Blur: The Ballad of Darren

The ninth studio album by Blur is next up for review. A soulful exploration of where the band are now, a rekindling of friendship, and igniting one of Britain's best bands again.

Side A opens with 'The Ballad' a song that the band had archived for a long time, finally they were persuaded to finish it by long time friend Darren 'Smoggy' Evans' and are we glad they did. It is the perfect opener, showing both the brilliant musicianship of all of the band but also the brotherhood they have, which seems to have gotten stronger. The way Albarn and Coxon bounce off each other in this track is heartwarming, these two have been friends for decades and this song shows they will always be bound together because of all they have done. 'St Charles Square' harks back to the bands Britpop heyday even with a 'Parklife' like 'Oi' yet this is not a band who are trying to rekindle a past that has been and gone. It is firmly the sound of a band in 2023. It is a band coming to terms with who they are but also how they got there. 'Barbaric' is the next song on Side A complete with Johnny Marr like guitars and some of the bleakest Blur lyrics to date, 'lost the feeling that you thought you’d never lose' a lyric that repeats throughout the song, it's up there with 'Tender' and 'No Distance Left to Run' it is heart breaking and life affirming. The band moving forward as a unit. 'Russian Strings' a rather low key effort is the next song on Side A, in my opinion the albums weakest track, it is still a good song yet I feel it lacks something that the other tracks seem to hold. In fact it reminds me a little of something from the Arctic Monkeys 2018 effort 'Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino' I suppose James Ford did produce them both. Lyrically I think it is Albarn coming to terms with the end of his long term relationship. Loss is a theme that is throughout this album. Next up is 'The Everglades (For Leonard)' which again has some dark despairing lyrics 'Furthermore, I think it is just too late.' but also a sense of hope and optimism that sees Damon and the band believe they can get through it 'We are not going to shy away, we are growing tall with the pain' it's a real soulful affair led by piano and electronic elements sporadically throughout. 

Beginning Side B is album highlight and potential song of the year contender 'The Narcissist' a song the band have described as 'an aftershock, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now”, looking back at the friends he has lost: Bobby Womack, Tony Allen and late tour manager, Craig Duffy and his wife.' It is not only one of the best songs of this year it is one of the best Blur songs ever. A snapshot of their whole career In terms of a comeback single, it doesn't feel like one. It feels like Blur have never been away. 'Goodbye Albert' is next and features some of Graham's best guitar work and some of the most poignant lyrics about Albarn's break up, even his vocal delivery sounds like he is in pain. It's both haunting and beautiful. 'Far Away Island' is a real hidden gem a real reflective song, which shows the bands maturity, each of them playing there own role to perfection to create this reflective gem. 'Avalon' the albums penultimate track reminds me a lot of 1994's 'This is A Low' with imagery throughout from crashing tides, to war planes and even drug references to a much darker time in Damon's life. Lyrically an album highlight built around a piano chord and acoustic guitars. Ending the album is 'The Heights' a real sense of pride, one for the fans 'I gave a lot of heart, so did you / Standing in the back row, this one’s for you' backed by a gentle acoustic strum played by Graham. A real moment where the band take stock of what has happened. The song ends with the band playing and eventually fading into white noise. Is it the end? Will Blur return. 

I hope so, but if they do not, they have left us with an album for the ages.

Thank you for reading x

For the Biggest Blur fan in my life, Lauren x