Blur

Song 2 I s good. The rest, not so much.

Decent. Not great but decent

OK.

Not too remarkable or memorable.

“Song 2” was good, high energy song. The rest of the album was pretty underwhelming.

ordinary

Enjoyed

This was their, ‘let's let Graham do one’ after the laddy, celebrity, smash hits cover that was The Great Escape. Beetlebum has the lovely contrast between moody verse and sweet sing along chorus. Song 2 is the one everyone learns how to play, fun riff. Your poor man's Teen Spirit. Obviously they weren't entirely serious about this one. Ballad Man has a cool slacker rock malaise to it. MOR doesn't do much for me. I put On Your Own in the same box as It Could Be You, feels like the emphasis is on churning out a poppy number, rather than having good words or interesting instrumental turns in it. You're so Great, has an edgy demo like purity about it. Reminds me if Beck's One Foot in the Grave. I love Death of the Party. It's my favourite on the album. Really depressing account of a party and not having fun there. Interesting sounds and atmosphere created, and still manages to have a bit of a hook. For me, every track after this blends into a lackluster durge. Not a world beater of an album, but still pretty darn good.

A big fan of the music of this general time period. But never a big fan of Blur.

Interesting

Its another blur album, its good but parklife is so much better just listen to that instead

Sure it’s a bit wanky, but solid fun regardless

Damon why are you so boring

Blur songs are consistently solid but it is rare that I feel moved by them.

It's good. Not sure why I don't like blur more, while I love Gorillaz.

Why is Blur popular at all? They mid AF.

Listens: 1 The album felt pretty bland, monotonous from a music perspective. I didn't really focus on the lyrics too much. Has that one song that's been used in car commercials for the past 2 decades. I don't know how I feel about the fact that Damon Albarn went on to form the Gorillaz after this. The Gorillaz are generally fantastic. Maybe I need to give the album another more detailed listen.

Blur may have woefully lost the Battle of Britpop, but their charm and charisma make them leagues better than Oasis. 4/5

3.8 - I liked this more than the others I think. His voice is still a struggle though

You're So Great is quite an interesting song. Sounds almost like a Modest Mouse track or an early Radiohead demo. Look Inside America is just Country House isn't it? I don't think this is really a great album. It's ok, kinda like most of Blur's other stuff. But at least compared to their Britpop contemporaries this album is evidence of evolution to a new sound, some experimentation. Fave Tracks: Beetlebum, Song 2, Death of a Party, Essex Dogs 3.3/5

Voisin vaikka vannoa, että tää levy on ollut tällä listalla jo… Hienosti on kaks hyvää biisiä ekana, loppu on sitten ihme huminaa jossa on joku visio mutta en jaksa kuunnella sitä selvittääkseni. Tähdet ekoille biiseille.

"Woohoo" on neroutta, mutta yleisesti ottaen säveltäjä on aivan liian mieltynyt keskitempoiseen laahaukseen. Missä "yeehaa"? Tai edes "awright"?

Is what it is. Music for those not listening.

Meh

+1 Beetlebum, +1 Song Two, Average rest of album

I think everyone knows Song 2 but everyone should know death of a party

Fyrstu tvö lögin eru classics. Restin not so much.

Ákveðin vonbrigði. Farið að hægjast á Blur vélinni þarna. Besta lagið stolið frá Botnleðju.

Surprisingly bad and boring bunch of songs

Not bad. A few songs I've heard before and liked but didn't know the name of. Went on a drive with Sam today and got beef nihari. I wasnt very good at conversation but he didn't mind. Punkish party jams.

Blur by Blur has two big hits, Beetlebum and Song 2, but the rest of the album it pretty good too. Maybe they could have cut a couple of tracks from it and made it a bit more tight, but it's still really good altogether.

I loved Beetlebum and Song 2 is a primary school CLASSIC but, none of the rest of the album ever got its hooks into me. I'll always pick them over Oasis in the Great Debate and I really appreciate their style and creativity.

Did a father Ted joke in my pulp review, can’t reuse the same joke here. Well I can, but that would be tacky. Song 2 may be over played, but it’s a song that sounds so good & has such a strong energy that it managed to break the britpop barrier & make it through to the states and the rest of the world. I like that you can feel this evolving as the album goes on, there’s some songs like On Your Own & Death of A Party that have a sound that’s a little more electronic, more Radiohead than britpop at some points. You can kind of hear Gorillaz starting to materialise in Damon’s vocals and the overall sound during some of the later songs. Overall, big fan - a very cool album.

Nothing too exciting.

Pretty good! I came into this album knowing a couple songs by Blur, but only Song 2 from this album. With that being what I knew, I was expecting a bit of a different sound. It's still great, just not as upbeat as Song 2. A much more mellow sound throughout that makes me think of Cage the Elephant. Although I could do without the echo track and sudden discordant noises, overall enjoyable

Big fan of blur as they were one of the first bands I got really into. This is not my favorite of theirs, even though I do still love it, and obviously it’s an important album in their discography as a transition in their sound.

More Indy than Brit-Pop.

It feels like an awkward spot between the Life trilogy of albums (Modern Life, Parklife and The Great Escape) and 13. There are great moments in here(Beetlebum, Song 2 and On Your Own), but I feel like the album suffers from experimental stuff that wasn't their forte. A good first step from Damon Albarn into the path that would lead to Gorillaz, but as a whole the album feels uneven. 6/10

finally an answer to the question: what if gorillaz sucked shit? - or - the waiter keeps coming around with a big pitcher of damon albarn trying to “top off” everyone, and you have to put your hand over your glass to stop him. you’re not really full but have plans for something better later.

it's good, song 2 is kinda whatever

Woo Hoo!

8/10 Blur’s always been a bit of an exception to the lackluster British Pop scene for me, although this record marks a transitional period where they essentially gave up on needing to make Britpop. The band had been pretty big, enough to warrant the discussion behind who was the better Britpop act with Oasis. It wasn’t much of a debate, but by 1995, Oasis had pretty much won the battle of the best British act of the 90s, so blur would decide to make good music instead. blur is a funny album, it gave them their biggest hit which was essentially a parody song, it’s so stylistically trying to distance itself from Britpop, and embraces stuff like Slacker Rock, Experimental Rock, and Trip hop instead, stuff that would be a great precursor to their next magnum opus 13, and eventually Gorillaz. It’s flawed, not every experiment lands, some of it is still British, but it’s still such a cool transitional point in their career. I wouldn’t like to be British either Damon.

Meh, this was long winded. Pretty fun, but as an album it needed to be about half as long to get its point across. This album reads more like a deluxe, but is merely a standard. As if bonus tracks were included.

I mean, no matter what, Song 2 is a banger. Can't take that away. The rest of the album isn't bad, but it's not really above the way either. On Your Own is the other real standout in my opinion. Leaving in the mid-range.

Quite the enjoyable listen. This album is very experimental on many of the tracks which i dig. I will likely go back to this album. It has a very unique theme to it which I haven't seen before. Overall solid album, with a couple of songs saved to my main playlist.

I only knew Song 2, and honestly, I'm really tired of hearing that one, even if it is a 90's classic. Beetlebum is amazing, it has such a Beatles sound. Death of a Party reminded me a bit of the Smiths. I also hear a lot of Bowie's influence throughout this whole thing.

