliment) was all over Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. at the time.) Aside from the radio ‘friendly’ unit shifters here, some underrated classics (Strange News from Another Star - Bowie for the 21st cen., anyone?) Blur don’t deserve the opprobrium heaped on them. Yes, they were (are) precious. But never opportunistic.

Didn't realize that blur had more than "song 2" lost me a bit at the end, but overall a good experience

Damon building up to his creative peak but already at his prettiness peak.

(4.5) Blur have been one of my favourite bands since I was a teenager, so this album was always going to rank highly. Despite containing some of my favourite Blur songs on the tracklisting (Beetlebum, You're So Great), it's one of those albums I've revisited less than others. This has meant that I'm less familiar with its second half especially, missing gems like Look Inside America and Movin' On, so I'm thrilled to have rediscovered them with fresh ears today. Not for the first time, and far from the last time I'm sure, I find myself weak at the knees for Damon.

This album is great. Beetlebum and Song 2 are absolute fire. Also great hits like M.O.R. and Chinese Bombs. Looking at some of my other ratings, I don't think this reaches "perfect album" levels of greatness, but I do love this album a lot and probably listen to it just as much if not more than albums I consider "perfect."

Better than Definitely Maybe

In the middle of all the industrial noise, there is music that is actually quite good. It will be a four.

4/5 - couple of bangers but suffers from 90's cliche production

3.5/5. Good, unexpected. Usually, with this genre I feel it's hard to listen to, however, this album was rather enjoyable. 'Song 2' is definitly the most popular off this album.

A cool and mellow sound with notes of punk and darker energy. This was a good album.

Pretty damn good, but not completely captivating. Favorite track might be "You're So Great".

4/5

Woo-hoo!

I prefer Parklife. But Beetlebum is great.

Kind of surprised their 1997 album is on here. To me, if there is an absolute must Blur album to listen to it's 1994's Parklife or 1995's The Great Escape. Still, it's Blur's last great album. Beetlebum is a good opener despite being a little unusual in its sound and mixes. Song 2 obviously brings down the house every time but it's pretty unique for Blur. I guess they have some other pounding rock songs like MOR and Chinese Bombs, but more typical of their style are tracks 3, 5, 6, 11. And no Blur album would be complete without something like Essex Dogs (featuring more Damon Albarn speak than singing) - although I could do without it. You're so Great (track 7) feels more like one the Gallagher brothers would've recorded - but still a good tune.

Bit of nostalgia talking here, because I was super hyped for this album at the time. In retrospect some of - including the lead single - is kinda dull, but the good bits are still good enough.

Blur's eponymous record starts off very well with Beetlebum, an emotional and blisfully sexy tune filled with catchy guitar riffs, which is one of Blur's absolute best. The second track, Song 2, carries just the right amount of edge and raunchy vocals to make it a staple in the genre. However, the rest of the album can only disappoint after these 2. Disappointment is at its peak when I consider the awkward sound effects and distorted vocals on Country Sad, the annoying On Your Own, the seemingly unfinished Theme from Retro and the almost voiceless vocals on I'm Just a Killer. The distorted guitars on M.O.R, the ascending chorus on You're So Great, the ghostly piano's and guitar riffs on Death of Party are terrific though, so a 4/5 is definitely a fitting score.

Nie durchgehört. Gefällt mir gut, 'Essex Dogs' ist großartig. Eine englische Band.

Glad I finally listened to this.

Incredible record, a great band in a great moment

til blur is really fun

freaking rad man! Real easy listening, good vibes!

41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 v i v a a n o s s a c a m i o n e t e 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 c o m o o o i t a v o b n a o h a n e n h u m MotA: Death of a Party "Beetlebum / What you've done / She's a gun / Now what you've done"

Great album

some version of britpop, i like the style and there are some good songs, and some classics (song 2) i really like the band and the distortion style

headbanging

Good stuff. Felt like the 90s again

More abstract than I expected. Song 2 is obviously a classic, but the rest of the album is definitely underrated. Not quite my cup the whole way through, and a little too punky/indie. But still solid overall. 3.5/5

Energetic retro FIFA music

Solid 90s rock.

