Leisure (1991)

“We’re a band who could completely and utterly change everything…”: That’s a young Blur talking to Select Magazine back in ’91. A bold statement for a band riding on the Stone Roses’ coattails. Just listen to the percussion on Leisure (and compare those danceable snares and tambourines to the rhythm section in a song like “Fools Gold”). Consequently, the British music press accused Blur of jumping on the baggy bandwagon. “Everyone’s doing it, so I’ll do it too,” Albarn sings on “Bang”. At least he was being honest.

They also coped shoegaze: Albarn hides his vocal blemishes beneath overdubs while Coxon’s guitars swim in distortion—production aesthetics patented by UK contemporaries Ride and Swervedriver. Blur can do shoegaze (“She’s So High” and “Slow Down” are pleasant enough), but it comes down to originality, or lack thereof.

Character studies: Albarn sang mostly about moods and feelings on Leisure. The closest thing we get to a character is the dour protagonist of “Birthday”, who celebrates getting older by sitting alone on a park bench.

Highest charting UK single: “There’s No Other Way”. The chorus will get stuck in your head.

Best B-side: “Inertia” slouches through a stoned haze and would’ve worked well on the album proper.

Average track length: 4:11

Cover art deductions: The swim-cap lady…her eyes taunt me, as if she’s delved into my subconscious and extracted a dirty secret. She makes me uncomfortable.

Before Blur sounded like Blur: Leisure is a competent debut, but it’s Blur’s worst album. Hits like “There’s No Other Way” put the band on the map, but Madchester was dying and Blur faced flash-in-the-pan irrelevancy. The band needed an identity; the songs needed individuality.

Albarn’s anxiety level: Low

Modern Life is Rubbish (1993)

Back to the studio, Blur. We need some singles: Food Records rejected Modern Life is Rubbish when Blur initially submitted it. “Too weird. Not commercially viable.” The band begrudgingly returned to the studio and knocked out a pair of radio-friendly songs—“For Tomorrow” and “Chemical World”—much to the label’s delight.

Character studies: “Colin Zeal” (this “modern retard” seems like an asshole, always looking at his watch and what not); “Pressure on Julian” (Julian is a shopping cart wrangler with anxiety).

Highest charting UK single(s): “For Tomorrow” and “Chemical World” both peaked at #28 in Britain.

Best B-Side: “Fried” is pure punk rock. “We’re all getting fried,” Albarn shouts madly. It’s a blistering couple of minutes.

Average track length: 4:13

Cover art deductions: My favorite Blur sleeve. I loved choo-choo trains as a kid and seeing that locomotive is instant nostalgia.

Britain Versus America: Was the working title for the album. Albarn didn’t care much for the United States, and while his lyrics critiqued Anglo tradition, they also commented on how those traditions were gradually becoming Americanized. This level of social awareness would come to define Blur’s music and set the band apart from rival pop acts.

Albarn’s anxiety level: Medium

Parklife (1994)

“Girls who are boys who like boys to be girls…”: Lead single “Girls & Boys” launched Blur to pop stardom. On the radio, in the club, in the record store—the song succeeded in all venues; the band’s biggest hit since “There’s No Other Way”. Alex James’ hooky bassline accents a house beat and some of the catchiest melodies in Albarn’s arsenal. This New Order-flavor of dance-punk was the antithesis of the grunge dominating America back in ’95.

Character studies: “Tracy Jacks” (a civil worker in his late 40s descends into hedonism, runs around naked, bulldozes his own house); “Parklife” (various people are criticized for their banalities); “Magic America” (Bill Barret’s trip to America is filtered through Albarn’s cynicism).

Highest charting UK single: “Girls & Boys” reached #5.

Best B-Side: The bouncy “Magpie” echoes the baggy rhythms of Leisure.

Average track length: 3:17

Cover art deductions: The album was originally titled London and had a cart of fruits and vegetables on the cover. Good thing they changed it. The greyhounds make for an iconic sleeve that also matches the album’s British theme. Greyhound racing is a popular UK pastime.

Embracing British-ness by satirizing British-ness: Deconstructing Britain with sociological precision, Albarn is sarcastic (“Magic America”), hilarious (“Parklife”), and occasionally tragic (“Clover Over Dover”). Cue the Ray Davies comparisons.

Albarn’s anxiety level: Medium

The Great Escape (1995)

Why was the Britpop scene so competitive?: The Battle of Britpop. Oasis—the Beatle-worshippers. Blur—the satirists. A PR scuffle catalyzed by tabloid-happy UK music journos and perpetuated by contention between the Gallaghers and Albarn. The two bickered about each other like teenage girls. This rivalry culminated when Albarn moved the release date of lead single “Country House” up one week so it could compete head-to-head with Oasis’ “Roll With It”. Like I said before: patently ridiculous.