This album was not good. I thought I knew and liked some Blur. Turns out that thought was incorrect. 2.5

I feel although they are decent band they got too much hype amd are overrated. Have a few CDs and when Inlisten to them it desnt feel as it did when they came out. They were looking to promote new bands and they pushed this one as superstars that didnt deliver to their potential. Album is Ok still hold sup but nothong spectacular

TWO Blur albums so far and no Doors?? How much Blur do I have to endure!?

it’s alright i guess. OK you got me. that was just a little joke. :P but in all seriousness i have spent so much time listening to and thinking and talking about this album that writing my thoughts down here seems like an entirely futile gesture, mostly because i STILL can’t put into words why i love it so much and what it means to me. it defies categorization on every level. well you know what they say…WOOHOO!!!!! fav tracks: essex dogs; you're so great; country sad ballad man; death of a party; i'm just a killer for your love; beetlebum; look inside america; strange news from another star; song 2

I feel like I always overlook this album because despite having listened through the album multiple times, not many of the songs are ones I tend to go back to. BUT the ones I do go back to from this album are like my favorite Blur songs so they get points for that. Hearing all of them in context after listening to them independently for awhile was so crazy because it’s really such a roller coaster….the energy is constantly going between somber and goofy and at times was a little jarring. But I don’t necessarily hate it because it kept it interesting — no two back-to-back songs felt similar at all so at any given point I did not know what was coming next. I think the more indie rock-leaning songs were not my favorites (”Movin’ On”, “M.O.R.”). I know that this album famously has Pavement influences and tbh that’s not really my kind of music (SORRY EMILIA) so that’s probably why those don’t resonate with me as much. I do love the kind of sinister sound on a lot of tracks (”Death of a Party”, “I’m Just a Killer for your Love”, “Essex Dogs”) and definitely gravitate towards those. I like that they both sound like real instruments but also pretty unnatural, as if they’ve been warped or messed with to a point of sounding kind of otherworldly and foreboding (or even kind of industrial??) And then “Beetlebum” and “You’re So Great” are just two of the most beautiful songs EVER to me. All in all it’s pretty good. Fav tracks: Beetlebum, You’re So Great, Death of a Party

I’ve listened to a lot of Blur and probably even heard every album but I don’t know them as in depth as a lot of Damon’s other projects, but I’ll say, the other dudes deserve some recognition for their sound. It’s not just the Damon show. Do I know their other names? Of course not.

I've listened to this album before, many years ago. There are some good songs on there but the kind of music blur makes doesn't resonate with me much. I can't say exactly why but I'm just not really drawn in by the songs. The good songs are added to my playlists since before and the others wont be.

Boring. Left no impression

Some bangers, some duds

I like blur. Also song 2 has got some grunge to it. Not a 5 though, only a few memorable songs

I don't remember ever listening to this entire album in the past. The last track was a real surprise.

3.5 kind of liked it more than expected

I've always hated Song 2 and the vibe it gave off. When I started listening to the album, I thought "well this might be better than I thought it would be". I was kinda wrong, but also kinda right. Song 2 is the worst song on this IMHO, but some of the songs were really enjoyable. It's just not really my genre overall, but I won't have nightmares (or sweet dreams) about Blur.

Blur's self-titled is their first attempt at evolving their sound and moving away from britpop. As such, this album feels more like a mish-mash of different styles than a coherent listen, with some parts being more successful than other. Although I'm not a huge fan of the more lo-fi sound they went with here, I don't hate anything about this album and actually like most of the songs. But its inconsistency definitely bring the experience down. 7/10

People dismissed Blur in the 90s as little more than a boy band. Hopefully that opinion is being reevaluated now that there’s distance on it. They crafted smart, interesting art that it just so happens had massive sing along choruses. This record is a departure from their Kinks-like British slice of life schematics,but ultimately yielded the hit that broke them in the US. Skip Song 2 if you must, but give the rest of the record a listen.

I don't particularly love it or anything, but it's a perfectly serviceable album.

Love this album

7/10

Beetlebum was pretty good, and Song 2 is super popular for a reason. The rest of the album was filled with more average rock tinged Brit pop - it wasn’t bad at all, and I’d happily listen to the full album again, but it just wasn’t very memorable.

WOO-HOO 💥

En del sjyssta låter med bra energi men inga mästerverk. Ingen särskilt minnesvärd skiva. "Song 2" är ju en klassiker och har en bra "hook" men i övrigt är det inte en så stark låt. 3 av 5.

unfortunately does not break my streak of midly enjoying but not rly Getting damon albarn projects. something ab the songwriting on his stuff tends to slip right off me...tho they at least tend to have some good soundscapes, i can appreciate the flirting with louder and scuzzier guitars thru this album. this record is situated in an interesting historical place, a high-pressure attempt to keep up the band's trajectory after a contentious last album, internal tensions, and britbop essentially dying. the style reorientation here seems v smart, and ultimately allowed the band to finally break through in america, but just Knowing The Information only helps me so much when im missing so much of the context. wish i had more to say about the actual experience of the record, but moderate pleasure (and admiration even moreso, its rare a desperate course correction was this obviously successful) that just kinda falls out of my hands afterwards is all ive got for now

- Do not dislike anything here, but nothing stands out either. Every track should be in the background of a 90s coming-of-age drama, specifically b/c it does not draw attention to itself. - Knew "Song 2" (who doesn't). "Strange News from Another Star" and "Movin' On" were pretty good. - 3 stars for being pleasant, I guess?

"Blur" is the fifth studio album by English rock band Blur. The band had been previously critical of American popular culture but they ended up moving away from their Britpop towards a more aggressive style influenced by American indie bands, particularly noted is Pavement. Hence, the Wiki-listed genres for this album are indie rock, lo-fi, alternative rock, art rock and experimental rock. The album was their last with producer Stephen Street and he purposely went with a more stripped down approach. (minimal strings and horns). The bandmembers were Damon Albarn (lead vocals, piano, keyboards, organ, acoustic guitar), Graham Coxon (guitars, backing and lead vocals, theremin), Alex James (bass) and Dave Rowtree (drums). Commercially, the album reached #1 in the UK and #61 in the US. Critically, the album had mostly positive reviews. "Beetlebum" starts out with a ticking noise, guitar riffs and Albarn's voice. Drums come in and there's an anxious vibe. Albarn goes falsetto and with backing vocals, this sounds very pyschedelic and Beatle-esque. There's a back and forth between the guitar riffs and pyschedelia. The song is about Albarn heroin experiences with then-girlfriend Justine Fleischman. Drums, the guitar and Albarn's famous "woo-hoo" gets "Song 2" into gear. Searing guitar, fuzzy bass. They get fast-slow-fast dynamic going. Why named "Song 2?" Well, it's the second song on the album and it's 2 minutes and 2 seconds long. It's been far and away the most played Blur song in the US. "M.O.R. is supposedly a homage to Mott the Hoople. Well, it does have a catchy power pop tone. With distorted, echoing guitars, it also reminded my of Sonic Youth. There will be a lot more US indie band resemblances to be heard. A drum machine and weird synth noise introduce "In Your Own." Coxon on what sounds like a Black Crowe's guitar riff. OK...nothing bad there. Albarn singing and rapping. There's handclapping. Here's your lo-fi and, of course, we need to mention Pavement and Weezer. Graham Coxon takes over lead vocals on his mostly acoustic "You're so Great." It seems to be about his struggles with alcoholism. He conjures up Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis on the guitar solo. Well, now, well....Albarn seems to have changed his mind about the US in "Look Inside America." This is maybe the only sort-of Britpop song on the album. There's strings. He's accepting America. Albarn sounds like David Bowie in "Kooks." Again, nothing wrong with that. This album covered a lot ground...pyschedelic 60's, weird ballads, power pop, space rock, punk and even their Britpop. And the influences of Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., the Beatles, the Kinks, Guided by Voices, the Black Crowes and David Bowie could be heard. It's different than any previous Blur album that I've heard, it's quite long at 60 minutes and, sometimes, it's kind of a mess but... I enjoyed this album quite a bit. No, it's not their best; you can argue over "Modern Life is Rubbish," "Parklife," or "13." However, there's a lot here that's done quite well and worth a listen.

14 cançons per quedar-s'hi a viure dins totes elles. El més interessant és que consolida a Damon Albarn com el major compositor/productor contemporani. Aquest àlbum és un calaix de sastre, una proveta d'assaig de tots els sons que, anys després, enlluernaran el món. Potser no totes lliguen les unes amb les altres, però totes elles són hipnòtiques o espurnejants. Només per l'audàcia mereix totes les estrelles que hi càpiga.

