The Ballard of Darren (BLUR)

guitartango · July 2023

Thought I would play the new album from Blur, not what I really expected, need a few listens before I can really comment on this.
Did Coxon play on this?, as none of his magical skills seem to be on the album.

DrCornelius · July 2023

Yep I'm a bit disappointed in it.

I bought it over the weekend and in some places it reminded me of the Lightning Seeds which is no bad thing (although without Ian Broudie's quirkiness). Its a bit sludgy elsewhere tbh and you are right, there's none of the inventiveness of GC in evidence

guitartango · July 2023

DrCornelius said:

Yep I'm a bit disappointed in it.

I bought it over the weekend and in some places it reminded me of the Lightning Seeds which is no bad thing (although without Ian Broudie's quirkiness). Its a bit sludgy elsewhere tbh and you are right, there's none of the inventiveness of GC in evidence

You can hear rumbles of GC in some of the tunes, but I was expecting more. I have a few songs yet to play but like you very disappointed

guitartango · July 2023

@darthed1981 what are your thoughts on this !

darthed1981 · July 2023

Hi @guitartango - didn't see the thread thanks for the tag!!

I've listened all the way through once, obviously not on the level of their peak and pomp, very little anyone does is, but I did find it an interesting listen.

If anything overall it feels more like the more mellow tracks off 13 and Think Tank than anything else, songs like "1992" off that one remind me of the new one.

A few thoughts...

"St Charles Square" strikes me as a classic Coxon riff - it's amusing to watch the video and look at him playing it - it's very "Coxon" (fiddly, looks fiddly)...

"Barbaric" is interesting - very driven by a classic Alex bassline, the guitar there is almost Johnny Marr like rather than Graham's more sledgehammer style! The post ... is that a key change?... bit though is very lovely.

"Russian Strings" is off one of the last two Arctic Monkey's albums surely?

"The Narcissist" - the most Blur thing on the album, but missing the anger of youth - which I think is basically it - Coxon got it all out on his solo albums - now they write songs about being a dickhead when you are younger - it sounds autobiographical to me.

No time now to do all the tracks but some thoughts!

I think now he's so often working on both at once the lines between Blur and Gorillaz are blurring (lol) more all the time. I get the impression that most of this album was Blur fattening up demos Albarn had kicking around as opposed to whatever their process used to be.

I remember hearing the song "Silent Running" off the last Gorillaz album and thinking "hang on, this is a fucking Blur song" - I'm not saying some of the songs here sound like they may have been Gorillaz demos, but, if I found out they were I'd not be shocked.

Chuffola · July 2023

I like it a lot. Feels like a meditation on middle age and the dying of the flame of passion and youth. I think Coxon's playing is subtler but great - some lovely lines on The Ballad, for example.

St Charles Square though is full-on robo-Coxon, surely?? Narcissist has some great Coxon noise guitar too towards the end. They're 30 years on from Parklife / Modern Life Is Rubbish and it's very different. Agree that most is like the 13 / Think Tank mellower tracks. That's not a bad thing for me.

darthed1981 · July 2023

If anyone hasn't heard the non album single they kicked out a decade or so back, "Under the Westway" that's a lot like classic Blur and you will kick yourself if you've never heard it!

Must dig out, literally or metaphorically "Magic Whip" for another spin, "to the local.." etc

I generally find it a good sign if a new album warms up my love of a band again

guitartango · July 2023

darthed1981 said:

Hi @guitartango - didn't see the thread thanks for the tag!!

I've listened all the way through once, obviously not on the level of their peak and pomp, very little anyone does is, but I did find it an interesting listen.

If anything overall it feels more like the more mellow tracks off 13 and Think Tank than anything else, songs like "1992" off that one remind me of the new one.

A few thoughts...

"St Charles Square" strikes me as a classic Coxon riff - it's amusing to watch the video and look at him playing it - it's very "Coxon" (fiddly, looks fiddly)...

"Barbaric" is interesting - very driven by a classic Alex bassline, the guitar there is almost Johnny Marr like rather than Graham's more sledgehammer style! The post ... is that a key change?... bit though is very lovely.

"Russian Strings" is off one of the last two Arctic Monkey's albums surely?

"The Narcissist" - the most Blur thing on the album, but missing the anger of youth - which I think is basically it - Coxon got it all out on his solo albums - now they write songs about being a dickhead when you are younger - it sounds autobiographical to me.

No time now to do all the tracks but some thoughts!

I think now he's so often working on both at once the lines between Blur and Gorillaz are blurring (lol) more all the time. I get the impression that most of this album was Blur fattening up demos Albarn had kicking around as opposed to whatever their process used to be.

I remember hearing the song "Silent Running" off the last Gorillaz album and thinking "hang on, this is a fucking Blur song" - I'm not saying some of the songs here sound like they may have been Gorillaz demos, but, if I found out they were I'd not be shocked.

Thanks for the detailed analysis, I will listening again tomorrow morning while I dodge the morning drive to Cambridge. Like the NG album, i needed a few listens before I started to enjoy the music. I was expecting more Coxon, but I am sure that this will grow on me. Trouble is I can't hum any of the tunes and this is a big deal for me.

