Huh. I guess I just associate them with America because of some pre-hipster hipsters I knew in high school. I tried, but...I was just bored. Blur is still bridging the gap between where the band was and where it was going, and about half of it is great. 13 had two or three great singles, and then a bunch of unremarkable stuff. And Think Tank is a record I could barely get through. I'm glad they evolved, I guess I just wish they'd evolved in the opposite direction, I suppose.
It is, but reports are they have cut out local music and now it's mainly substream touring acts. There was a place in Ypsilanti called Woodruff's which was THE local scene but it closed. Popscene was on the US release though, right?
Sorry for the double post, hit submit too soon, but I love 13. It was the second album I got (after parklife) and when I heard the noise breakdown on Caramel I lost my ****. The deep tracks on that album (battle, trailerpark, 1992) are what I was looking for in music at the time and couldn't really find. I find Tender to be the weakest song on the album. I mean, it's a fantastic song but 5 or so minutes into the song and I'm just pining to get deep into the album
Different strokes, I guess. I certainly don't want everyone to make the same kind of music just because it's what I like. But I really couldn't follow them down the lo-fi indie rabbit hole. A "noise breakdown" is great to some, but pretty much just sounds like a noise breakdown to me, in lieu of something clever or melodic. Just couldn't get into it. I did really dig "Under The Westway" from a couple years ago...I think if they'd made a whole record it might've balanced those two sides of the band a bit better.
"Bugman" is the one instance where they took the noise breakdown too far for me. The rest of that album is clever and melodic to my ears.
I have read that William Orbit has said--and I hope someone can correct me here--that that "noise breakdown" was literally a singular guitar effect pedal, a box that did like every effect all at once. So it's just Graham playing though this pedal that is going crazy. Controlled chaos. I would love to know what pedal that was.
The new vinyl reissue of 13 tames, or brings a clarity, to the noise breakdown section of "Bugman" that allows me to appreciate it more than the CD version I knew for years. On the CD, it's just a blur of sound, so to speak. I used to call it the vacuum cleaner solo. On the LP, I can make it out more clearly what Graham is actually playing underneath all of the effects.
Yes, exactly! That is a lot similar to how I approach guitar, and hearing Graham do it so well, we'll let's just say, a lot of bands don't pull it off that well. Cymbals Eat Guitars is the only other band that comes to mind. Driver 8, I have only heard it on vinyl, but yes it is so clear. The blur reissues are some of the best sounding vinyl I have heard.
Love this song. This and Under The Westway convinced me they could cut an album of new material that would stand up against any of their back catalogue. Will it happen? Probably not.
the problem with A.Arbor is that it's not really far, but just far enough from a lot of places that you'd hit on a tour more likely - Detroit , Grand Rapids - which is better for cross country travel if your band travels by bus, etc, so it can slip off the radar. plus i think its a result of tour spots being more in the hands of promoters rather than artists...it's probably a place musicians like to play more so than it being convenient, so more tour choices in the hands of promoters would further it off the radar. Also, college vibes now aren't what they used to be ...
I do, because the band's reasons were their anger that it didn't sell well. Graham gave his reason as "If you didn't want it in the first place, you're not going to get it now", and Damon announced it as "The single no one thought fit to buy" when they performed it live. They are right that it should have been huge. At least it was on the US version and the Blur 21 Deluxe Edition. Non-album singles are always cool though.
Blur were for many people around my age (49) The Beatles of the 90's. They are arguably as experimental, and have recorded some pretty fine pop songs. For Tomorrow is just one example of Damon's genius.
I finally picked up the deluxe CDs. I hsve to give them props for mastering this at least in a way that is listenable. I can't even listen to the Oasis remasters. They just sounds like...well a blur.
My favourite moment from the reissue box has to be the Partridged 'Coping'- a pure pop blast that makes me long for the unrealized second album (even though Modern Life Is Rubbish in its current form in probably still their best overall album).
The job Stephen Street did remastering these albums should be a textbook case in how to do it right. They crackle and bristle with life and energy but the original mixes and overall sounds of the songs has not been changed. For my ears that have heard these albums thousands of times, listening to the remasters when I first got the box set a few years ago was like hearing them all over again for the first time.
Why the hell would The Sun of all outlets announce it? I don't buy it. And that's one ugly-ass cover.
The Sun has been 100% correct breaking Blur news since they reunited in 2008, so if they say it, I believe it. The official Facebook page of the band has a picture saying that the announcement will be at 2pm UK time as well.