Blah blah blah, Britpop is not for me, blah blah. I mean, it isn't, but I'm not going to repeat that every time I listen to one of these Britpop albums (even though I just did). But I feel like I understand my dislike for this genre much better after listening to this. Just like Oasis, there's no personality here, no unique sound to warrant this album's fifty-plus minute run time. It's just an album comprised of other pre-existing (90s) sounds from artists who did said sounds way better. I mean, even the huge song off this album 'Song 2' felt like a big ball of nothing to me. Needless to say, Daman Albarn would go on to do infinitely more interesting things with Gorillaz. Some moments here were somewhat interesting. I enjoyed the ominous 'Theme From Retro' and the organ-driven 'Death of a Party," which might be my favorite song here. The quirky, off-kilter acoustic ballad 'You're So Great' wasn't too bad either. However, everything else felt so boring and empty, especially the 8-minute closer 'Essex Dog," which did absolutely nothing for me and was just one big droney mess. So, yeah, I didn't like this one at all.

Not what I expected. Very cool. Very Gorillaz

Listening was a Blur. All sounded the same.

This is like Oasis for me, some good tunes, but i really do not get the hype over any of it.

One hit, and a lot of misses. 5/10

Soulless and derivative.

I was looking forward to giving this album a listen until I saw that ghoulish, ghastly runtime. Gorillaz were the first band that I really got into and while their music isn't in my rotation anymore I still have a great deal of respect for the Albarn-centric tracks from the band. Forgive me for being one of the unwashed masses that compares Gorillaz to Blur, but I do think it's interesting to look at some of these tunes as proto-Rillaz tracks. There are a few musical curios and unorthodox sounds peppered throughout this album that really do remind me of the Kong Studio-ers, especially during the Demon Days phase. "Death of a Party", "Movin On" and "Essex Dogs" are particularly reminiscent of this. I'm ashamed to say this, but I think I greatly prefer Albarn as a solo-musician when compared to his more collaborative ventures. This goes for everything that was released with his name before and after the debut of Gorillaz. I think he especially thrives when he is working with a low-fidelity, underproduced sound (i.e. self-titled Gorillaz and The Fall). Anyways, on to talking about the album at hand as it's quite interesting. I can't think of another non-American band that has aped this kind of washed out, abrasive indie sound. Pairing that sound with the off-key, quirky vocals of Damon Albarn works surprisingly well and is quite endearing. That being said, I think this sound is very indistinct and restrictive, which is especially damning during the second half as the album continues to pile on some very unambitious 5+ minute songs that sound near-identical to one another. Still, for what it is, it's perfectly listenable. Maybe I'm going crazy, but I recall there being a Blur song that was entirely instrumental with a short repeating melody that progressively gets quicker and segues into a barrage of clattering percussion. I'm going nuts trying to find that song - I can hear it in the back of my mind. It's probably from a Blur-adjacent band

Song 2 has such a ballsy bass tone. crazy that a song just over 2 minutes could be so fucking sonically COMMANDING. Chinese Bombs is also another strong track. There is a lot of experimentation in sonic landscapes on this album, but a lot of the low tempo stuff just doesn't do it for me.

Song 2 AND Beetlebum 👌

I mean, it’s fine. I thought Parklife was a much better listen personally

Song 2 is all you need.

indie noventista + britpop = esse álbum, mto bom

WOO-HOO! é britpop mas com uma pegada de indie estadunidense né. praticamente um "escutei pavement e sonic youth com minha banda de britpop e olha no que deu". longe de ser uma crítica btw. eu gostei bastante

Decent.

It grew on me. Especially liked Essex Dogs

Some classic tracks, and can see it's influence clearly on what came after. Interesting listen, but not sure I'd come back often

Pretty good Influential

It was good, never listened to the whole thing before

Why am I transported to 6 different memories and feelings on this album. It must be good and also kind of confuses me.

Meh. 3

It had its moments and its time in the sun for sure but I think the only standout track is Song 2 which is pretty unfortunate. Blur I know has better albums and songs than this one. I wasn't moved.

Favorite Track: Song 2

Perfect.

Not a Blur fan. But since this was less Blurry than the other stuff I've heard, I'm willing to shift, just barely, out of the 2-star range. The songs are decent musically, but Damon Albarn needs to go off in a corner and cry with the rest of the wet-blanket singers who sound like him. Wait...is that a harp?! No matter, Oasis is still better.

Listened Before? N Pretty good 90's alt album. Of course, Song 2 is well known and that's about all in the US. I enjoyed the first 5 songs or so and then it started to wear on me. It's fine I guess. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Beetlebum

point7.

Fantastic start with Song 2 & Beetlebum, the rest of the album didn't feel that special anymore. Still, Blur holds fantastic memories of de Lokerse for me.

Alleen al voor Beetlebum en Song 2 zou ik dit album 5 sterren geven, dus ik moet mezelf tegenhouden. True, twee fucking goeie nummers, maar voor de rest heb je wel een paar oké nummers, zoals You're so Great en Country Sad Ballad Man, maar dat is het ook. 3.7

Almost quit listening, but made it through. It was okay, but won't be marking this as a favorite.

Very moody, very grungy. Liked a lot of this, but not all.

Big fan of Song 2 and Beetlebum, as well as Death of a Party, but the sound starts to get repetitive and I lose interest.

Love Blur, and this has some of my favourite songs of theirs on (Beetlebum and She's So Great) It's an interesting album which is generally a bit grungier than what they normally do. The whole album has this distorted distant quality which helps emphasize that post-addiction era that lots of the songs allude to. Out of the three albums of theirs I've listened to, it's either as good or just below Parklife, hard to tell as they're slightly different in tone so I'd listen to them in different moods. It is however better than Leisure.

Não gostei muito. Timbres feios, produção meia boca, só os hits são bons

This was okay. The Gorillaz are definitely better.

Noise Rock electro

noniin vhidoinkin täyttä paskaa, vähän menny yläkanttiin viimeaikoina arvostelut. woo-hoo. tällähän ei ole ollenkaan arvoa musiikkimaailmassa, ei pahemmin kun kävellä ohi ja ivailla vähäsen kun tämmöstä näkee. woo-hoo. kammottavintahan on se että vielä yksi albumi tältä porukoilta tulossa ja pelottaa, pelottaa pimeät yöt tämän takia. woo-hoo. blurs unique and unmistakable sound, niin pari sanaa voisi sanoa tuosta mutta ehkä kävelen vaan ohi ja pikkasen ivailen mielummin kun tuhlaan tätä rajattua aikaani mitä täällä nyt sattuu olemaan. woo-hoo. haista blur paska olet turha bändi hyödytön ja tylsä, kuuntelijanne ovat vain pehmeitä päästä ja unohtaneet miltä oma olemus tuntuu ja seuraavat kavereita esittävät kiinnostuneita niin paljon että vakuuttavat itsellekkin että mukamass tykkäävät tästä. woo-hoo. thme from retro

Middling listen Song 2 has been so overused by every Canadian sports franchise building that despite it being a great track, it makes me skip the tune. Death of a party and Essex Dogs were my favs. Some good dub/dancehall sounds and a fun listen. Rest of the album I was meh on

I liked this one a good bit when I was a teen. Now I think I'd rather listen to the influences that set Blur in this direction, but I do appreciate hearing a band try to stretch themselves a little. I think I appreciate the lead guitar more than I did as a teen, when I would have just thought "guitar fill, ok sure". When I was 15 or 16 the instrumental after Essex Dogs (pretty cool track itself, always dug the shifting tempo) totally blew my mind. I'd never heard something sound so melodic and so obviously out of tune with the standard scale at the same time. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

About 500 albums deep in this thing, I really grumble when a 90s britrock album comes up. No different for this one. But ya know what? Wheat/chaff. This album is wheat. Song 2 will never not be annoying but I think they knew that too. The rest is real nice, some cool guitar stuff, good vocals, creative and varied songs.

Done

Blur goes brrr.. it’s fine.

Song 2 is a classic, but I feel like I'm missing something with Blur.

This was a cool album. Song #2 is a CLASSIC hockey song that I have known forever but they had a unique rock sound to the rest of their stuff that had a good blend of harder and softer rock elements to it. They don’t have the obnoxious voice sound some of the British artists have so that was a big bonus too.