Top top top! A réécouter

Gutes Alternative-Album. 4. Stern für das legendäre Song 2

A solid recommendation. This album is loud, gritty, and high energy. I loved the roaring guitar melodies and Damon Albarns vocals fit in with this band just as well as in Gorillaz. Top notch. Favorite song: Chinese Bombs

Beetle bum and Song 2 are both classics

Exciting, rock and still very blur

Britpop goes Rock. Song2 würde bei FIFA 98 und auf den Scheunenparties totgedudelt und gefällt trotzdem irgendwie noch. Man hört die 90er aber eines der zeitloseren Rockalben der Zeit.

It was pretty good. I’ll have to give it another listen when I can focus on it more and am not too focused on judging a speech and debate tournament. Favorite songs: Beetlebum, Song 2, M.O.R, On Your Own, Death of a Party, Look Inside America, Strange News from Another Star Strong 7/10

I could have been into this back in '97. Standout track is "Strange News From Another Star"

Yup, another classic

Great stuff from one of my fave bands

For Luke x

Good, but really long

catchy

More of an Oasis person in the 90s but I liked this. It was a bit more varied.

I enjoyed it very much. I had no idea who they were but I recognized the type of music.

¿El mejor de ellos?

Rock alternativo. Un megahit.

Interesting find. Everyone has heard Song 2, but got the memory jogged hearing M.O.R.. Enjoyed On Your Own and will listen to Essex Dogs a few more times to form an opinion.

I only knew song 2 before... So...

I always forget this was the Gorillaz guy. I also never heard this entire album, and it was surprisingly good!

Fun record. Song 2 is an all-time classic, still gets my blood hot. Hadn't listened to this LP previously. Fun distortion.

cover hard u passend zum sound

Hell yeah! Enjoyable! 4 stars!

Good Brit pop rock sound nice good yes

Blur is great. That is all.

Awesome album, really fun to hear, the last song was kinda boring but outside of that, I really enjoyed it. 9/10

Lots of memories with this great album

Cool rock album. Very much like!

Love Damon Albarn. Love this album.

hell yea. a lot of Gorillaz comes out here. great album. Love this.

I liked this album, I really didn't expect anything from Blur but they got some good songs.

I only knew song 2. The album is surprisingly better than I expected.

liked more than i thought i would

Fedt album, som måske ikke er så kendt. Mest kendt for song 2

I think this is a really interesting record, definitely a precursor to a ton of Gorillaz stuff. Alt Rock, Art Rock, Garage rock, maybe some mild psych rock. Some tracks though that I just don’t care for. Maybe I’d warm up to em with other listens, but for now I’ll call this flawed but very interesting. I will say it’s a very unique sounding album. Doesn’t sound like much else

This album came out when I was getting back into metal. So other than Song #2 I missed it. This was very close to being a 5-star album....the last song wasn't right.

Decent Blur changing track. Some memorable tunes.

Solide. Kann man machen

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.

Tämä on ⭐️⭐️⭐️ vaikka song 2 on 5 ⭐️ biisi.

Een album met oké liedjes, maar ietwat vermoeiend om een heel album van te luisteren. 3 sterren

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.

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.

Not their best, aside from Song 2, which is too short, though I’ll always associate it with the Starship Troopers trailer

6/10

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".

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.

Hmmm it’s ok

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)?

Great first two tracks but rest of the album doesn’t maintain those highs

Taking sides here, Oasis has a definite edge for richness and complexity of sound – but it's clearly cool to like blur.

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

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.

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

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.

Started out awesome, quickly became grating. Had higher hopes!!

Blur are ok. This is not their best album to me.

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

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.

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.

Didn't like it as much, I just know the most popular song from the list.

Listened to it twice through. It was alright but I think that’s enough for me

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

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.

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.

- 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

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.

Song 2 will live on forever, the rest is blurry and also surprisingly boring/slow.

I was always more of an Oasis fan myself

Didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected. Pity it’s this on the list rather than 13.