Character studies: “Charmless Man” (a song about a guy who isn’t nearly as cool as he thinks he is); “Ernold Same” (true to his name, Mr. Same leads a monotonous life); “Mr. Robinson’s Quango” (a hairpiece-wearing sleaze ball, this guy grabs his secretary’s ass and revels in the fact that he’s a “naughty boy”); “Dan Abnormal” (an anagram for Damon Albarn!); “Yuko and Hiro” (two co-workers struggle to balance their jobs with personal relationships).

Highest charting UK single: “Country House” became Blur’s first #1.

Best B-Side: “One Born Every Minute” sounds half-finished, but Albarn’s drunken drawl is endearing.

Average track length: 4:00

Cover art deductions: The water looks refreshing, but that “The Great Escape”-font reeks of 1995.

Blur wins battle, loses war: “Country House” topped “Roll With It” on the singles chart, but Oasis’ What’s the Story (Morning Glory)? was a far more successful album, largely because of its popularity in America.

Albarn’s anxiety level: High

Blur (1997)

In which Damon Albarn discovers the awesomeness of American indie rock: As it goes, Coxon turned Albarn on to American indie rock and lo-fi recording aesthetics. Blur is defined by its sharp guitars and loose song structures. Hints of future-Damon Albarn pop up as well (i.e. the trip-hop leanings of “Death at a Party”).

“Song 2”: The quintessential Blur song…in America. Poll a random guy on the street about Blur. They’ll give you a quizzical look. Then hum/sing “Song 2” (get to the chorus, at least), and they’ll go, “Oh, I’ve heard that!”

Character studies: “Beetlebum” (hey Oasis, he’s talking about you!); “Country Sad Ballad Man” (lazy bed dweller is a professional TV watcher).

Highest charting UK single: “Beetlebum” was the band’s second #1.

Best B-Side: One of the band’s strangest non-album tracks, “Threadneedle Street” sees Albarn walking down the eponymous street and recounting his surroundings.

Average track length: 4:20

Cover art deductions: Too literal.

Albarn’s anxiety level: High

13 (1999)

The “breakup” album: Albarn composed much of 13 after ending a long-term relationship with Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann. Inspired by the breakup, opening track “Tender” is a piece of gospel blues. “Come on, come on, come on, get through it,” repeats Albarn, scarred emotions in tow. It’s arguably Blur’s finest moment.

Skip “Bugman” and go straight to “Coffee & TV”: Don’t we all?

Bye bye, Stephen Street: 13 is the first Blur album to not feature production by Stephen Street. Instead, the band went with electronic producer William Orbit.

Character studies: “Bugman” (the psychotic ramblings of an ex-offender); “No Distance Left to Run” (Albarn gets introspective and confessional).

Highest charting UK single: “Tender” peaked at #2.

Best B-Side: Too bad “Black Book” never made it on an actual album. During its eight-minute buildup, Albarn rises from a deadpan baritone to a falsetto while a string section gathers momentum in the background.

Average track length: 5:08 (The album is too long and could’ve used some editing. Blur’s always had a propensity for cramming 50+ minutes of music on a disc. But 13 clocks in at over an hour and starts to drag during its second half).

Cover art deductions: Graham Coxon’s oil painting was a striking departure from the photography the band used throughout its career. Also: no more Blur logo.

Albarn’s anxiety level: Very High

Think Tank (2003)

Graham Coxon leaves: By 2003, Damon Albarn’s concentration had turned to the Gorillaz and his songwriting favored electronica. Tension between him and Coxon would culminate during the Think Tank sessions, and, as a result, Coxon’s guitarwork only appears on one song (“Battery in Your Leg”). The rest of the band dispersed following the record’s release.

Character studies: “Gene by Gene” (every night and day, he deletes himself…whatever that means).

Highest charting UK single: “Out of Time” reached #5.

Best B-Side: “The Outsider”. Lo-fi blues at its spookiest.

Average track length: 4:18

Cover art deductions: Grim, gothic imagery to match the album’s dark tones.

Albarn’s anxiety level: Medium

And in the end: Of course, Blur reunited and released new music, so Think Tank wasn’t really the end. But it felt like it at the time. Coxon went on to start a successful solo career and Albarn started working full-time as the puppeteer behind the Gorillaz. The Blur boys had a good run, to say the least — and they’re still running. They’re to be the closing concert at the 2012 London Olympics at Hyde Park—a testament to the band’s legacy and lasting impact on British music.