Very nice! 8.5/10

They can be quite infuriating, Blur. There is a handful of great moments on this but as with most of their albums it's topped up with Blur by numbers irritations.

Wouldn't listen again. Turns out I don't really like this album. Song 2 is fantastic, and I liked a couple of others, but overall kind of a dud for me. A couple of songs sounded like the Smiths, and not in a good way?

No listening pleasure, unspectacular and boring.

Blur - Blur Album Review Blur’s self-titled 1997 album was their grand reinvention, a bold left turn that saw them ditch the knees-up Britpop anthems in favor of something grittier, artier, and—let’s be honest—a bit more American. Gone were the chirpy cockney tales of bus stops and greasy spoon breakfasts; instead, we got fuzzy guitars, existential mumbling, and a general sense that Damon Albarn had been spending a lot of time in a dark room, listening to Pavement and questioning his life choices. It was a sonic reinvention that critics ate up, and fair play—Blur is an excellent album. But let’s not get carried away. It’s not Oasis, is it That’s not to say the album doesn’t slap. Song 2 alone is scientifically proven to make any activity 64% more exciting—whether it’s playing football, Cleaning a room, or just making a sandwich. Beetlebum is a proper slinky, woozy gem that makes you feel like you’ve just woken up with a banging hangover, On Your Own is weirdly brilliant, and Look Inside America might be one of Blur's finest moments. Even the more experimental bits like Essex Dogs have a certain chaotic charm. It’s an album of textures, moods, and grungy weirdness, and the fact that Blur pulled it off so well proves they were more than just Britpop’s cheeky chappies.

It’s likely everyone knows “Song 2” which is Blur’s flagship song in the states. Outside that, the tracks tend to reflect the band’s influences like post-punk, krautrock, and what I assume is a direct homage to Bowie (“Strange News from Anothet Star”). Overall, I like it quite a bit and a good bit more than their debut, but there is still too much filler to make it 5 stars.

Favourite songs: - Beetlebum - Song 2

Old-school Britpop. To be in elementary school again!

Didn't do it for me

Parents played a lot of Blur when I was a kid - Song 2 always irks me a bit just cos it's a bit of a shit track IMO but there are some good ones on here before Damon Albarn climbed all the way up his own arse.

Love this album Own this album great songs and great band

Mixed bag, graham coxon is genius

I love a good sound experiment, and I'm glad they were open to trying new things, but Blur's self-titled LP falls short. As a kid I would always wonder "what if (band) made a (genre) album?" and it always provided hours of fun to speculate. However, this album is an example of it not working out. In an attempt to sound like contemporary indie and alt-rock bands in the US, Blur undergoes a stylistic change that doesn't really suit them. Some of the songs are decent, but they just don't do enough to really put them over. It may have to do with Blur's documented distaste for grunge. If they heard unlistenable garbage, then "I'm Just A Killer For Your Love" seems like a piss-take that reflects their view. Highlights: "Essex Dogs", "Song 2", "Strange News from Another Star" Blur is best when they're British. Damon's best when he's in Gorillaz.

Not as good as Parklife, but I still enjoyed some tracks. However, the album kept shifting directions stylistically. I would love one track, then despise the next. If it were more consistent, I would give it a higher rating.

Decent album, has Song 2, Damon Albarn hates we all remember Song 2

Strong start to an album all with a solid sound, however, it felt like in the latter half it got more experimental and I lost interest since it wasn't what I was expecting. Collectively a 2/5, had they kept the momentum and consistency of the sounds within the first couple of songs it would've been a solid 3.

Much more than just the American indie influences, think it still holds up

While this album finally led them to breaking through in the US, Parklife for me is their best album that shows the depth of their talent. Still top tier Blur.

Ah, heck. How many fucking times: one song doesn’t make a great album. Beyond that song this just isn’t very interesting.

Middle school me loved Song 2. Grown up me still does. I actually don't think I've ever heard this whole album though so it will be interesting. I feel like 'Oasis or Blur' was the 'Beatles or Stones' of the 90s. After listening I think I might be team Oasis here. I like this album but other than Song 2 I don't feel like it really has much to offer. It's fine. 2.5/5 rounding up.

favorite songs: beetlebum, song 2, country sad ballad man, you’re so great, i’m just a killer for your love, movin’ on

Indie rock

There's some songs I like from here. 4 out of 5.

7/10

To be honest I was kind of bored listening to this. 6.5/10 Fave track: Song 2

I really enjoyed it! I liked just about every song.

I really like the direction Blur took on this album. It's an odd mix of lo-fi with Street's slick production. The album's packed with great songs. I love You're So Great, but I've never been a fan of Beetlebum. (Sorry I prefer Coxon over Albarn!) Liked Songs Added: Song 2 Country Sad Ballad Man M.O.R. On Your Own You're So Great Look Inside America

Britpop :(

Better than my other Blur album here on this list, Modern Life Is Rubbish. Song 2 carries a lot, the rest is somewhere between quite ok and forgettable. Still not enough for 4.

Forgotten grunge, Song 2 is an unheralded gem

I only knew song 2, but everything else was top notch, crazy distorted guitars, Albarns Bowie like vocals, it all just messed together so so well. They're kinda like an evil gorillaz. 4.5/5.

Levei um bom tempo para ouvir o disco completo e dois minutos de Song 2 não representam o disco todo que é muito bem produzido para um primeiro disco.

This album is good but too long

Good indie music, all the stuff I like. Looper pedals creating moody instrumentals, bangers from my childhood, storybook Brit rock, etc. while song 2 kinda sucks it’s also pretty good and the band has a good sound.

S'okay. It's got decent instrumentals and vocal work, but overall just didn't feel cohesive or noteworthy. 'Song 2' hard carries this album though. So simple, yet so good!

Quite a solid album that doesn't have a single song that I would listen to on its own. Ofc Song 2 is a banger and no amount of commercials can change that, but I want to point out Strange News from Another Star, it's cool in a different sense

the first 2 songs baited me into thinking I would care about this album

This and Parklife stand up surprisingly well, even if both have a bit too much filler in the second half. Anyway, this was always the one I preferred by a good way. Bought my (probably knock off) cassette in an electronics market somewhere in Karachi in '97, and I'm getting some weird flashbacks to there from listening...

This feels dialed in but at the same time the hooks are there. It’s not a terrible album but it’s weird to think they used to battle it out with Oasis, like both bands were seriously on the same musical plain. I really can’t pin down what I don’t like about this album. Again, it has the hooks, it flows well, lyrically it’s not just pieced together I guess. I just don’t feel “it” when I’m listening. It was a wise choice for Damon to put most of his time into Gorrilaz

Singles better than album tracks

Great, but a couple songs i don't like

I remember this being big when I was in high school. Song 2 was the only one I knew and it’s the only song on here that I like. The rest of the album didn’t do much for me.

I initially had high hopes for this album. I mean, Song 2 has always been an anthem and I love the first couple of Gorillaz albums, so surely this had to be good to make this list. In reality, I wasn't really a fan. But I will say, I mostly expected this to be full of post-grunge rock in the vein of "Song 2" but it was kind of all over the place. I can definitely see where Damon Albarn transitioned to the Gorillaz from Blur. I'm also not surprised I didn't love it, given that this album came out during my formative years, yet I didn't know any song other than their hit single. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it also wasn't anything truly good or even noteworthy.

If you shuffled this album and asked me to guess the artist of every song, I’d guess 14 different bands/singers. Which is fun, but you can’t expect me to like all of it.

I’d only ever heard the two opening singles on this, both good songs. The rest of the album doesn’t live up to the same standard. Overall not a bad album but not sure it’s a classic

Never listened to this album beyond the iconic Song 2, but I liked it way more than I was expecting. Though they did themselves a disservice putting Beetlebum first I think, that was underwhelming. I'm such a huge Damon Albarn fan and it's cool to hear his early evolutions here, which honestly are not very different than they are now, distorted mic and all. I probably won't seek this out, but I would listen again. almost a 4 3.4/5

Found it mostly uninteresting. "Song 2" is iconic but I'm not sure I'm really that jazzed about it as a thing to listen to on its own, outside the context of a high-energy TV commercial for cars or basketball.