I thought i would like this more

Tiene palos históricos, pero no me ha gustado tanto el global.

Joy!

Not bad.

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.

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.

Pretty cool. Quirkier and not as rocky as I expected. Good textures.

#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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

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.

As far as Britpop goes, I've heard better. But I've also heard worse.

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

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 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

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.

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

++: 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 don’t know what I thought blur was but this wasn’t it

One great song, somewhat underwhelming

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.

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

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

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.

could have been a 4 but some tracks let it down

2.5 stars It started out with promise. The 2 songs I knew. And they’re both pretty good. And the songs after aren’t too bad. But before long it starts to sound like an album by a band trying to sound like other bands and it’s not natural. I wouldn’t listen to this whole album again before I die.

Sounds like radiohead b-sides

I always thought that the band name perfectly sums up their music: a blur. Don't get me wrong, it's not that bad, and Song 2 rocks, but I just don't think they deserve the hype they still get. I'm just glad that Damon created Gorillaz. That band is superior to this one, and I think he knows it as well. That being said, just because it has Song 2, I give this album a 3.

Not my favourite blur album I recon, some bangers on their like Song 2 but other songs are much weaker. Still love Blur. Something also about the production that doesn’t sit quite right.

not as fun as parklife

It was epically alright.

Damon Alburn has been around the musical world and back, so this is an interesting case study to help understand his early days. You can definitely feel the creativity that eventually propelled him into Gorillaz fame. I would describe blur's music as punk fusion or punk plus, maybe similar to Dad's sentiment about the Buzzcocks in that it's rooted in punk rock, but also boasts a lot of musicality and creativity. The first Gorillaz's albums even maintain traces of that sound. The way that he uses guitar, for example, it feels like he doesn't treats it as an instrument so much as a compositional tool, and you can hear that creativity in the guitar parts. It must be said that he truly reached his full potential with the Gorillaz, though. This is speculation, but when I listened to this album, it sounded like he was dampening his own creativity in order to stay within some imagined framework of how Blur should sound as a punk rock project.

I don't have this album, so am only familiar with "Song 2" (from the radio). I do have the 2 Blur albums that preceded this one; my sense is that they're (loosely speaking), similar to, but possibly a bit better than, this one. Possible Brit bias, having this album show up here, on the 1001 Albums list - although I think Blur are better than most of the other Brit stuff we've had. Having said that, though, I don't think I can go higher than a 3 for this one. I note that this album came out in 1997, and it was only a year later that Blur singer Damon Albarn co-founded Gorillaz, who I think were (are) a notch above Blur, in terms of musical quality and interest. Back to this album: it's a 3 because, even though the songs were decent to pretty good, none of them really stayed with me, or made a strong favorable impression, either the first time through or the second (although "Song 2" is catchy and fun, if kind of simple).

This veered more in a Gorillaz direction than Parklife, and thus I liked it more.

Huh. Kind of liked this. Really liked that lick in the chorus of death of a party. In my very little understanding of the genre, 1997 seems early for some of the indie sounds here.

Ok, but not my favourite Blur album

Song 2 is classic so that was fun. I also really liked the last two songs, Essex Dogs was a little weird and quirky and Movin On was fun and up beat. The rest was just kinda upper mid, nothing special but nothing awful.

Honestly super great I even recognized song 2. This could maybe be a 4 but we’ll play it safe with a 3

Ok. Listenable at least.

So mid it's almost bad. It's clear why Song 2 is their only hit in the US.

This was a decent listen. My favorite song was definitely Song 2 though, which doesn't sound too much like the rest of the album or other Blur. I did enjoy the more experimental ideas they explored here, and hearing this made me really appreciate Gorillaz for giving Damon a better outlet for all of those ideas. Favorites: Song 2, Chinese Bombs, I'm Just A Killer For Your Love, Moving On

Blur goes "indie" and it's... fine. The music is listenable but they do lose a bit of their identity. Song 2 is undeniable though... but it's hardly a Blur song if that makes sense.

