Blur "The Ballad of Darren" (2023)

The Ballad of Darren

release date: Jul. 21, 2023

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC) (Deluxe)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: James Ford

label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Barbaric" - 2. "St. Charles Square" - 4. "Russian Strings" - 6. "The Narcissist" - 7. "Goodbye Alert" - 10. "The Heights"

9th studio album by Blur marks a long-awaited reunion following more than eight years after The Magic Whip (Apr. 2015), which then was another reunion album following 12 years after Think Tank (May 2003). The Ballad... is produced by James Ford, who has made a name for his work with e.g. Arctic Monkeys, Last Shadow Puppets, and in this context: for his work on albums by Gorillaz. The band remains intact and all tracks are credited the band of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree. Together with Gorillaz, Albarn released Cracker Island (Feb. 2023), and basically, Blur now appears as just another brain-child of Albarn's. Blur is still something else, and markedly different from albums by Gorillaz, but there are apparent similarities with the music by the Albarn-led project The Good, The Bad & The Queen (e.g. "Goodbye Alert" and "Far Away Island"), who most recently - as of Nov. 2018 released Merrie Land.

The album was met by positive reviews - I didn't immediately embrace it as an improvement, and frankly thought of it as on par with the band's 2015 album, but one year down the road, I consider it better than my initial verdict. It's not up there among the best by Blur but it surely has its moments, and Coxon is a most treasured guarantee in delivering classic Blur guitar-riffs, which securely puts it somewhere in the middle on the Blur shelf.

[ 👎allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, NME, 👍Pitchfork 7,2 / 10 stars ]

Radiohead "Pablo Honey" (1993)

Pablo Honey [debut]
release date: Apr. 20, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,62]
producer: Sean Slade, Paul Q. Kolderie
label: Parlophone / EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Creep" - 3. "How Do You?" - 6. "Anyone Can Play Guitar" - 12. "Blow Out"

Studio debut album by British 5-piece britpop and guitar-band Radiohead consisting of Thom Yorke on vocals, guitar, tape loops, the two brothers Greenwood: Jonny on guitar, piano and organ, and with Colin on bass. The last two members are Ed O'Brien, also on guitar and backing vocals, and lastly Phil Selway handling drums. In Britain, Radiohead was compared to the bands of the American grunge rock scene, under influence of the quiet-loud school exemplified by Pixies, and Radiohead was referred to as the British Nirvana, but mostly the debut wasn't an overwhelming success and many critics found - what I think of it - that there are so many references to other bands that it's difficult to talk about a highly original release. Not so much alone because of the many sources of inspiration but simply because it either sounds as The Smiths, as U2, as Nirvana, as Red Hot Chili Peppers, or whatever band associated with or in the outskirts of grunge rock, britpop or pop / rock... and never really as something representing an original mix. Despite not knowing anything of the band back then, I find this very album a wee bit boring and of little interest, although, the above-mentioned songs are all clearly above mediocre.
The single track "Creep" became a monster hit in a slow process which involved the song going big in Israel after which it was reissued in the US, however, it brought the band a sore experience as it turned out that it's a song that shares similarities with "The Air I Breathe" by The Hollies from 1973 and Radiohead was sued for plagiarism, and lost the case, which is why Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood from The Holies are credited as co-composers of "Creep". Comparing the two songs, the case against Radiohead and the verdict only seems like an unjust court decision.
Pablo Honey is best known for the inclusion of "Creep" and only for being the band's debut album but in the band's discography the album is only for hardcore fans as you wont find many similarities with the band's later efforts.
[ allmusic.com (retrospect), Q Magazine, Rolling Stone (retrospect), Uncut (retrospect) 3 / 5, Blender 2 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Bloodsports" (2013)

Bloodsports
release date: Mar. 18, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,66]
producer: Ed Buller
label: Suede Ltd. / Sony Music - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "It Starts and Ends With You" - 4. "Sabotage" - 10. "Faultlines"

6th studio album by Suede released through Sony Music Entertainment and produced by Ed Buller who produced the band's first three albums.
The album was generally met with positive reviews, which I find hard to understand. The band officially disbanded in the Fall of 2003 and Anderson and Butler were together for a short period of time with The Tears before Suede was brought back together in 2010 playing concerts everywhere. As a 'natural' consequence they started recording new material and out came this long-awaited album in 2013. Maybe they should just do like many other 'dinosaurs' of pop / rock: stay to the good old material that people basically want to hear, and just play live concerts - that's also where the money is, and I bet they do that well, but they don't seem to have anymore to say, artistically, and I think it's a bit sad. This release is not just another one in a series of lesser albums by Suede as it's easily the band's so far lowest artistic point.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Singles" (2003)

