Blur Announce New Album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ | Music News

Blur will release new album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ on July 21st.

The record was produced by James Ford, and was recorded at Studio 13 in London, and a site in Devon. It represents the band’s first album since ‘The Magic Whip’ in 2015, which reached the pinnacle of the UK charts.

The new album is the band’s ninth to date, and the announce comes just before the opening night of their intimate UK tour – back where it all started, in Colchester Arts Centre.

‘The Ballad Of Darren’ features 10 new songs, and a cover photograph by Martin Parr. Songwriter Damon Albarn comments: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”

Graham Coxon adds: “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.”

For his part, bassist Alex James comments: “For any long term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.”

Drummer Dave Rowntree released his debut solo album in the opening weeks of 2023, and his busy year continues with this unexpected release. He adds: “It always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we do, the process reveals something new and we develop as a band. We don’t take that for granted.”

New song ‘The Narcissist’ is online now – the stately strum has a timeless quality, indeed you know who the band is within seconds. Despite their myriad of solo projects, and other distractions, there remains something incredibly special about this band.

A fine opening gambit, ‘The Narcissist’ refuses to be hemmed in by the past, while remaining true to the band’s ethos

Tracklisting:
The Ballad
St Charles Square
Barbaric
Russian Strings
The Everglades (For Leonard)
The Narcissist
Goodbye Albert
Far Away Island
Avalon
The Heights