- I've listened to this before but not indepth not that u care what i think hmph ( ,,⩌⤙⩌,,) - This is some good vibes - It honestly falls off for me the longer i listen - I cant say its all good or bad

1woohoo 2rly cool album 3idk the middle ish area sounded like a BLUR 4soooo idk I liked the harder songs 5I really like essex dogs for the beat and weird sounds 6albumcover looks rly cool like oh no hospital scary rush moment. 7asur dying everything becomes a blur 8blur 9blur 10blur like everything is slowly disappearing.

It starts really well and I admire the ambition of this record to do something different. There are too many tracks which, although are different and experimental, just don't really appeal to me and I wouldn't bother listening to again.

It was fine. Honestly couldn't understand a lot of the words, felt very mumbly. Overall I liked the sound though.

I particularly enjoyed some tracks but the album as a whole was only listenable for me.

Não faz muito o meu estilo

Good/fine.

Beetlebum and Song 2 are quite the power punch to open this album. And there's plenty of other good stuff throughout to be fair. It really fizzles horribly with the last track though, which I struggled to get through. I wonder if this is the album where Graham Coxon first sets his sights on going solo for a bit, because his guitar playing is really progressive compared to early Blur, which Damon is still, y'know, Damon.

Hey ... these guys should open up for Gorillaz!

Not bad; gives a bit of a Cage the Elephant vibe Kinda just have it on in the background

Not a bad listen, but it definitely starts strong and then runs out of steam as the album goes on. I don’t know that it’s a necessary listen, but it is fun to hear Damon Albarn experimenting with the sound and songwriting that would become Gorillaz. Song 2 is always a jam on its own though.

This album was a necessary change in style after The Great Escape, which had plenty of deserving hits, but overall felt like a case of diminishing returns. From the very first muted guitar strum on Beetlebum, you can sense the band going in a different, more experimental and overall morose direction. Their biggest hit ever, Song 2, continues to showcase how much the band has changed in just a couple of years, but it also shows that there is still some levity left in the group, which will be all but gone by the time 13 comes out. As always, I have to give special credit to Graham Coxon, whose signature crunchy guitar tones sound more fitting than ever on this release. While I have tremendous respect for this album, I do have to say that it's shockingly inconsistent. Blur are known to drop a stinker here and there, and some mistakes are to be expected when trying out a new sound, but the amount of clunkers present here is too large to ignore. Any time the album builds proper momentum with a couple of great tracks, the band will proceed to completely drop the ball with songs like Theme From Retro, Chinese Bombs, or I'm Just a Killer for Your Love. The closer, Essex Dogs, is also among the weakest in their discography. Thankfully, Blur will proceed to iron out the kinks by the time 13 comes out, which is, in my opinion, their best album not named Parklife. Favourite track: Death of a Party

I don't really have a passion for this music. There is no sentimental value for me, so it just does not hold up. It is OK, but not WOW.

I had been expecting to like this one more having listened to a 'best of...' where a lot of the tracks are excellent. I was surprised to not be more engaged by this one

So much to love about Blur, and a lot to find quite irritating too. Haven't heard this album in ages, think I might have petulantly written it off at the time. Quite a few good songs on this, and Graham Coxon's influence is much more forward than in a lot of their other albums. Song 2 is so overplayed now that it's psychically damaged, but that doesn't ruin the whole. Might come back to see if I like it more on repeat.

Good grunge rock

𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝟮 easily stands above the rest for me. The rest of the album isn’t bad, but very little reaches the same level of energy or immediacy. You can clearly hear Blur moving away from classic Britpop here and leaning more into a noisier, American indie rock sound, which at least keeps the album interesting. Still, a lot of the tracks blur together after a while, and outside of a few good moments not much really sticks with me. In the end, 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝟮 is still the one track I’d actually come back to.