Singles (compilation)
release date: Oct. 13, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Sony Music - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Suede encompassing all the band's A-side single releases from 1992 to 2003 including two brand new singles - released to promote this album. It was released only a few weeks before the band officially declared its split. Suede had done studio sessions to record a follow-up to A New Morning, but the album was shelved, and this then became the band's last album - or: at least until a new incarnation came together almost a decade later.
Overall, the album is a great collection and looking at the individual songs represented really underlines its greatness. I just don't like the random order of the singles as the band stylistically, as well as soundwise, has moved from one point through various, specific stages, to end its musical tour in a completely different corner an universe, and listening to the whole album from start to finish is like a bit of a mish-mash. A much better idea would have been to release a collection containing all of the band's singles: A- and B-sides together drawing the band's progression from sheer glam rock [revival] over art rock and alt. rock to pop / rock and synthpop, although, such a release would require 3 discs. Nearly all songs on the album are taken from the band's studio albums, and this basically just serves to sum things up, and to attract attention from non-fans - i.e. collecting more dough!
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Suede "A New Morning" (2002)

A New Morning
release date: Sep. 30, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Stephen Street, John Leckie, Dave Eringa
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Positivity" (4 / 5) - 2. "Obsessions" - 3. "Lonely Girls" - 8a. "[untitled]"

5th studio album by Suede. Now with this they managed to do worse than on their previous album Head Music (May 1999). The album does contain great tracks but, very much like on the predecessor, most of the tracks are fillers just securing a full album release by a band that just keeps repeating themselves. The best track "Positivity" is the only truly fine track, despite the fact that it sounds like a copy or remake of a single hit on some other Suede album. It's also the only real synthpop track, which seems a bit strange - the rest of the tracks are like an attempt to make more traditional britpop like Blur or Pulp with simple guitar-based compositions, and it really makes it a strange release. After all, it could be a great A-side single with two fine B-sides (tracks #2 and #3), instead it has all these poor and mediocre "bonus" tracks...
One year after the release, Suede disbanded and Anderson and Butler found together in The Tears - or at least for a while.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5, Drowned in Sound 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Head Music" (1999)

Head Music
release date: May 3, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Steve Osborne and Bruce Lampcov
label: Nude Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Electricity" - 4. "Everything Will Flow" (4 / 5) - 6. "She's in Fashion" (4 / 5) - 12. "He's Gone" - 13. "Crack in the Union Jack"

4th studio album by Suede. It has taken the band 2½ years to make the album but it still seems somewhat unfinished. Aside from introducing another new band member, Neil Codling on keyboards and synthesizers, it does contain great tracks like "Everything Will Flow" and "She's in Fashion" but it also contains an unprecedented number of album fillers, and the overall impression is an album on receipt - it's made more or less on the same blueprint as Coming Up just with an added synthpop touch (drum programming and synths) by Codling. The album producer Steve Osborne has previously produced for Curve, P.J. Harvey, New Order, and U2, and a similar touch doesn't do anything good for the sound of Suede.
Perhaps the band's new low point has to do with vocalist Brett Anderson's drug abuse - for whatever reasons, the album is a rather uneven experience and an immediate worst studio release from the hands of Suede, imho.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Sci-Fi Lullabies" (1997)

Sci-Fi Lullabies (compilation)
release date: Oct. 6, 1997
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Ed Buller
label: Nude Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights:
Disc 1: 1. "My Insatiable One" (4 / 5) - 3. "Where the Pigs Don't Fly" - 4. "He's Dead" - 8. "My Dark Star" - 9. "Killing of a Flash Boy" - 10. "Whipsnade" - 11. "Modern Boys" - 12. "Together" - 13. "Bentswood Boys" - 14. "Europe Is Our Playground"
Disc 2: 1. "Every Monday Morning Comes" (4 / 5) - 2. "Have You Ever Been This Low?" - 4. "Young Men" - 5. "The Sound of the Streets" (4 / 5) - 8. "This Time" - 11. "Sadie" - 13. "Duchess"

