Blur is an indie rock/pop band with art school roots from London, England. It formed in 1989 as Seymour in Colchester, composed of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon (1989-2002, 2008- ), Alex James and Dave Rowntree. Blur’s early releases (the singles There’s No Other Way, Bang, She’s So High,
I Know and the album Leisure) were considered indie or alternative rock, heavily influenced by the danceable rhythms of “baggy” bands like The Stone Roses and noisepop bands like My Bloody Valentine. However, strains of weirdness ran throughout, like Syd Barrett (this was often more readily apparent on several single B-sides, where the group let loose its more atavistic, dark side). By 1992, the group was keen on reinventing themselves with a newer, smarter sound and sense of purpose, eschewing the sounds that were coming out of the USA specifically, and returning to a retro spectrum of British rock and pop music: British Invasion groups, Mod groups, Psychedelic Rock, even nostalgic music from World War II. They released their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish, in 1993, to moderate success and began attracting attention for their stubborn determination to lead Britain out of the miasma that was the grunge years.
This is their first album for eight years, the last being The Magic Whip from 2015.
Tracklisting:
| The Ballad | 3:37 |
| St. Charles Square | 3:55 |
| Barbaric | 4:09 |
| Russian Strings | 3:38 |
| The Everglades (For Leonard) | 2:56 |
| The Narcissist | 4:05 |
| Goodbye Albert | 4:17 |
| Far Away Island | 2:58 |
| Avalon | 3:05 |
| The Heights | 3:24 |
