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Track Listings
| 1. BEETLEBUM |
| 2. SONG 2 |
| 3. COUNTRY SAD BALLAD MAN |
| 4. M.O.R. |
| 5. ON YOUR OWN |
| 6. THEME FROM RETRO |
| 7. YOU'RE SO GREAT |
| 8. DEATH OF A PARTY |
| 9. CHINESE BOMBS |
| 10. I'M JUST A KILLER FOR YOUR LOVE |
| 11. LOOK INSIDE AMERICA |
| 12. STRANGE NEWS FROM ANOTHER STAR |
| 13. MOVIN' ON |
| 14. ESSEX DOGS |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
By early 1997, British pop had become less a scene than a competition, so with this album, Blur's frontman Damon Albarn basically announced that he was withdrawing from the race, in favor of exploring other kinds of rock he'd been getting into. Most of Blur finds the band discovering the clipped structures and oblique words of American indie rock (the best hook on the album goes "woo-hoo!"), and that's a liberating strategy. Without having to exemplify England's Dreaming, Albarn can be tuneful and playful, and even when he cribs directly from his favorite records ("M.O.R." is pure Bowie, and "You're So Great" tries for Guided by Voices-style non-production), his gift for texture puts his stamp on these songs. --Douglas Wolk
Product Description
Blur (1997), the 5th studio album from British pop/rock band Blur, broke wildly with the sounds of their previous album, The Great Escape, whose wild success had catapulted the band to international fame. Feeling that the Britpop mantel painted on them was limiting their creative capacity, Blur went lo-fi and added more alternative rock to their sound, stunning critics and fans alike. What appeared was a mixture of short punk, haunting instrumentals, and eccentric pop which displays the bands penchant, and ability, to buck trends and do so with joy and verve. The lo-fo production lends a very unique sound to the album - a sound which propelled it to the top of the US and UK charts. Best known for the hits, 'Beetlebum' and, 'Song 2,' Blur is a deep, amazing adventure into the minds of its band members, and shouldn't be missed by fans.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By wellwellwell
Format:Audio CD
For the people who now realize that "Song 2" does not exemplify this band's true sound, this is still an amazing album. Like so many others, I first took note of Blur with that overplayed hit. But, UNlike the majority of buyers, I was still impressed with the CD's diversity and overall hum. A lot of tracks on the album are hidden gems that probably should've been included on the Best Of release. So for the amateur Blur fan, nowadays, it is more beneficial (choice word) to purchase the Best Of instead of this one. Sadly, because of "Song 2", this band has been dubbed by too many a one-hit wonder; and the album has been labeled a poor buy. All the same, this a great CD with more than just one or two good songs. Here's an overview of all the tracks:
1. Beetlebum - 5/5 - there's no question this should've been a big single. In all likelihood, this is the best song on Blur. It has a great beat and keeps you tapping your foot all the way through (it has a similar background to 13's "Coffee And TV").
2. Song 2 - 5/5 - it may be ill-advised to label this as my favorite... and to be honest I really can't say that it is. Nevertheless it's an awesome song that helped me come to like Blur in the first place. Without this track, I would have missed out on something very special.
3. Country Sad Ballad Man - 3.5/5 - the word `country' fits this song pretty well (at first). The beginning has a twang-like feel to it that catches you off guard. It's a weird track, but that's to be taken in a good way.
4. M.O.R. - 4/5 - I really believe this song should've been on the Best Of album. This is very different from the previous three songs; as it has more of the `brit-pop' Blur sound that their fans are used to. It will grow on you over time.
5. On Your Own - 4/5 - this track is many people's favorite. And even though it's not my personal favorite, it's still a great song. It has a slow start and doesn't really grab hold of you. But nevertheless it is a fun track that is, again, reminiscent of earlier Blur work (maybe "Parklife").
6. Theme From Retro - 2/5 - this odd-sounding track doesn't seem to be much at all. It's accordion sounds and echoing background don't allow for it to stand out amongst the rest. It's still kind of intriguing, though.
