This week marks the release of Damon Albarn's new project The Good, The Bad and The Queen. The album is to feature Paul Simonon of the Clash, Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, Simon Tong of The Verve and was produced by Dangermouse. I've seen mixed reviews from the album but am pretty excited to hear it in full myself.
I thought it would be interesting to spend the next few days putting a spotlight on Damon Albarn's career with Blur and on into his side/solo projects. Blur were arguably, next to Oasis, the best of the Britpop scene. There music was clearly British but it also was highly original and fun to listen to. The band released seven albums. Modern Life is Rubbish (1993) and Parklife (1994) are hailed as their most spectacular but even Think Tank (2003), their last LP and only without guitarist Graham Coxon is worth checking out.
My plan is to begin with some Blur and move on to Mali Music (2002), an album Albarn wrote and recorded in Mali with local musicians and some interesting musicians. Next, I'd like to toss up a little Gorillaz but something from the remix album, Laika Come Home. From there I think I may be ready to post a track from The Good, The Bad & The Queen and close up the week by returning to Blur (how cool would it be if Albarn himself did that as well?).
So to get things rolling I wanted to set up the juxtaposition in Albarn's musical tastes and capabilities that he displayed within Blur and outside that group. From Blur's The Great Escape (1995) we have Country House. From Think Tank is Moroccan People's Revolutionary Bowls Club, complete with robotic ending.
I hope you enjoy
No comments:
Post a Comment