Compilation album by Suede, which indeed is a most interesting release. Normally, compilations are best of, 'most of', or any such labels. It's interesting in that respect that it's the collection of B-side singles to all of the band's single releases - with a total of 27 tracks issued as a 2 discs album. Now, how many bands would promote such an idea with expectations of much success? Very few, I reckon, and that's why this album is quite an accomplishment. Some tracks do seem like leftovers but the above highlighted tracks could easily have been released on any of their so far three studio releases without lowering the standard, and some of the songs would undoubtedly have raised the quality.
Most tracks are (once again) produced by Ed Buller.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~
"My Insatiable One"

"In the high life, I've got this feeling now
I've got this horrible feeling
on the escalator they took it out on him
as the ridiculous world went...oh

oh he is gone
he's my insatiable one
oh he is gone
he's my insatiable one...oh

On the high wire, dressed in a leotard
there wobbles one hell of a retard
on the escalator
we shit paracetemol
as the ridiculous world goes...by

oh he is gone
he's my insatiable one
oh he is gone
he's my insatiable one
oh he is gone
he's my insatiable one
oh he is gone
and he was...my inflatable one"

~ ~ ~
"Every Monday Morning Comes"

"Oh when you and I
Watch the planes go by, silver in the sky,
Do whatever we like,
Oh you and me
See the birds in the sea
People on the streets, do whatever we please

But every Monday morning comes,
Every Monday morning, yeah
Oh every Monday morning comes
Every Monday morning, yeah
Oh, when you and I

Watch the London sky, Traffic rolling by
Do whatever we like,
So we chase the day away
Feel the morning rain
Piss our money down the drain
And do whatever they say"

~ ~ ~
"The Sound Of The Streets"

"She walks the streets of summer
Inside her there's no future
She walks the streets to pass the time
The cash machines are laughing
At plastic people passing
She walks the streets to pass the time
Sadie, Sadie in the sound of the streets
Insane as anything, ah ah

Sadie, Sadie kn-knows the sound of the streets
It's the same as anything, ah ah

She sees the midnight taxis
The toilets and the backstreets
She feels the wheels and needs a line
Outside there's crazy parties
There's dames in faces laughing
So many ways to pass the time

Sadie, Sadie kn-knows the sound of the streets
It's the same as anything, ah ah

She walks the streets of summer
Inside her there's no future
She walks the streets to pass the time
Inside she feels like winter
For the child that died within her
She walks the streets to pass the time

Sadie, Sadie kn-knows the sound of the streets
It's the same as anything, ah ah"

~ ~ ~

Suede "Coming Up" (1996)

Coming Up
release date: Sep. 2, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Ed Buller
label: Nude Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Trash" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Filmstar" - 3. "Lazy" (4 / 5) - 4. "By the Sea" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "She" - 6. "Beautiful Ones" (4 / 5) - 7. "Starcrazy" - 8. "Picnic by the Motorway" - 9. "The Chemistry Between Us" (4 / 5) - 10. "Saturday Night" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Suede and the 3rd consecutive and so far last album to be produced by Ed Buller. With this, the band appears with a new line-up with Richard Oakes (replacing Bernard Butler) on guitar (Oakes had been selected among approx. 500 candidates to be guitarist of the band), and Suede introduces a more simple and lighter pop-minded album, which feels much as a natural follow-up to the glamorous debut with focus on glam rock, pop / rock (loads of 'flanger' guitar effect), and gone are the more complex and darker orchestrated arrangements found on Dog Man Star.
The album fared better than the '94 album (as it sold 'Platinum', selling more than 300.000 copies), and it also went to number #1 on the British album charts, just like the debut.
In the late 90s I found it a bit of a difficult one - I liked the hit songs, but also felt it too deep into "simple pop", which I found was the wrong turn compared to the stronger rock-bonds of Dog Man Star. In retrospect, I find it a much better album than just plain matter over content. I think, it represents a fine and durable collection of songs and it also displays the unique sound they established with this album, which I simply consider the band's second best studio release.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Dog Man Star" (1994)

Dog Man Star
release date: Oct. 10, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Ed Buller
label: Nude Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "We Are the Pigs" (4 / 5) - 3. "Heroine" - 4. "The Wild Ones" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "The Power" (4,5 / 5) - 9. "The 2 of Us" - 11. "The Asphalt World" (4 / 5) - 12. "Still Life" (4 / 5)