Great opening with beetlebum and song 02, but they do carry the album. Drops off slightly from there. Some gorrilaz vibes in the vocals and production on Theme from Retro and one other track I don't remember the name of. Not bad, but not great. Light 3 from me. Top tracks: beetlebum, song 2, death of a party

Good album, only know Damon from Gorillaz so it sounds like 2D made a solo album - Notable songs are Chinese Bombs and You're so Great

Blur trying to be The Pixies and Bowie all at the same time.

Even though they missed out on the Yoo Hoo product partnership, “Song 2”, makes this the least annoying Blur album.

3 stars. or after smoking a bowl 4 stars

I quite liked it but the second half falls away a bit.

It's ok, tended to drift into the background really. Not my fave but a fun enough listen

Interesting album - one TRULY notable song. Pitchfork: 8.1 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Beetlebum Song 2

My sister’s all time favorite band. I will never understand it. They’re fine.

previously heard: beetlebum, song 2 (listened to best of blur a lot when i was 13), you're so great (i distinctly remember being 16 and my english teacher asking us to bring a song's lyrics to class the next day so i went home and spent HOURS trying to choose something only to settle on this one. it wasnt even that serious idk why i was doing all that) - took me five years to learn that damon albarn didn't sing you're so great... havent sat down and listened to it properly in a while but now that im reading the lyrics again im remembering why it meant so much to 16yo me - love death of a party. im about halfway thru the album now and the switchups between tracks are giving me whiplash - chinese bombs sounds quite suicidal tendencies - strange news from another star: simple but effective, could be on ziggy stardust and also oddly reminds me of kid a - essex dogs gives me the same creepy feeling a day in the life does. also i end up saying this for every spoken word track but this one rlly could be on the fight club soundtrack i should probably rewatch it at some point what im getting from this is that damon albarn has a lot to complain about. some great songs surrounded by a bunch of noise, might listen again

Not awful, not my favorite.

🎧 Beetlebum, Song 2, and a bunch of very average, perfectly acceptable indie rock tunes. This is apparently the album after the band was influenced by Pavement. 🤷‍♂️

Decent brit pop

It's always interesting when an album has one clear and unmistakable hit mixed in with a bunch of ok tunes. Where did that energy come from? Where did it go?

Fav- movin on 3/5

kinda repetitive at times but had some good moments Top Songs: Beetlebum Song 2 Essex Dogs

It wasn't really for me. Some songs were ok

There are 2 great songs here, and a lot of guff.

“Beetlebum” wouldn’t sound too out of place in the white album. I like the vibe of “Country Sad Ballad Man”, although it goes too electric at the end. I can see the album’s energetic appeal but it’s not as unique as the album “13”.

I was a big fan of Gorillaz in High School, and eventually listened to Blur. This is one of their better albums, and outside of "Song 2" there are some great tracks, and they managed to evolve their sound in interesting ways. I think Blur is important enough, and this was the album that helped them break into the US market - broadening their recognition and legacy. So sure, toss it on the pile.

3.5 The intro track made me lower my expectations, but overall this is a pretty decent album. Not a big fan of the lead singer, but that's a personal pet peeve.

I enjoyed this album listen from Blur! It wasn’t anything groundbreaking to me but I thought it was a solid alt-rock/brit pop album that I would listen to again. I did find the lead singer’s voice to be annoying and whiny at times but that’s just me. A solid album listen overall!

Rock music, pop lyrics. Started off very fun, and then took a turn towards something different towards the back half. It wasn't bad, but didn't feel like it belonged with the first half of the album.

Song 2 is such a classic. The other songs do not hold up as well. I do like the grungy songs like On Your Own but that's personal preference. Without blur we won't have Gorillaz. Can't give more than a 3 to this.

Quite a mixed bag really, but something I would want to listen to again

This was a strange one. It kicked off with the two iconic singles we know and love but after that is a total mixed bag. Just when you’re bored to tears and clocking out they pepper in something surprising. I was glad I listened to it just to hear blur explore genres other than Brit pop. They’re more versatile than I realised. I still don’t love this album, but I’m glad I heard it.

Love this. One of the first brit pop albums that I hear.

