Blur

Posted by: Brucie on 18 October 2004

Any Blur fans out there? Just wondering what one of their most recent albums was like. It had a track called tea and coffee I think (released around 1999-2000 after 13). Have they released anything else since?

I have Parklife, G.Escape and 13. All brill.

ta
Bruce
Posted on: 18 October 2004 by jlfrs
Hello Brucie,

Personally, I reckon anything from 13 onwards to be largely rubbish - I think they lost whatever they had and were just going through the motions and the fact that there were a few solo projects in full swing probably explains this. Having said that,they had "moved on" and were no longer making the sort of music I liked them for,(Parklife being my fave).
One of my mates has their most recent offering,(Think Tank I believe it's called), and it's more techno-esque and probably nearer to the stuff Albarn did with Gorillaz. I think it sounds like a cross between a car alarm and a supermarket checkout counter but that's me!
Got a tip though - do yourself a favour and pickup Graham Coxon's solo LP "Happiness in Magazines" - it's easy to hear the Blur influences - if you like 13 then you'll love this.He's released one track which is the absolute spitting image of "coffee and t.v" Probably get it on Amazon like I did and well worth the dosh.
Posted on: 18 October 2004 by Bruce Woodhouse
Hmmm

'Think Tank' is varied in tone and quality but it has some great moments. Not a dull listen but obviously one that splits opinion!

I thought the new Graham Coxon sounded like a (poor) Blur tribute album but there you go.

Bruce
Posted on: 18 October 2004 by Jay
Bruce

Coffee and Tea is actually on 13?

It's on Best of as well. You can pick up the DVD for a reasonable price too, worth getting IMHO.

Think Tank is Blur ala Radiohead. As the the Bruce say's an acquired taste but some stand-out tracks. I particularly like Out of Time.

J
Posted on: 18 October 2004 by Andrew L. Weekes
Bruce,

Think Tank is quite different and an album I've enjoyed a lot.

It's more of a serious listen in my view than the earlier poppier material and no worse for it. Parklife takes some beating though!

Andy.
Posted on: 20 October 2004 by greeny
Bruce,

Get their first two albums, both are excellent.

The first on 'leisure' has more of a baggy Madchester feel, but is excellent all the same. Their second 'Modern life is rubbish' is just a small step down from the quality on Parklife.
Posted on: 23 October 2004 by Minky
quote:
Originally posted by jlfrs:
Personally, I reckon anything from 13 onwards to be largely rubbish

Interesting. "Think Tank" was one of my favourite albums of last year. I gave it a fair thrashing and it kept coming back for more. Attempts to go back through the catalogue in search of more magic were futile. I suppose it depends where you start from.
Posted on: 24 October 2004 by greeny
It's certainly true that 'Think Tank' and their first 4 albums have very little in common. '13' is the only album that has much of a link to Think tank.
Posted on: 24 October 2004 by Mekon
Yeah, Think Tank is my favourite Blur album by some margin. More Money Mark than Gorillaz; you can say 'heck no' to techno and still love it. Sounds less contrived than their earlier stuff, to my ears.
Posted on: 25 October 2004 by Craig M
You're might be better off going back in time to pick up Modern Life Is Rubbish or Leisure (contains There's No Other Way, possibly Blur's greatest track, IMO).

Could always just buy the g/hits though.