Blur: The Album
Britpop having taken its toll, and band relationships fracturing, 1997 saw Blur abandon English character song and look towards left-field American rock for inspiration, championed by guitarist Graham Coxon. Recorded partly in Iceland, Britpop is shunned in favour of abstract experimentalism, abrasive guitars and spoken work accompanied by a vacuum cleaner. Still present however, is Damon Albarn’s instinctive knack for writing memorable tunes and producer Stephen Street encouraging the new direction. The album features the band’s second UK number 1 single, ‘Beetlebum’ and a slacker rock classic in ‘Song 2’, the latter finally acquiring Blur transatlantic success. ‘Blur’, along with all the other Blur albums, is available on 30th July remastered and expanded in ‘Blur 21: The Box’ as well as individually in 2CD and 2LP formats.