Enjoyed this more than 'Parklife'. I like the variety of sonic palettes they use and pop-minded structures. Fun but not sugary. They're a band looking forward and around them, but I don't know what it says about them personally as musicians.

Aside from Song Two which I still cannot fairly assess due to its being so overplayed when it first came out. You honestly couldn’t turn around without hearing the song. Unfortunately it ruined it a by association made me dislike the band without going deeper. Therefore this was my first time listening to the full album (or even partial). The songs were pleasant enough if not too memorable and I can see how people liked them. Unfortunately they sound “ of a time” and listening though pleasant would not be something I did without a project like this one.

Ok. Not my favorite, but some ok songs.

I didn't care for the first half this album. It had the song 2 that live heard a bunch but meh. The last 4 tracks though I really enjoyed. Especially Moving On and Essex Dogs

A great sound that seems like it would be pop but it isn’t exactly. Like if the Beatles were influenced by the 80s

Beetlebum, the guitar is so distorted, not shocking. Main vocal is an interesting melody, like that he switched from head to chest voice so easy. Lyrics are simple and confusing, horney and sad. Drums are easy and fun. Lead guitar has a little moment towards the end. This song could have ended a minute earlier for me. Song 2, an absolute classic. This is their peak?! surely. The guitar distortion is perfect, the drums perfectly simple. Lyrics and melody just sink in to your skin, the delivery is so so good. Only he can sing this song properly. The accent so prominent is incredible. All 2 minute songs are perfect, that is my theory, it could be brain rot that has caused this opinion however I believe a 2 min song doesn’t give an artist a chance to fuck up something brilliant by trying to add to it. Country Sad, the weird noises at the start, scratch my brain. I love that he just sings in such strange ways, it adds to their sound so much. This song has stuff that fucks with the key it’s in and it’s fun. I think these lyrics are just about being a normal fluctuating sad man??! idk. The crash out at the end is a lot, works well. M.O.R, oh this whole intro is banging. Beatles sounding backing vocals for sure. I like the energy of this track but i don’t think it’s their most memorable. On Your Own, feels somewhat indie country twang?! it’s the four on the floor beat and the tabourine??! Love the lyrics, feels like it’s about being famous but really trying to remind people you’re just humans in a band. “My joy of life is on a roll, And we’ll all be the same in the end” Theme From Retro, feels like a bit of a filler song for me. It’s interesting and breaks it up but don’t think it was a necessary part of the album. You’re So Great, lyrics are relatable and lovely. The placement of his voice in the mix sounds like a hungover conscience being nurtured by the instruments. The instruments being the people you love around ya. “City’s alive, a surprise, so am i” and “And i feel the light when you tell me it’s okay” encapsulates the energy perfectly. Death of a Party, almost circus sounds coming from a synth? A great song asking is it really all worth the hangover they’ve just had lol. You can keep going to “enjoy” yourself. But the more you go to the more you’ll “hang yourself….gently on the shelf” by the end of it. Chinese Bombs, welll it comes straight in as i’m sure a bomb would (sorry that’s insensitive). However I the line “Bruce Lee come, save the day” would also be seen as distasteful. This is a heavy topic to cover in 1:23 but i guess they did that so?? not sure how to feel truly. I’m Just a Killer, kind of similar sounds wise to the one before, a wall of noise situation. Damon really doesn’t push his vocals forward very much. It’s really interesting. Not my fave track. Look inside America, vocals!! off the bat loud and clear. The band is so tight of course. Great bass. He’s speaking about how hard it is to break America! All the “second rate chat-show” performances that have to be done for example. “Look inside America, she’s alright….But i’m not trying to make her mine”. Think this really shows they were happy with their success inside the UK and after this album and success of Song 2, i wonder how they look back on this song?! Strange News, veryyyyy bowie. Almost nonsensical but not at all? feeling really lost within the world. The soundscape is really otherworldly noises i like it. Again they mess with keys and it’s interesting. Very floaty song, nice to escape to. Moving on, has the clicking track sound at the beginning. very cool choice. Again his vocals so low in the production, letting the instruments do the main talking. Singing about how weird it is to be at the forefront of a style?? like you really have to just move on with it, believe in it. They did that and I hope they had fun making such a big wave, as hard as it may have been to ride. Last track, Essex Dogs. Sounds like a revving engine. Was not expecting those drums, like an r&b sound. The two sounds are not married but they work. The guitars try to pull it together. Oh talking, our accent is so good lol. This is chatting about the gritttty reality of a big city, like london. “You’ll catch the flu, or you’ll catch the city” incredible work. Good ending to this maaad sounding album. Hold on. I thought it was over and it’s not. A mini song at the end?! an extended outro. could live without it but a cool touch. It has to be a 4, listening it all the way through again will happen at some point. But i’m not turning it back on immediately. I mean maybe song 2 hehe. Album artwork is a 4 for me too, love the colour, the acc blur also good work. tiny bit anxiety inducing if i’m honest.

Even Song 2 didn't do much for me at this point

Really cool record, can definitely hear some Beatles & Bowie influence here. Really enjoyed it but it was something i should have gotten into when i was younger, the 90s britpop essence didn't quite resonate with me (especially now) but i enjoyed the album either way. Some great guitar solos and it felt kind of scruffy but also neat in a way, crunchy and raw but well executed.

Felt like something I would’ve enjoyed listening to on CD in my car in the 90s. Not terrible but it sounds like a moment in time I completely missed.

Besides the one hit song on the album, the rest was a waste of time. It’s very boring and non inspired. Of it wasn’t for Song 2, I’d rate this album a 1.

4 stars, plenty of great tunes, beetlebum, song 2, killer for your love, several others.

Not their best by a long shot - still enjoyable though! Song 2 is still a kick ass tune

I love Blur, but i've always found this album a bit hit and miss. Beetlebum and Song 2 are up there with the greatest album openers, but there are a lot of fillers. Ideally I'd give it 3.5 out of 5

Mehh.. Not my music taste. But I liked the song "You're so Great". Also "Strange News from Another Star" is not bad. And of course "Song 2" is really famous and cool.

Nah

I only knew the track "Song 2" because, obviously, it's popular. Good album, good songs, overall 3 stars.

Would listen again

Damon alborn? I think that’s how you spell it is an interesting singer I always think of gorillaz when I hear blur good instrumentals and it is a good album I do find myself slipping more then a few songs but I did enjoy

started off good and then i lost interest. i didn’t hate it or anything, kinda wish i could give it a 2.5 tho. but i’ll be nice

Heard it before. The first album where they tried dropping their goofy britpop shtick (but still some songs are goofy-ish). What can I say, I have some nostalgia for Blur. 13 is better though. 4/5