2nd studio album by Suede introduces a new sound, although, it's made with the same producer. It has a more subtle, less glam rock production, and it's more orchestrated with horns and strings, making it more of a chamber pop release than its predecessor (e.g. "Still Life" exits with strings and horns playing Ravel's "Bolero"). With this, it appears that the band wanted to distance itself from the britpop hype and the album wasn't launched with the same pop hit videos, which may or may not be the reason to its fine reception among music critics.
I find Dog Man Star an even better release than their praised debut, and it's a highly acclaimed follow-up to a fine and original debut. It has a conceptual feel but failed to sell as rapidly as the debut. To me, this is their best studio release, and it's by many considered their masterpiece, but it also marks the end of the original line-up as the band's main musical composer and guitarist, Bernard Butler (who had already been labelled the best guitarist of a generation) left the band after the release due to disagreements on the band's musical direction. Like the debut this is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, NME 4,5 /5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

Suede "Suede" (1993)

Suede [debut]
Release date: Mar. 29, 1993
format: cd (2011 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Ed Buller
label: Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "So Young" - 2. "Animal Nitrate" (4 / 5) - 3. "She's Not Dead" (4 / 5) - 5. "Pantomime Horse" - 6. "The Drowners" - 7. "Sleeping Pills" - 9. "Metal Mickey" - 11. "The Next Life" (4 / 5)

Studio album debut by Suede originally released on Nude Records is a glam rock and britpop release. The album is produced by Ed Buller, who would go on to produce all their first three albums and the 2013 comeback album, Bloodsport. The sound of the band is slightly different here compared to their successive albums as guitars and Brett's voice are more distorted - especially on their single hit tracks ("So Young", "Animal Nitrate"), which is a kind of a shame, I think. Beside that, I think it's quite a strong release with really fine songs. Suede is known as a britpop band alongside Blur, Pulp, Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, The Verve, and several other artists of the '90s but Suede has a distinct glam rock style that distinguishes it from the others.

Suede was rather well-received by the British music press, as it was nominated to a lot of prizes, and also won the Mercury Music Prize in '93 ahead of Sting, PJ Harvey, and New Order, among others.

I purchased the album shortly after the release but had a difficult time getting accustomed to the British glam rock revival and actually resold it a year or two later in a stack with other cds in order to finance new albums. In the mid-90s I simply found it too extravagant; however, I got hold of the album again at some point in the late 90s, and when the remastered 2-disc Deluxe Edition was released in 2011, I simply purchased the album to see if the process of the remastering would improve the sound. The release contain an additional 7 bonus tracks (demos) and a disc consisting of B-sides (and 'Extras') with two single releases from the album, which makes it a fine bargain. However, I'm not fully convinced that the remaster makes that big difference. Edsel has made it a bit of their 'virtue' to harvest the market - and especially the independent music industry - for small record labels that have ceased to exist. Edsel then buy a specific record label's back catalogue with all master recordings, and then engage an engineer to 'remaster' the original releases, add (unedited) bonus material and resell the whole lot as 'Remastered Deluxe Edition'. Now who's to blame? Fact is, they make big profit from it, and we all help Edsel to exist. Naturally, a remastered edition with (the right) people involved in the original recording, mixing or mastering process, as well as say: central band members, would serve as a more adequate setup, which is not the case here. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (2002)

A Rush of Blood to the Head
release date: Aug. 26, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Ken Nelson, Coldplay
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Politik" - 2. "In My Place" - 4. "The Scientist" (4 / 5) - 5. "Clocks" (4 / 5) - 6. "Daylight"

2nd studio album by Coldplay. Despite all the hype and fine reviews the band received after the debut, this is a better album than the debut. In fact, overall I find this their best album ever. It's not that the style or appeal is all that different on this one, but I think it has more nerve and simply better and more original compositions. The album also surpassed the debut in sales and went as high as number #7 on a list encompassing the 20 best-selling albums ever in the UK, and the band harvested even more first prizes at the Grammy Awards and Brit Awards in 2003. The album is included on a number of best of albums of all time and like the debut also in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Well, I can only say that I understand why so many people like Coldplay's music. It doesn't do much harm and you can play it to gran parents, uncles and aunts (they love it!), and your kids, and everyone find it just nice. For me, it's too slick, too nice. I think, I had the same feeling about Elton John in the late 70s and early 80s. Not that I didn't like his music, he made some great songs, I just never thought about buying any of it 'cause I wouldn't play it anyway. And that's how it is with these guys. They do make great songs, but boy, don't radio stations just play 'em all over, and all the time. And the songs aren't all that different. I don't really get all the fuss. It's quality music but so mainstream and harmonic that it's nearly (background / elevator) muzak.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Coldplay "Parachutes" (2000)

