Post by The Curmudgeon on Nov 10, 2015 17:45:47 GMT 2
I'm racking my brains now and trying to remember but I don't think, despite them being one of my favourite ever bands, that this particular group of fellows have ever been put up to be judged before. That will be rectified today. But instead of going back to one of their earlier songs, I'm staying bang up to date with a track from their latest album, their first album in over 10 years.
And it's not just any band that could take that long a hiatus and then come back, not for nostalgia to play the hits at festivals, but to travel to Japan to record a new album. And it's not just any band that could record an album that can sit comfortably among their very best work. But then, Blur are not just any band.
When you follow the career of frontman Damon Albarn, it's clear that the guy can do pretty much any genre you throw at him. Even though they will be eternally linked to Oasis after their legendary 90's feud, Damon is so far beyond Noel (and especially Liam) in terms of ability and sheer depth of work that the comparisons end beyond "they were both in popular bands in the 90's." Convincing, authentic hip-hop? Rattling punk noise? Dance? Culturally relevant albums with Mali musicians? Musicals? He can do it all and more.
Anyway, back to Blur, and their recent album "Magic Whip" showed the 100% reformed (Graham Coxton had come back to the fold) band had lost none of their original step. Long time enemy Liam Gallagher even commented that their first single from the record "Lonesome Street" was "single of the year."
I'm not playing that one cos the video sucks. When you've got an album as good as the Magic Whip to go through, you're spoiled for choice. This is "Ong Ong." Don't ask me what it means.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0qA38h9w3o
And it's not just any band that could take that long a hiatus and then come back, not for nostalgia to play the hits at festivals, but to travel to Japan to record a new album. And it's not just any band that could record an album that can sit comfortably among their very best work. But then, Blur are not just any band.
When you follow the career of frontman Damon Albarn, it's clear that the guy can do pretty much any genre you throw at him. Even though they will be eternally linked to Oasis after their legendary 90's feud, Damon is so far beyond Noel (and especially Liam) in terms of ability and sheer depth of work that the comparisons end beyond "they were both in popular bands in the 90's." Convincing, authentic hip-hop? Rattling punk noise? Dance? Culturally relevant albums with Mali musicians? Musicals? He can do it all and more.
Anyway, back to Blur, and their recent album "Magic Whip" showed the 100% reformed (Graham Coxton had come back to the fold) band had lost none of their original step. Long time enemy Liam Gallagher even commented that their first single from the record "Lonesome Street" was "single of the year."
I'm not playing that one cos the video sucks. When you've got an album as good as the Magic Whip to go through, you're spoiled for choice. This is "Ong Ong." Don't ask me what it means.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0qA38h9w3o