Got some good songs on it

This album feels like a breath of fresh air because of how light and effortless it is, but it’s the variety underneath that really keeps me hooked. It’s got this incredibly calming energy, yet it never gets boring because the themes and the instrumentals are constantly shifting. It feels like the band finally stopped trying so hard to be "British" and just started playing whatever felt right in the moment. The instrumentals are definitely the highlight for me. There’s this great mix of lo-fi, scratchy guitars and these really beautiful, melodic layers that give the whole record a very specific, textured aura. It’s the kind of music that works perfectly for just drifting away, but if you actually pay attention, there’s so much interesting stuff happening in the production. It’s raw and experimental in spots—like they were just messing around in the studio and stumbled onto something brilliant—but it still manages to stay pretty and accessible. Even when the themes get a bit more introspective or strange, the overall mood stays grounded. It’s an album that doesn’t feel like it’s demanding anything from me; it just sits there and offers up these great melodies and cool sounds. It’s a very "human" sounding record, filled with personality and a sense of freedom that makes it a really easy, beautiful listen from start to finish.

Meh. Dissonant alt-rock with songs that variously remind me of the Cure, the Violent Femmes, early punk, industrial noise, and various other bands...except they're not as good as any of those bands, at least to my taste.

3.5

Closer to 4, but not quite there. Some great songs but not an album worth, and not nearly as cohesive as the first 4 albums

Cool

extremely fine. would rather listen to Gorillaz.

This was fine.

I just realized I have heard most of this album throughout my life through my dad singing them or playing them in the car. This album has one of their most popular songs but everything else just kinda blur together (ha see what I did there)

Good start.

Blur album 3/3 for me and while I did enjoy this one the most, I’m glad I’m done listening to them.

Good, fun listen

Really unique and variable songs. They're like a British version of the Presidents of the Untied States of America.

I’m not a Britpop fan by any stretch, but this had moments of enjoyment sprinkled throughout. Song 2 remains iconic, but ended up really enjoying Death of a Party. At times, it’s guilty of being too much of a Beatles tribute. At others, it feels more like it’s following the zeitgeist instead of being it. It’s particularly easy to follow the throughline from some of the tracks here to Albarn’s later Gorillaz output. It’d still probably be the worst Gorillaz album but being the worst Gorillaz album is still a major accomplishment by most metrics.

I like a lot of blur albums but this one is admittedly not my favourite... Beetlebum and Song 2 slap, and I quite liked your so great, but the others are a bit forgettable. I'm not sure whether I'm on board with the monkees/organ-style keys or not - stick to the britpop maybe?

Intrigued.

The one song is great, rest is quite mediocre

Started with a couple of big bangers, but the album went to strange places in the second half

Something in me wants to file this album under 'debut of a promising band'. It's the 5th album of this iconic Britpop band which I respect, but never listened to every much. "Parklife" is a lot better than this one which has too many meandering and failed experimental tracks imho.

First listen

Awesome. Oh no. Not awesome. Yeah another case of false expectations. I am a Damon Albarn fan. I like Gorillaz. At least some Gorillaz. But this album, which I guess I have never actually heard before is a lukewarm 3. Boolean rating: no. I could have died without hearing this.

Pretty decent.

Unfortunately had to split this one up over a few segments but I’m into it overall. The first half had a few bops in addition to Song 2. I will check out more from them for sure.

Song 2 carried this a lot for me, but I think there might be more for me from Blur.

Its not bad, I like the first 2 tracks. However imma deduct some points from them for the way they treated nardwuar that one time. 6.5/10

My rating 3.4

This was just ok (barely), and mostly because of the one hit from this album.

I liked this better than the other music I’ve heard by them. Pretty good variety here is not maybe a little long.

Song 2 was the only song I knew off of this album. Beetlebum was a nice start and seems to be another popular one. MOR was almost nostalgic sounding to me for some reason but I loved it. On your own had a similar feel, very late 90s early 2000s sound in my opinion. For Disc 1 I liked You're so Great and Death of a Party the most. Other than Movin On I felt as if they should've stuck with the acoustic stuff as it is better. All Your life is amazing! Highly underrated song. Disc 2 had all the live versions which are always fun. However, the only songs I liked off disc 2 were all your life, get out of cities, and polished stone. The others are okay but I stick with my judgement that I seem to enjoy acoustic blur more than rock blur. for these reasons its a 3 star for me since it still has some really good songs and guitar riffs.