7. You're So Great - 3/5 - here we go... back to the usual sound we know. The singer's voice sounds a little scratchy, but the guitar and unkempt sound make it enjoyable as a whole. It's pretty much a love song, and that's okay.
8. Death Of A Party - 5/5 - another song that should've made the cut for the Best Of Blur CD. The lyrics are smart; to the point of downright scary. This is really a (dark) change from "You're So Great". It acts as one of my favorites on the album.
9. Chinese Bombs - 3.5/5 - this Oasis-like (has that comparison been made before?) rocker is good, but tries too hard to become a "Song 2 [part 2]". It's short, sweet, and will get you jumping around from time to time.
10. I'm Just A Killer For Your Love - 4/5 - As melodic as this track isn't, it really calms you down. The lyrics are rather simplistic (the title is repeated a lot) overall, but the singer's voice easily makes up for that. The female'd background is also a plus.
11. Look Inside America - 3.5/5 - coming from a British band, this song becomes more and more enjoyable. It has been compared to "End Of A Century", but I believe it's not quite on that level. Even so, it's slow and (maybe) worthy of a spot on the Best Of.
12. Strange News From Another Star - 5/5 - I don't know why, but I love this song. When I first listened to the album, I never really noticed this one. Now I believe it to be one of the best Blur songs ever. I have yet to find a reviewer that agrees with me on this; might you be the first?
13. Movin' On - 2.5/5 - this one gives the impression of a harder sound, but doesn't quite make it. Again, its echo-like singer make it just average. But it's certainly not horrible and has a great beat (both background and front).
14. Essex Dogs - 3.5/5 - this closer is a fitting end to the CD's overall sound. It's different, weird, and (once more) could've been on that less-than-perfect Best Of album. I say it's a fitting end only because it sounds nothing like the rest of the songs. The spoken word verses are somewhat agreeable.
As it's been said time and time again, this is a very experimental release. It's blending of Sonic Youth/Bowie-ish sound and Oasis-like rocking beats allow for it to become great and still controversial; even years after its release (March 1997). If you still only know "Song 2", be very careful in acquiring this album. But the longtime Blur fans will no doubt be satisfied, if not breath-taken, with it's entire resonance. None of these songs are bad. Even the 2-star "Theme From Retro", as I said, is intriguing. And gems like "Beetlebum" and "Strange News From Another Star" (and yes, that popular `woo-who' track) should go down as some of the best tracks Blur has ever produced. I have really come to enjoy this CD over the years; and see no reason why you wouldn't be able to as well.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Ren Lee
Format:Audio CD
My favourite album's tend to be the one's where a successful band leaves behind their signature sound and ventures into new realms that you wouldn't have expected them to and this is no exception. That's not to say that Blur were always the indie pop meets music hall of 'Parklife' and 'The Great Escape', there was definitely evidence of them wanting to be a more challenging band on their second album 'Modern Life Is Rubbish' and prior to becoming Blur their previous incarnation as art punks 'Seymour' showed they were musically more ambitious than any of the Britpop bands of the mid-nineties.
Still, this album shocked the majority of Blur's fanbase and surprised their critics at the time of it's release. Some of the songs have a demo feel to them and the so-called 'Lo-fi' production helps the album to flow well and give it a unique character no matter how diverse each of the songs are from each other.
It's my personal favourite Blur album and was the first that I bought by them. I'd heard the singles 'Parklife', 'Girls And Boys' and 'Country House' along with everyone else in the country at the height of Britpop mania but I wasn't a big fan of indie till 1997, year zero for me in terms of developing my own taste in music beyond my parent's taste's!
So this album truly introduced me to the world of Blur and I revelled in it from start to finish. Graham Coxon instantly became my teenage idol and has inspired me as a guitarist ever since i heard this for the first time. He might disagree but I would say that this is his album more than Damon's even if he only actually wrote just one of the songs (the chirpy acoustic strum of 'You're So Great'). It was Graham who became sick of the Britpop scene they inspired and the member who most fought for a change of direction. His guitar playing dominates this album and gives it a playful, sloppy one take feel that no Blur album previously had (including 'Modern Life...).
