Parklife by Blur - Classic Album Review

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Blur released their 3rd album in 1994 and it went straight to number 1 in the UK charts.

It followed up Modern Life is Rubbish, their second album which wasn't a success commercially and the band was in some turmoil after a disastrous US tour the previous year.

It became the second album in a trilogy that focused on "Englishness" (followed by The Great Escape the following year) and was one of a few albums that really heralded what became known as "Britpop".

I am a big fan of the band although it was this album that really sparked my interest and I went back to their previous material in retrospect.

Girls & Boys



The opener and first single 'Girls & Boys' is quite a departure from the indie-pop that the band were known for. It adds a disco beat and funky bassline as well as Dave Rowntree's drums being replaced by a drum machine.

It was wildly successful and became their biggest hit at the time reaching number 5 in the singles charts.

The lyrics are supposedly based on a trip Damon took to Magaluf with his then-girlfriend Justine Frieschmann of Elastica. The 18-30s vibe of the Spanish resort town with drunken copulating the order of the day is reflected in the green-screen video.


Tracy Jacks

Track two is a story song where Damon takes a character and tells us an English tale, a story with reminiscences of Reginald Perrin. It was a live favourite and was released with Bank Holiday as a US Promotional single.

End of a Century'End of a Century' is a beautiful song that was released as the last single from the album. It didn't do so well in the charts, only reaching number 19 and Damon Albarn was later quoted as saying he thought 'This is A Low' would have been a better choice.



I've always loved this one though with its subtle longing and catchy refrain.


Parklife

The title track from the album is also an iconic single.


Phil Daniels, an actor in such films as the mod classic Quadrophenia, brings his cockney voice to recite the verses in a move that lifts the song from a slice of life to something more.

The video carries on the comic intentions of the song featuring all the band members taking on characters from the lyrics.



Bank Holiday
This is a punk track, quick, loud and blasting through any sense that Blur is a lightweight band. It still has the observational glance within it but is a breathtaking whirl.

Badhead
In stark contrast, 'Badhead' seems to be the hangover after the Bank Holiday party. The Kick Horns add the brass section to soothe and this melancholy piece is beautiful.

The Debt Collector
This waltzy instrumental was originally why Phil Daniels was brought into the studio. He was going to recite a poem over it but they couldn't decide on something suitable so it becomes a filler track here.

Far Out
The one track on the album with lyrics written by someone other than Damon. This paean to the planets (and other celestial objects) was penned by bassist Alex James and is a wonderful thing of whimsy.

To the End
'To the End' is a beautiful song that the band has recorded several times, including a couple of French versions - one with Francoise Hardy.

The album version has Laetitia Sadier from Stereolab singing the chorus in French.



It was the second single from the album and only reached number 16 in the charts but has remained a favourite.



London Loves
The album is full of English references and London in particular with Martin Amis's London Fields being cited as an influence. This track has a catchy chorus and references various points in the capital.

Trouble in the Message Centre
A new wave number with clangy, clashy guitars and squelchy noises along with megaphones and other sounds. It is not as immediately accessible as some tracks but has a vital energy nonetheless.

Clover Over Dover
This is a bit of an oddity. It's a lovely track with birdsong and harpsichord in the background as Damon sings almost nursery rhyme lyrics. The band didn't play this live for many years because of the arrangement.

Magic America
The challenging experience of touring in the US nearly broke the band. As they drank more and faced somewhat apathetic US crowds they became close to collapse. This fairground view of the states is presumably born out of that experience to some extent.

Jubilee
Another live favourite and a song they have played in various live sessions, 'Jubilee' tells the story of an ill-adjusted boy in one of Damon's best character pieces and with some of the best heavy guitars on the album.

This Is a Low


One of the band's most loved songs. It is an absolute monster of a tune with a beautiful refrain and steady build up of guitars along with rhyming couplets based on points from the shipping forecast.

It has been included on various "best of" albums despite never being an official single and is always in the live set, usually closing before an encore.

The cover above is from a rare promo single that was released to promote the album

Lot 105

After a pause and the intensity of 'This is a Low', 'Lot 105' is another instrumental piece reminiscent of a Wurlitzer or a carnival stall to finish the album and leave us satisfied.

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