Why not a different album, this is cool, but no their best!!

It’s alright, but do we really need 2 Blur albums before we get 1 Iron Maiden 😒

I liked it more than Parklife. Still not as good as Oasis, IMO.

It’s hard to see how I could give this a higher grade. Blurry, almost.

there is some pretty good parts... i guess ultimately im not a britpop guy and i sorta don't understand it as a scene/genre but im a guy who loves london, uk so i gotta give it up y'kno

would be 4 stars but damon albarns voice started really annoying me halfway through

Song 2 is a banger, but the rest of the album fell off, probably why it was a one hit wonder.

Song 2 is an absolute banger… rest of the album suffers because that is such a good song. 2.8

My listen was a big fragmented throughout the day, which I’m sure didn’t help, but I found this enjoyable but a bit forgettable. 6/10 Pretty Good

Big 3

I’m only familiar Song 2, so this album is both exposure and semi cool.

Beetlebum is an incredible start, but the rest was kind of hit or miss for me

Knew song 2. I enjoyed this album, but probably wouldn’t throw this on myself

better than i thought

I mean it was alright I don't think I needed to listen to it before I died

Frontloaded album Fave track: Song 2

i dont get it. Song 2 and nothing else.

This is Blur pretty good, I like park life better.

Blur is an apt description for this album. Only hours after hearing it I remember nothing about it.

Blur > Oasis, but let's see if that's actually true, because I've never listened to a full album of theirs (I just like 'Parklife' a lot). I see that their previous album is called "Live at the Budokan", which is terrifying. I already heard one "Live at the Budokan" album in this lifetime, thanks. Good album cover. Looks of its time. I was always weirded out by this being the Gorillaz guy, but now, for the first time, I can hear it. Blur > Gorillaz (for me) though, for sure. I never really liked 'Song 2', but I do like that it is in fact Song 2. If it weren't that'd be crazy, but I kinda assumed it wasn't. And it's 2 minutes 2 seconds! Solid stuff. OK, nothing super duper impressed me. It was fine. I did like it more than Oasis, but it was a closer call than expected.

Before this, I’ve only heard ‘Song 2’ from this album and I really haven’t heard much Blur. I couldn’t help but constantly think I was hearing a rock album from Gorillaz. I blame my dumb mind. Really good though! Has a good variety of songs that’s I’ll probably go back to. 3.7/5.0

That's the second day in a row with Britpop. Why are there so many of these albums on the list? I like Gorillaz, so maybe this won't be too bad ... So Beetlebum and Song 2 are great. Everything else is ok to a bit annoying. The grunge like fuzzy guitars are not working with these pop songs. 3.25

didnt like the songs but it was an alirghe experience i see why its a good album mid songs tho

I like this album a lot more than the other Blur album we had to listen to. This is btw a 3 and a 4 to me.

Bought this with the came out and usually stopped listening after the first two songs. And none of the rest of the album is actually as well crafted as those two... but it's a solid record, with some pretty creative stuff on side two that I never gave a chance before. Not Blur's best, but I like it.

I sort of get it but sort of don’t. It’s weird how little my perspective on this has changed since I first heard it 20 years ago.

Never got into Blur, but I dig Gorillaz.

Blur decides to lean into the underground lo-fi movement in America and blends it with their electronic Brit-pop. Can hear the influence of Pavement, Sebadoh, Pixies, Sonic Youth all over this album. It has some great sonic moments, some fun upbeat tunes, the ballads are a bit whinny for my liking. It is a hip album but I wouldn't consider it great. It's a fun listen and credited to the band for evolving.

Older and newer Blur albums have been better. But this is still solid.

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.

Interesting

Good for the style

Couple of great tracks, thr others are good 3/5 compared to the rest of their albums