Blur's second-best album after *Parklife*, simply put. First, it's got the essential one-two punch opening the proceedings, i.e. "Beetlebum" and "Song 2" (which are part of the most iconic Blur songs, along with "Girls And Boys", "To The End" and "Parklife", from... *Parklife*). Sure, "Beetlebum" can be considered as a White-Album-era Beatles pastiche, but it's one that's pulled off in such a stellar way that it just becomes irresistible. The song goes from ominous to elated in a blink, and it's a perfect opener to state what the whole record's about (but more on that in a second). As for "Song 2"... WOO-HOO! That goddamn guitar riff! Those vocals hooks! That sudden turn into a short and oh-so-impactful saturated mayhem! You got to be allergic to simple fun pleasures not to recognize the stroke of genius behind such a banger. Yep, you can use the words "fun" and "genius" in the same sentence. That track is one of Blur's most recognized songs for a reason after all. Secondly, *Blur* is the album where Albarn and co. understood they had to get out of the dead-end that "Britpop" had become around 1997 (a year where Radiohead also did the same in a strikingly different fashion, by the way). Not that the record doesn't have its share of British references ("M.O.R." still sounds like the Kinks, even if it's on steroids this time around! ; "On Your Own" indeed winks at Bowie, as another reviewer in here smartly remarked ; punky "Chinese Bombs" pays a tongue-in-cheek tribute to The Clash...). Yet clearly, the band had also listened to pivotal American acts such as Pavement, The Flaming Lips or Guided By Voices before recording this thing, yielding to more abrasive or more ambiguous-sounding results. One good example is the lo-fi-albeit-touching Graham Coxon number 'You're So Great" (where the guitarist taking on lead vocal duties in such a vulnerable manner brings unmistakable emotion to the tune). Or it's dreamy and moody cuts such as "Strange News From Another Star", replete with Rhodes piano tones and spacey, echoey soundscapes... Thirdly, and going beyond the America-against-Britain debate, this adventurous-yet-still-cohesive-enough LP develops a knack for endearing weirdness that makes it stand out from the pack decades after its release. It's those evocative carousel sounds in "Death Of A Party" (and also the quasi-instrumental interlude "Theme From Retro"), suggesting an atmosphere akin to Ray Bradbury or Stephen King yarns. Or it's the equally hypnotic "I'm Just A Killer for Your Love", part trip-hop, part Primal-Scream on valium. The pop songwriting is rarely left aside in the album though, even in those "weird" cuts, very fortunately. Except on the instrumental closer "Essex Dogs" ending the album on a question mark instead of a bang. Were The Fall or The Residents the key influence here? Your guess is as good as mine... Weird is weird, whether it's British or American. Interesting conclusion, at least, even if a bit underwhelming. Doesn't matter if the album ends in a valley anyway. The many peaks speak for themselves, don't they? Few bands have managed to reinvent themselves from scratch this gracefully and this effectively. Which is why this record MUST be included in a list such as this one. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around forty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 456 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 271 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 331

The album start off on the strongest foot possible with it's two best songs, Beetlebum and Song 2, the most successful demonstration of the musical styles that Blur will be blending on this album, their classic Beatles and Kinks inspired pop on the chorus of Beetlebum, and the new American lo-fi indie and alternative rock ala Pavement on the fuzzy and loose guitars of Song 2. However I feel this album still falls into the trappings of most Britpop albums of the era- It's simply too long with too many songs. A tight 10 song tracklist would have done this album a lot of good, and the removal of uninteresting tracks like M.O.R, You're So Great, I'm Just a Killer for Your Love and Theme from Retro would make it more focused. There were still other tracks that I enjoyed such as Country Sad Ballad Man, On Your Own and the fantastic Death of a Party. Essex Dogs could stay as well for the great song name. Although I did like it overall, if you turned it off after the second track, and you would have already enjoyed the best this album has to offer (with the exception of the mentioned Death of a Party). I think I just prefer Damon Albarn pretending to be a monkey as opposed to pretending to be a Man. It's getting a 3. I'll never love Blur. Great album cover though.

Better than previous ones. Getting away from the britpop sound thankfully. 2.5/5.

Middest stuff on earth

High 3.5 on first listen for Blur. Didn’t dig it as much as Modern Life and Parklife, but still liked it a decent bit. Favorite songs on first listen were “On Your Own”, “Death of a Party”, and “Look Inside America”. 3.5/5

Gorillaz

4 sterne

First? 3/5 Again? 4/5

Rock with indie elements, experimental - Definition of hit or miss, some tunes are fantastic while others are forgettable, some vocals are great while others are jarring, some instrumentals really hit the spot while others are just repetitive - Beetlebum and Death of a Party are standout tracks

definitiv ein tolles album von blur. ob es das beste von ihnen ist bezweifle ich, die zweite hälfte fällt dann stark ab. „Song 2“ mag ich noch immer!

Britpop ist nicht so meines, erinnert mich über zu grosse Strecke an die Beatles.

I'd rather not, just like nirvana sounds like band practice of any angsty teenage band, shit, out of tune, lackluster musical talent

They're fine. Their hits are fine. All just fine.

Pretty mid actually

I remember hearing this album back in the ’90s, but I didn’t have a clear memory of what it sounded like. Listening to it now, it’s amazing to pick up on the experimental and lo-fi elements that align so well with what Damon Albarn would later develop in Gorillaz. Some tracks really showcase a moodier, textured sound that feels like a precursor to Gorillaz’s atmospheric style. You can tell Albarn was moving away from the Britpop sound of the early ’90s. His vocal delivery here starts to embrace that lazy, detached style he uses in Gorillaz. The album incorporates experimental rhythms, loops, and a rougher, lo-fi production, while also dabbling in garage rock, indie, and electronic elements. There are even hints of hip-hop, dub, and funk influences in the mix. Overall, this album feels like a transitional moment, and not just for Blur moving beyond Britpop, but for Albarn laying the groundwork for what would come with Gorillaz.

The Good: any song that starts off by stating Who-ho! The Bad: being lazy and naming a song “song 2”… The Ugly: trying to understand if the album title is a reference to the band’s name, or bad eye sight, or just unfiltered beer? Yeah… so… Blur… not my cup of tea. 2 serious hits on the album, they are appreciated, and I was actually enjoying my second spin of the album, digitally speaking, until I got to the song Chinese Bomb and started thinking “what the fuck am I listening to?” Thankfully I spent the biggest part of the ‘90s not worrying about which Brit Pop band was bigger; Blur or Oasis, or any of the other wankers that were out there at the time, as I was gratefully enjoying the whole Grunge scene instead. Anyways, we are here to talk about this album, and I think I say enough with the following “it’s not bad, but isn’t great either, and in your heart you kinda know that, alothough it sounds alright, it’s actually just shite” Who-ho 3* downgraded to 2*

It was okay

Beetlebum ist ein mega Song. Der Rest auch super. Gutes Album.

Song 2 was of course the stand out, but the rest of the album kind of pleasantly blended together. Solid soft rock

I ‘m not immediately connected with it but I think it’s good enough to deserve another listen. 3.5

Good album.

I enjoyed listening to this and despite never listening to Blur before, I could instantly clock the britpop/90s indie vibes. Songs had some good variety and will probably listen again.

I love 'Beetlebum', obviously 'Song 2' is iconic, but then 'Country Sad Ballad Man' and 'M.O.R.' are just kind of forgettable. They fall into forgetfulness. 'On Your Own' is a little better. Not sure why he's singing so closely to David Bowie, but I don't necessarily mind it. It's a fun song. 'Theme from Retro' has an interesting intro, production wise, but ultimately ends up being pretty boring. Could have gone a lot of cool places, but decided to stay home is how I felt. I did really enjoy 'You're so Great'. That was nice. I liked the "chunky" production or however it was produced. The intro to 'Death of a Party' was really good. Really unique and original and well done. That energy stayed throughout the whole song. 'Chinese Bombs' felt like another sort of throwaway. Nothing there I latched onto. 'I'm Just a Killer for Your Love' was really nice. Felt authentic and I liked it a lot. The David Bowie impression returns for 'Look Inside America'. He stays for the next song, as well. The similarity isn't a bad thing, but just a tad derivative. 'Movin' On' is fine. Nothing too exciting going on there. The finale is just a bit long and drags. Not sure their goal on 'Essex Dogs', but I didn't get it. Overall, enjoyed the album, but it wasn't mind blowing. 4/5

Lo mejor y lo peor, o por lo menos demasiado experimental y aburrido, de Blur en un solo álbum. Del cañonazo de Song 2, el buen arranque de Beetlebum solo salvo M.O.R. y On your own.

Good album and is still relevant in todays music. Would listen to this again

Another 90s album with bloat, but the songwriting is really good - full of unexpected moments and melodies.

This album came out in my senior year of high school. Song 2 was a staple of alternative radio for years after (still kind of is). Though, somehow I've never heard 90% of the rest of this album. Which is too bad, I really enjoyed it. I remember vividly, some time in the first couple months after this came out, my mom and I were moving a couch from one room to another and Song 2 came on the radio. I very loudly sang along with the "WOO HOO" which totally freaked my mom out and almost caused her to drop the couch. Then we both laughed hysterically. Great memory. RIP mom.