As for the songs themselves, there is a variety of styles on here from short punk blasts ('Song 2', 'Chinese Bombs', 'Movin' On') to haunting pieces (the instrumental 'Theme From Retro', 'Death Of A Party' and my favourite song on the album 'Strange News From Another Star') to eccentric pop (the under-rated single's 'M.O.R' and 'On Your Own'). 'Beetlebum' has to be one of the most unusual and therefore brilliant number one singles of the last ten years! 'Look Inside America' is the only track that harks back to their Britpop sound which is ironic considering it's subject matter! 'Country Sad Ballad Man', 'I'm Just A Killer For Your Love' and 'Essex Dogs' are the songs that require more than one listen to get into but are worth it once you do get your head round them.
You can trace the roots of '13', 'Think Tank', Graham's first four solo album's and even Gorillaz here on this album.
Blur were the nineties Beatles and this is their 'White Album'.
Still, this album shocked the majority of Blur's fanbase and surprised their critics at the time of it's release. Some of the songs have a demo feel to them and the so-called 'Lo-fi' production helps the album to flow well and give it a unique character no matter how diverse each of the songs are from each other.
It's my personal favourite Blur album and was the first that I bought by them. I'd heard the singles 'Parklife', 'Girls And Boys' and 'Country House' along with everyone else in the country at the height of Britpop mania but I wasn't a big fan of indie till 1997, year zero for me in terms of developing my own taste in music beyond my parent's taste's!
So this album truly introduced me to the world of Blur and I revelled in it from start to finish. Graham Coxon instantly became my teenage idol and has inspired me as a guitarist ever since i heard this for the first time. He might disagree but I would say that this is his album more than Damon's even if he only actually wrote just one of the songs (the chirpy acoustic strum of 'You're So Great'). It was Graham who became sick of the Britpop scene they inspired and the member who most fought for a change of direction. His guitar playing dominates this album and gives it a playful, sloppy one take feel that no Blur album previously had (including 'Modern Life...).
As for the songs themselves, there is a variety of styles on here from short punk blasts ('Song 2', 'Chinese Bombs', 'Movin' On') to haunting pieces (the instrumental 'Theme From Retro', 'Death Of A Party' and my favourite song on the album 'Strange News From Another Star') to eccentric pop (the under-rated single's 'M.O.R' and 'On Your Own'). 'Beetlebum' has to be one of the most unusual and therefore brilliant number one singles of the last ten years! 'Look Inside America' is the only track that harks back to their Britpop sound which is ironic considering it's subject matter! 'Country Sad Ballad Man', 'I'm Just A Killer For Your Love' and 'Essex Dogs' are the songs that require more than one listen to get into but are worth it once you do get your head round them.
You can trace the roots of '13', 'Think Tank', Graham's first four solo album's and even Gorillaz here on this album.
Blur were the nineties Beatles and this is their 'White Album'.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:Audio CD
I first discovered Blur through Damon Albarn's side project, Gorillaz. Needless to say, Blur sounded completely different from the "zombie hip-hop" of Gorillaz, but I liked it - a lot. This is the third Blur CD I have, after their greatest hits album and "Parklife."