I was expecting Tracy Jacks and got Tracy Barlow !

tone1 · July 2023

I think the title should have been….”Leave it Darren, she’s not worth it”

https://youtu.be/K79Z26S73Ug

Penn · July 2023

I bought it. It’s not a bad album. The thing is Blur will always be associated with Britpop. They were the sound of the mid to late 90s. After Parklife came out we had new Labour, an optimistic time in our collective history and music with a very British sense of humour. Problem is now it’s 2023, the world is messed up and Blur aren’t young men anymore.

My point? The album isn’t want people expect. It is however pretty good.

darthed1981 · July 2023

Funny thought occurred that the last album where Blur did what was expected was "The Great Escape" in 1995... so we have had a few years, and God knows how many gorillaz albums, to get used to Damon being contrary.

Chuffola · July 2023

Agree with that and I'd actually contend that every Blur album since The Great Escape has only had a handful of "Blur-like" tracks - the vast bulk of the output has been nothing like the Britpop glory years - but there have been some absolute stunners. Trimm Trabb, for example.

I will say that St Charles Square and The Narcissist were absolutely immense live. Instant classics and unmistakably Blur.

darthed1981 · July 2023

Trimm Trabb is fucking epic!

lamf68 · July 2023

New album is an absolute darling of a record in my eyes, only wish they’d included Sticks and Stones on the UK version, 36 minutes long is pretty short for any album but it’s 36 minutes of utter heartbreakingly beautiful songs for me. Stand out tracks Russian Strings, The Ballad, Goodbye Albert and The Heights. Saw the Saturday at Wembley and it proved how vital Blur are still, last nights show at the Apollo was epic and the songs sounded even better live. Encore was incredible with some utter gems Pyongyang, Clover over Dover, Mr Briggs, All your life, Theme from and imaginary film(my fave Parklife era song) and finally The Universal….but hearing Darren played in full from start to finish was incredible. Can’t see why anyone could slate the record, beautiful arrangements and lyrically fantastic.

Creed_Clicks · July 2023

Magic Whip I prefer I have to say.

shugz · July 2023

Useless but true trivia is my late father's dentist is the swimmer in the pic in the album cover.

As you were

H

gumbothewiddler · July 2023

Blur were epic at Wembley - we went on Saturday and whilst they only played at Charles square and narcissist that night, they felt so right in the set.

I’m loving the new album so far and I’m trying to find some kid free time to enjoy it at proper volume.

LPManic · July 2023

Everything about the album and all the promo has reminded me why I never liked Blur the first time round.

darthed1981 · July 2023

Just paid too much to add a vinyl copy of 13 to my collection - so only Think Tank (meh) and Magic Whip (hmm) I've only got on CD now.

I've also got that big singles box from the 10th anniversary somewhere!

I love Blur

Chuffola · July 2023

If anyone missed Blur night on BBC2 on Saturday, the BBC2 In Concert from a couple of weeks ago was fantastic. Well worth watching on catch up, Apart from @LPManic

darthed1981 · July 2023

Chuffola said:

If anyone missed Blur night on BBC2 on Saturday, the BBC2 In Concert from a couple of weeks ago was fantastic. Well worth watching on catch up, Apart from @LPManic

If somebody hadn't done a drive-by to say they don't like the band, it wouldn't be a TFB music thread...

Thanks for the tip BTW will check it out...

darthed1981 · July 2023

@guitartango ; - changed your opinion or still not a fan?

guitartango · July 2023

darthed1981 said:

@guitartango ; - changed your opinion or still not a fan?

After playing the album everyday in the car, the album has grown on me. Not many catchy tunes but still enjoyable.

LPManic · July 2023

Let's all be friends @Chuffola and @darthed1981 ;

darthed1981 · July 2023

LPManic said:

Let's all be friends @Chuffola and @darthed1981 ;

Never considered you otherwise old chap!

Chuffola · August 2023

Nor me!

guitartango · August 2023

darthed1981 said:

LPManic said:

Let's all be friends @Chuffola and @darthed1981 ;

Never considered you otherwise old chap!

But he doesn't like Blur, put him in the stocks and make him listen to Sam Smith!

darthed1981 · August 2023

guitartango said:

darthed1981 said:

LPManic said:

Let's all be friends @Chuffola and @darthed1981 ;

Never considered you otherwise old chap!

But he doesn't like Blur, put him in the stocks and make him listen to Sam Smith!

Oh god, that's horrible, nobody deserves that!

guitartango · August 2023

@darthed1981 ;

Nice podcast on here

TN:119 Blur & James Ford - Tape Notes

monquixote · August 2023

guitartango said:

@darthed1981 ;

Nice podcast on here

TN:119 Blur & James Ford - Tape Notes

Excellent!

I love Tape Notes and the new Blur album so I'm looking forward to this

darthed1981 · August 2023

guitartango said:

@darthed1981 ;

Nice podcast on here

TN:119 Blur & James Ford - Tape Notes

Thanks will definitely give that a listen.

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The Ballard of Darren (BLUR)

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