Parachutes [debut]
release date: Jul. 10, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Ken Nelson, Coldplay
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Don't Panic" (official video) - 2. "Shiver" - 5. "Yellow" (4 / 5) - 6. "Trouble"

Studio album debut by Coldplay. All songs are credited the band consisting of Chris Martin on vocals, acoustic guitar, and keyboards, Jonny Buckland on guitar, and backing vocals, Guy Berryman on bass, and with Will Champion on drums and percussion. The music is primarily pop / rock but there are bits of alt. rock and a distinct element of britpop on this one.
The album rocketed its way to the top of the UK albums chart list and the band won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 2001 as well as winning the Brit Awards also in 2001. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", and it's been registered as the twelve best-selling album ever released in Britain.
Yes, it's undoubtedly fine and I also found the album interesting, though not really great. I find it too slick, too anonymous and somewhat generic in the long run, and I hear too many familiar artists in their music: Travis, Radiohead, U2, but not when they were aspiring to be themselves. It's just something for everyone, and Coldplay are easily favourites of whole families. It's neither too noisy, too hard, too odd, or too provocative an album that would stir up anything. Not that music has to but this is like a band trying so hard to be liked by everyone.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Blur "The Great Escape" (1995)

The Great Escape
release date: Sep. 11, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Stereotypes" - 2. "Country House" - 4. "Charmless Man" - 7. "The Universal" (4 / 5) - 10. "It Could Be You" - 12. "Globe Alone" - 15. "Yuko and Hiro"

4th studio album by Blur originally released on Food Records and produced by Stephen Street is much of the continued journey from Parklife (1995) with a lighter version of britpop, although, they keep to their stylistic output from Modern Life.. with elements of punk rock bits here and there, and in this it's found on "Globe Alone". I don't find the album as consistently good as Parklife, but it's more than just Okay with a few great tracks and some fillers.
Like its predecessor it entered the UK albums chart list as number #1, and it launched the band's first number #1 single hit with the song "Country House".
[ allmusic.com, NME 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

Blur "Parklife" (1994)

Parklife
release date: Apr. 25, 1994
format: digital (1999 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Food Records / EMI Japan - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Girls & Boys" - 2. "Tracy Jacks" - 3. "End of a Century" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Parklife" - 9. "To the End" - 13. "Magic America"

3rd studio album by Blur following the one-year old Modern Life Is Rubbish is like that again produced by Stephen Street.
The album continues the style of britpop with lyrics about everyday-life and a music building on a mix of pop / rock and mod traditions with a few exceptions proving the band was always experimenting with musical styles - something that later on would be much more clear, when thinking of the band's later albums and the various projects of front-man Damon Albarn.
I didn't like much of the britpop at the time except for Suede, and the much talked about duel Oasis vs. Blur was just another obscure pop thing that I didn't involve in. In retrospect, I have made an easy and clear choice about the two bands, and I literally find it hard not to come to the obvious conclusion that of those two, Blur was the only band worthwhile, and with Parklife they truly deserved a considerable spot among the all-time greatest British music artists.
As the band's first, the album topped the national albums charts, it was nominated the Mercury Prize, it won Best British Album at the 1995 Brit Awards, and it's enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Blur "Modern Life Is Rubbish" (1993)

Modern Life Is Rubbish
release date: May 10, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Food Records / EMI Japan - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "For Tomorrow" - 4. "Pressure on Julian" - 5. "Star Shaped" - 6. "Blue Jeans" - 7. "Chemical World" - 9. "Sunday, Sunday" - 13. "Coping"

2nd studio album by Blur follows two years after Leisure and it was originally released on Food Records. it's the first of theirs to introduce a kind of trademark of typical britpop that the debut lacked. All tracks except two are produced by Stephen Street (Steve Lovell produced two tracks and Blur and John Smith primarily produced some short additional intermissions on the album). The album marks a move towards the britpop they would later be much more associated with despite containing various stylistic elements. The tone of the lyrics is an evident ironic sarcasm as heard on typical mod bands like The Kinks and mod revivalists The Jam, and the music heavily builds on especially these two bands repertoire.
I didn't listen to this at the time of its release but have come to like it later on. It's not really great but it has its moments and does contain some original compositions, which makes it more than just interesting, also compared to Leissure, and it basically takes the band's music to a whole different level.
The album is the first of three Blur albums to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]