1. Beetlebum - great song, jams for a bit too long at the end 9/10
2. Song 2 - Whoo-hoo! Like Nirvana on ecstacy. 10/10
3. Country Sad Ballad Man - extremely catchy. One of the more experimental ones - 10/10
4. M.O.R. - kind of...eh. grows on you after a while, though. 7/10
5. On Your Own - catchy, nothing spectacular. 6/10
6. Theme from Retro - average. This is where I begin to get worried. 5/10
7. You're So Great - YES!!! This song is so great. And the reason it doesn't sound like Damon is because it's sung by Graham Coxon. 10/10
8. Death of a Party - spooky, but extremely beautiful. 9/10
9. CHINESE BOMBS - hated it first listen, got better, not nearly on par with Song 2. 8/10
10. I'M JUST A KILLER FOR YOUR LOVE - great guitar. 9/10
11. LOOK INSIDE AMERICA - very pretty piece. Damon could tone down the vocal gymnastics, though. Sounded like he was warbling in some parts. 9/10
12. STRANGE NEWS FROM ANOTHER STAR- another very pretty song. Probably the calmest one on the CD. 10/10
13. MOVIN' ON - not bad, not memorable - 7/10
14. ESSEX DOGS - personally, I love this one, but it's an acquired taste. 10/10
1. Beetlebum - great song, jams for a bit too long at the end 9/10
2. Song 2 - Whoo-hoo! Like Nirvana on ecstacy. 10/10
3. Country Sad Ballad Man - extremely catchy. One of the more experimental ones - 10/10
4. M.O.R. - kind of...eh. grows on you after a while, though. 7/10
5. On Your Own - catchy, nothing spectacular. 6/10
6. Theme from Retro - average. This is where I begin to get worried. 5/10
7. You're So Great - YES!!! This song is so great. And the reason it doesn't sound like Damon is because it's sung by Graham Coxon. 10/10
8. Death of a Party - spooky, but extremely beautiful. 9/10
9. CHINESE BOMBS - hated it first listen, got better, not nearly on par with Song 2. 8/10
10. I'M JUST A KILLER FOR YOUR LOVE - great guitar. 9/10
11. LOOK INSIDE AMERICA - very pretty piece. Damon could tone down the vocal gymnastics, though. Sounded like he was warbling in some parts. 9/10
12. STRANGE NEWS FROM ANOTHER STAR- another very pretty song. Probably the calmest one on the CD. 10/10
13. MOVIN' ON - not bad, not memorable - 7/10
14. ESSEX DOGS - personally, I love this one, but it's an acquired taste. 10/10
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Awful !
This CD came out in 1997 and i had my hands on it in 1999. At the time when i bought the CD i only knew two songs...Beetlebum and Song 2. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Zen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just like high school again
I sold this album when I went away to college, but hearing it again the other day brought back all those loud weekends. I had to get it. Read more
Published on January 2, 2011 by M. R. Nelson
2.0 out of 5 stars
Like Radiohead, Except Not Good
This album was on sale for 1 cent, not counting shipping and handling, so I immediately bought it. I, like everyone else, purchased it so that I could get Song 2. Read more
Published on July 31, 2010 by GCamps
4.0 out of 5 stars
A different kind of "Blur"
Blur is one of my favorite English bands, and this album was supposedly intended to follow influences of American indie-rock. Read more
Published on October 21, 2009 by ReservedRealist
5.0 out of 5 stars
classic
I love a band who works on a challange, even better when they don't need to. Blur's self-titled album could not be a better example. Read more
Published on October 17, 2009 by Bill Your 'Free Form FM Print DJ
2.0 out of 5 stars
Exploration Doesn't ALways Meet With Success
I can only compare this one to Parklife and the Great Escape, both of which are driven by the great melodies & tight production. Read more
Published on June 12, 2009 by Peter M. Crockett
2.0 out of 5 stars
Dont judge an album via it's singles.
OK I'll admit I bought thier best of album for two reasons, Song 2 and the clever artwork and after a few listens I loved it. Read more
Published on March 23, 2008 by You are reading my username
5.0 out of 5 stars
Movin' On...
After the Brit Pop movement got exhausted, bands began to break off and move into very different directions. Read more
Published on June 8, 2006 by JG
5.0 out of 5 stars
A little different, but just as good
I read in several places that they were being inspired by Pavement's lo-fi stylings at the time. Now, I don't know if that's true or not, but this album definitely has a different... Read more
Published on January 13, 2006 by Joshua Eyre
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best I've heard from Blur
I've recently been trying out all of Blur's albums, and thus far this C.D. is what I consider to be their best. Read more
Published on July 19, 2005 by Blue Gardener
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