Peak

3.5

Another delightfully strange one! I love finding a song I’ve heard all my life in the full context of the album. There were some hits for e, and some that didn’t quite land. 3.5/5

The late 1990s British scene had a sound. You could take many of these songs and place them on Radiohead’s The Bends, the Verve’s Urban Legends or Oasis Be Here Now, and you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Luckily I like all those albums, and this one too. #2 Song is a classic which you couldn’t escape when it came out, and some local radio still cycles regularly. Country Sad Ballad Man feels misplaced yet right in the pocket of this album. As the album progressed it seemed to get weirder, Blur thought this might be their only shot to pay homage to all of their influences. Overall this album is a bit of a time capsule, but a pretty good one!

This album was better than I remembered. I'm not even sure I ever even checked the whole album out back in the day. Of course "Song 2" was inescapable and is still a stadium anthem staple. "Death of a Party" caught my ear and reminded, that yeah, this is the Gorillaz guy. Damon Albarn is sort of underrated when you stack up what he did with Blur and then Gorillaz. This is a definite listen again album for me.

I'm not cool enough for Blur

Meh. Was waiting for something the whole album. Has that one song people know. The final song was good

American Indie Rock rather than Britpop. But Brit flavour is absolutely there. Some plain weird songs. A bit all over the place. Kind of falls off after a couple of songs.

Liked this more than I thought I would.

the gap between the bangers and the snoozers is wide indeed

Too British, too much trying to act cute, all of the instruments blend together like a pavement song but not cool

Bobbins

Never liked Blur, put I think that Graham Coxon is an incredible guitar player.

As a step away from the Britpop sound that Blur were known for, they do a very great job at making music that sounds more like the stuff that you'd hear in America, even if they were doing it in a joking manner. Mid 9

Woo Hooo

I love Blur now more than ever. Oasis was a joke in comparison. And Song 2 - instant classic!

Well, I guess this is the first of three Blur albums in this collection (for me at least)--I hope they're as interesting as that number would imply. I'm vaguely familiar with their earlier "Parklife" album, but I don't think I've heard anything from this album before aside from the impossible-to-escape "Song 2" single from yesterday (which I still enjoy, oddly, perhaps because it's just long enough to avoid getting annoying). It seems weird that they opened up the album with a sort of Beatles-inspired sound ("Beetlebum"), and then abandoned this immediately afterward for a kind of all-over-the-map alt-rock sound through much of the rest of the album. I'm hard pressed to call out much of anything else on this album as particularly distinctive or worth another listen and I was disappointed that all of the videos from this album are remarkably uninteresting; the track "On your own" has some potential, as does the weirdly Cure/Gorillaz mashup "Death of a party", and I also enjoyed the David Bowie-inspired "Strange news from another star". I'm sorry to have gotten this as the first Blur album, as I suspect I would have a different opinion if I'd listened to the (chronologically) earlier albums first. I get this sense largely because the Wikipedia entry suggests that this album marked a big departure for them from their earlier Britpop style; it'll be interesting to see how the other two Blur albums stack up. And I'm quite disappointed in not enjoying this album more than I did, as I *really* enjoy Damon Albarn's Gorillaz experiments, and can't really see any of that here (with the possible exception of "Death of the party").

excellent name for this not very interesting group. I guess they were popular and I did marry someone who had this album, along with other groups I could never really distinguish from each other, and then I divorced him. This is what I thought when I was listening to this shoe gaze-y sound.

I thought I would like this more than I actually did. The first two songs are excellent but they really put all of their eggs in those two baskets. “Blur” unfortunately debuts at the bottom of my Britpop Power Rankings.

WOO HOO!! (And 13 forgettable alt rock tracks)

Love their sound!

Blah not great but you get an extra star for Song 2

Beetlebum 3.4 Song 2 3.4 Country Sad Ballad Man 3.1 M.O.R. 3 On Your Own 3 Theme from Retro 3.2 You're So Great 3 Death of a Party 3.3 Chinese Bombs 3.1 I'm Just a Killer for Your Love 3.4 Look Inside America 3.2 Strange News from Another Star 3 Movin' On 3.5 Essex Dogs 3.6 Score: 3.228571429

Giving a grump pile of drone and mutter that only just clears the line between “fuck you” and song the über-Blur title “Essex Dogs” is bellowed intent as well an indie nerd joke worthy of a Pavement B-side, which is also a marker, since this is the album where Coxon sublimated his Malkmus-crush. There are some fine songs here alongside the studiedly half-arsed, “M.O.R.” joining Nirvana’s “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter” in my very short mental playlist of good songs that cock a punky leg against their own tunefulness; “On Your Own” is a go-nowhere track that is perfect just-so; “Beetlebum” a poppier twin to Sonic Youth’s “Bull in the Heather” (I don’t know why, but that works for me); “Song 2” annoyingly effective in an anyone-could’ve-done-that sense; and “Strange News from Another Star” my surprise from this playthrough, as I thought I’d heard all of the good songs on this album, but I guess my mate Andy must’ve always kicked me out of his college room by the time his CD got to this one, probably because his girlfriend was arriving, or maybe I was talking about Slint or Shellac again.

I remember being underwhelmed by this when it came out despite the great single, and its stark contrast with the awfulness of the prior album. Also, Pavement being upset they were ripped off somehow? Hasn't improved with age, Beetlebum is one of their best, rest is highly meh

Maybe it's because I wasn't a teenager in the late 90s, but on the scale of terrible (one star) to fucking amazing (five stars), this album ranks a "fine, but just fine." And that's not a fine like "damn, she's FIIIIINE" ranking. Honestly, the whole thing was kind of a ... blur.

Bisschen enttäuschend Nach den ersten zwei gibt es keinen flashy catchy song mehr

Most of this I found agonizing to listen to. I'm starting to come down heavy on all these mediocre British bands, and it shows.

I hated this Blur album way less than the last one. Still didn’t like it, but found some value.

Excellent and inventive

A. Ritpop classic with some interesting and iconic sounds. Classic song2 has stood the test of time, Daemon Alban's lyrics and iconic stamp really set the album apart

Their most famous song but not their best album. Kind of a tired burned out one, lo-fi, shaggy, and sprawling. Lots of songs but it's stuck halfway between their brash zannier previous style and the more experimental stuff to come. Favorites: Death of a Party, Song 2, Beetlebum

Song 2 was inescapable at the time. There is so much more to this record. A lot of varied material and a big step away from the traditional britpop in the earlier records.

Good album

Not quite

woo hoo 4/5

I remember hearing this album back in the ’90s, but I didn’t have a clear memory of what it sounded like. Listening to it now, it’s amazing to pick up on the experimental and lo-fi elements that align so well with what Damon Albarn would later develop in Gorillaz. Some tracks really showcase a moodier, textured sound that feels like a precursor to Gorillaz’s atmospheric style. You can tell Albarn was moving away from the Britpop sound of the early ’90s. His vocal delivery here starts to embrace that lazy, detached style he uses in Gorillaz. The album incorporates experimental rhythms, loops, and a rougher, lo-fi production, while also dabbling in garage rock, indie, and electronic elements. There are even hints of hip-hop, dub, and funk influences in the mix. Overall, this album feels like a transitional moment, and not just for Blur moving beyond Britpop, but for Albarn laying the groundwork for what would come with Gorillaz.

Mehhhhh nothing really stands out other than Song 2

The two all-time banger "Beetlebum" and "Song 2" are standing out! But although I´m into Britpop that´s it basically for me. worst: "Theme from Retro", "Movin' On", "Essex Dogs" 2,5

experimental by blurs standard at that point, more influenced by american guitar and a departure from pop central. Good times

Beetlebum and Song 2 are great tracks. Rest was better than I was expecting 3/5

Some obvious bangers here, but as an album, it's surprisingly incoherent although I applaud their fearlessness at this point in their career.

started of well. lost me at the end hard

some good ol’ rock with crunchy guitars and bri ish vocals. quite enjoyed this one.

Flashes of alright but then they’d get turned on by dumb vocals or gross guitar screeches. Meh.

I really like the harp in Look Inside America. Strange News From a Star is so cool.

Some good and some bad for me. Will I listen to again: 30%

Good

Good singles, mid filla

Feel like a Brit after this one innit

Highly enjoyable. 3.5 but rounding up out of Christmas spirit.

