The Narcississt

Former Britpop Heroes BLUR Have Their New Melancholic Album ‘THE BALLAD OF DARREN’ Out Now

Posted on by JL

21 July 2023

Today Brit-pop-rock icons BLUR launched their
9th LP, baptized The Ballad Of Darren. Their first
in 8 years (The Magic Whip came out in 2015).

Pre-order info here.

The artwork depicts a photo of the Gourock Pool
in Renfrewshire (Scotland) by British photographer
Martin Parr.

NME says: “Their brilliance continues The band’s joyous reunion only gets more emotional with this tear-jerking, soaring epic. Unlike many of their peers, there has never been a timelessness to a Blur album – that’s a good thing. When you listen to ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’ now, you can feel disdain for the culture that surrounded them, or the raw confusion of heartbreak on 1999’s ‘13’; they have a way of transporting you to a precise moment or emotion. It’s why ‘The Ballad of Darren’ is so memorable and touching: you can feel it, everything, in every line sung or note played. Speaking to NME last week, Rowntree says that when they were recording, “everything we tried, worked”, and that “magic was in the air”. It is keenly felt here; may it never fade away.” Full review here. Score: 4/5.

TUTV: Lots of slow ones, lots of reflective musings, lots of romantic ballads (including Darren‘s one), lots of melancholia. They only rock out on the punked-up St. Charles Square.
To be honest, a surprisingly intimate record but it grows on you slowly but surely.

Singles/clips: The Narcissist / St. Charles Square

– THE NARCISSIST –

– ST. CHARLES SQUARE –

See you next month.
WOOHOO!

BLUR: Website – Instagram

Waking Up With… Britpop Legends BLUR Rockin’ Out Big Time On New Single Titled ‘ST. CHARLES SQUARE

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than any stimulant

30 June 2023


Album artwork

Early this year London‘s Britpop legends BLUR announced
several massive shows in and out of the UK, but no hint at
new music.

But that changed last month when they announced their 9th LP, named
The Ballad Of Darren, and planned to be released on 21 July.

Pre-order info here.

The artwork depicts a photo of the Gourock Pool in Renfrewshire (Scotland)
by British photographer Martin Parr.

Following last month’s first single, Blur-esque pop tune The Narcissist we get a 2nd appetizer ST. CHARLES SQUARE. A different kind of beast. Graham Coxon (confirmed
by Albarn, see below) can/may riff and rock again on a Blur track.

Albarn about it: “I was just really relieved it went this way in the studio. I mean, in my demo it sort of alluded to it because of the chords that hold in the chorus — it’s got that chug to it — but Graham [Coxon] really went with it … It’s got an amazing atmosphere. Everybody’s playing really well on that thing.”

Woohoo!

BLUR: Website – Instagram

TURN UP THE VOLUME JUKEBOX 2023 – 10 New Tracks Added Every Week

Posted on by JL

Every week 10 new rad tracks added

In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.

Check the 10 new rad tracks
added to this rad 2023 playlist
(total of 195 tracks so far).

1. ‘Bulletman’ by PARIS TEXAS (Los Angeles)

2. ‘Mercury’ by SMALL MIRACLES (Wales)

3. ‘Rango’ bySCARS FOR DAVID (Belgium)

4. ‘Second Hand’ by NIXER (London)

5. ‘Out Of The Window’ by HARKER (Brighton, UK)

6. ‘The Eyes Of Portland’ by JOHN MELLENCAMP (USA)

7. ‘Dummy’ by PORTUGAL. THE MAN (Portland, US)

8. ‘The Narcissist’ by BLUR (London)

9. ‘I Thought I Understood’ by THE UNDERGROUND YOUTH (UK/Berlin)

10. ‘Surviving Pessimism’ by NECRØ (Portugal)

Go to Spotify and stream/steam.


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TUTV: Blog – Facebook – Instagram

Waking Up With… Britpop Legends BLUR And Their Brand New Single ‘THE NARCISSIST’

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than any stimulant

19 May 2023


Album artwork

Earlier this year London‘s Britpop legends BLUR announced
several massive shows in and out of the UK, but no hint at
new music.

And now out of the blue comes the news that they have a new album,
their 9th, named THE BALLAD OF DARREN, ready to be released on 21 July.
Pre-order info here.

The artwork depicts a photo of the Gourock Pool in Renfrewshire (Scotland)
by British photographer Martin Parr.

Damon Albarn (frontman): “It’s an aftershock record loaded
with reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”

Graham Coxon (guitarist): “The older and madder we get, it becomes
more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and
intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.”

And here comes the first single titled THE NARCISSIST.
A melancholic Blur-esque pop tune that sticks instantly.
Great guitar work by Coxon.

Listen.

.
BLUR: Website – Instagram