Sounds kind of like the backtrack to a 90s tv show/rom com in like the moody montage. Wait I've totally heard \"Song 2\" before. Growlers inspiration for sure "Song 2" "Theme from Retro"

Mostly forgettable and boring. Favorite songs: Song 2, On your own, Movin' on. 2/5

he really sounds like that

This was better than I was expecting, but depending on the song, it's still very much whiny mid-90s British rock. Not sure if I would gravitate towards this album again. I don't know what it is, but I I feel like I should have liked this more than I actually did.

Best britpop album on this list so far. Overall an enjoyable listening experience.

They lost me a bit in the middle, and the fact they wanted to release Essex Dogs as a single is insane to me, but if you are looking for experimental indie at its finest, Blur really achieved this with this album. I feel like 4 is too high, I would give it a 3.5, but such id our flawed voting system that I have to round up.

As a huge Gorillaz fan, this album seems as a catalyst for Damon Albarn's future band. Each song feels like its own unique alternative rock adventure, mixed with some Gorillaz-like sounds. Favorite Song: "Theme From Retro"

More wide-ranging than I expected from Blur, but still not my favorite style.

kinda bad

Take it to the notes app. Because yesterday was a “blur” we’re reviewing this 1997 britpop excursion in another application. Will that help the typos? I hope so. It’s unbearable for anybody to read. Anyway, bring in Song 1. And then of course, song 2. Heavier Oasis? That was my hope anyway. If you’ve only heard “Song 2,” you’d be quite surprised by this opener. Count me in that group. This song is kind of boring, honestly. This feels like a track you’d hear in the waning moments of an album. Song 2 is just good. The heavy guitar, the vocals have drive and energy, and the overall distortion provides a chaotic and vibrant atmosphere. Close to a billion plays (probably at least 100,000 with me in the general vicinity), but with an attempt at fresh ears, this one goes pretty hard. Funny song title. Weird vocals. Incredibly cool instrumentation. I really like this one. And back down to earth. This sounds like a cut track from Disney Skate Adventure. 1 or 2. Was there more than one? Whatever. Next. The instrumental oddities have returned which I like, but the melody isn’t working for me. The song overall is just somehow not good. The theme from retro makes me pine for the days before personal audio allowed me to listen to this. A little bit nicer here now. I wouldn’t say that you’re so great, it the buried vocals and the return of distortion make for a nice little song. Not great in the end. Ugh. I don’t know man. Ooh the death of a party is a good proposition. Time to go home. Not be at a party. Hang yourself. Excellent idea of an evening. This isn’t a cry for help. That was a lyric. Whatever man. If you’re reading THIS deep, you’re either me or you need some sort of medical intervention. I think I’m starting to need some medical intervention. Another slog through the doldrums. Ohhh boy. Upbeat, punk-ish. Almost an interlude type song, but a burst of vigor. Super cool start. Tapers off as it goes on but dman near jolted me out of my seat to kick off. Last two songs have been an increase. Ahh this feels like a bizarro version of a song I’d love. It’s fine, but it has many of the elements I search for. It sounds like a criticism of America AND it has indie folk-ish tendencies. In the end, it doesn’t have enough heart to be truly great. Pink Floyd has begun drafting a Cease and Desist. Why now? You may ask, and that is a good question considering this album is 27 years old and they’ve had ample time. It was all about getting the right lawyer. Took years. Finally, in this review, I have broken the news that Pink Floyd is suing Blur, for sounding exactly the same as Dark Side of the Moon. That’s why you stick around in these bad boys. Next song please. Movin’ On started hot, tapered off. Ugh. I’m so bored. Essex Dogs is an odd, cool closer. Really liked this one. This album reminds me of hearing a conversation through a wall. You hear sounds that resemble words but you don’t know what they’re trying to say. This has the general ethereal shape of an exciting indie album while not fully ever forming into a cohesive statement. While the shape of it did spark my imagination, I found myself wishing for that imagined album rather than engaging with what “Blur” actually delivers. I appreciate the effort, but Blur sort of lived up to their name and went by in a blur with nothing to drag me out of the trance. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, Chinese Bombs, Essex Dogs

Yet another amazing offering from my favourite band. A clear influence from American slacker rock/lo-fi bands like Pavement, whom I find alright, but Blur take this subgenre and make it their own. ‘Death of a Party’ is a FASCINATING song with plenty of subtext as well as a great hook. 10/10

sono rimasta sorpresa nello scoprire che Song 2 (WOOOO-HOOOO!!!) è dei Blur. l'avrò sentita milioni di volte senza mai connettere (WOOOO-HOOOO!!!). in ogni caso, mah. carino ma niente di spettacolare.

Massi.. fa il suo e lo fa bene

Good old brit rock/pop.

david bowie but 90s

A pretty decent brit pop album.

Seemingly lost in the shadows between Oasis and radiohead. Song No 2 was the one that caught me years ago but I bought the wrong album. Even if I had gotten the right album it still would been a bit of a bait and switch. I enjoyed their use of Bowie in MOR but the rest of the album was a bit uneven. Some songs lean into a more standard indiepop vibe while some almost come close to the noisy emotion of Sonic Youth, but they never seem to decide on which they want to be more and kind of fall into a middle ground.

Pretty standard rock of it’s time. I’ve heard Song 2 entirely too many times.

It's funny - I absolutely love On Your Own - and do still like Song 2 - but I cannot really remember the rest of the album or me listening to it - usually albums are fixed in a place/ time for me. This came out in 97 so must have been university - but not sparking any memories. Enjoyable listen. Much prefer Blur post the britpop flimsy. Not quite a 5.

I like the album but don’t consider it essential. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-blur-by-blur?r=4ztyq&selection=bbc48d58-a937-40df-be24-7363e117987d&utm_campaign=post-share-selection&utm_medium=web

This album was hailed as Blur's pivot from Britpop into the Alternative/Indie territorry. However, when I first heard I couldn't really see the difference all that well. I was already familar with "Song 2" but the rest of the album doesn't sound anything like it. I actually think this is one of Blur's best albums, and it didn't need to disassociate itself from the Britpop scene, although I do understand why they did it, as the whole movement came crashing down after Oasis released Be Here Now. Key tracks: Beetlebum Song 2 Death of a Party Strange News from Another Star

blur is a weird band. i really like Damon Albarn but i don’t love blur. a lot of the vocals and instrumentals are just a touch too harsh overall for my liking. the second half of this record really starts to understand itself better i think with some more psychedelic leanings than the first. overall okay

Above my expectations, I thought it was going to be that one hit song and a lot of filler but there was some nice variety.

It's a bit experimental and sonically all over the place, not for me but I admire the ambition.

Never listened to a lot of Blur beyond the couple of singles. I thought it was good!

Was this the third Blur album or 4th? Anyone i liked it the best of them all!

Death of a Party in those athmospheric scenes of the film All of Us Strangers...ahhh. But the whole album is iconic.

This feels like all the pieces are there for something great but it never really gets there. I wish it was better; or maybe I wish I liked it more.

1.79

Funny to get Gorillaz followed by Blue. Solid album, not many notes.

Dos canciones bastante buenas (que casualmente son las 2 que empiezan el disco) y el resto bastante mediocre. Regular.

Song 2 might be Blur's best song but this isn't Blur's best album.

Not as britpoppy/mod as Parklife. Song 2 is the standout. Solid album

Não consigo gostar de brit pop. Enjoa-me profundamente

OK

xx

Very middle of the road. I didn't dislike it per se, but it certainly inspires apathy

Not bad. But if rather listen to the Gorillaz!

Used to love this album and Song 2 brings back tons of good memories from high school and college. It's catchy and fun and overall pretty awesome (even if the words don't really make sense). The rest of the album was kind of good, but not near as good as I remember it.

Too bad, the album starts very promising with Beetlebum, smashes the best track in your face with Song2, and then falls off immediately. Every now and then, you'll listen up briefly, because a few good ideas and sounds give you hope for more, but everything remains mediocre. Each additional song blurs out into irrelevance.

One great song. And then it's just a blur. I like Damon better as a monkey.