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As a response to the dominance of grunge in the U.K. and their own decreasing profile in their homeland -- and also as a response to Suede's sudden popularity -- Blur reinvented themselves with their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish, abandoning the shoegazing and baggy influences that dominated Leisure for traditional pop. On the surface, Modern Life may appear to be an homage to the Kinks, David Bowie, the Beatles, and Syd Barrett, yet it isn't a restatement, it's a revitalization. Blur use British guitar pop from the Beatles to My Bloody Valentine as a foundation, spinning off tales of contemporary despair. If Damon Albarn weren't such a clever songwriter, both lyrically and melodically, Modern Life could have sunk under its own pretensions, and the latter half does drag slightly. However, the record teems with life, since Blur refuse to treat their classicist songs as museum pieces. Graham Coxon's guitar tears each song open, either with unpredictable melodic lines or layers of translucent, hypnotic effects, and his work creates great tension with Alex James' kinetic bass. And that provides Albarn a vibrant background for his social satires and cutting commentary. But the reason Modern Life Is Rubbish is such a dynamic record and ushered in a new era of British pop is that nearly every song is carefully constructed and boasts a killer melody, from the stately "For Tomorrow" and the punky "Advert" to the vaudeville stomp of "Sunday Sunday" and the neo-psychedelic "Chemical World." Even with its flaws, it's a record of considerable vision and excitement. [Most American versions of Modern Life Is Rubbish substitute the demo version of "Chemical World" for the studio version on the British edition. They also add the superb single "Pop Scene" before the final song, "Resigned."]
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Rick Koster, Violin - John Metcalfe, Viola - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Timpani, Writer - Helen Kamminga, Viola - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Miriam Stockley, Background Vocals - Mae McKenna, Background Vocals - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Bells, Organ, Vocals, Writer, Synthesizer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Ivan McCermoy, Cello - Lousia Fuller, Violin - The Duke String Quartet, String Quartet
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer, Hand Clap, Drumbox Percussion - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Tambourine, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer, Miscellaneous - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer, Hand Clap - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer, Hand Clap - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer, Synthesizer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Tambourine, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Vocals, Writer, Miscellaneous - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer, Samples - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals, Miscellaneous - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Bells, Remastering Engineer, Synthesizer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals, Moog - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Vocals, Writer, Miscellaneous - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Kate St. John, Cor Anglais, Oboe, Soprano Saxophone
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Piano, Vocals, Writer, Melodica - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Roddy Lorimer, Trumpet - Simon Clarke, Saxophone - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - The Kick Horns, Section Horn - Neil Sidwell, Trombone - Paul Spong, Cornet - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Tambourine, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Organ, Lead Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Steve Lovell, Producer - Simon Weinstock, MixingEngineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer, MixingEngineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Tambourine, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer, Miscellaneous - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Writer, The Plough - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Percussion, Writer, Background Vocals, Noises - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Steve Lovell, Producer - Simon Weinstock, MixingEngineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer, Drum Loops - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Tambourine, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Writer, Synthesizer, Moog - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer, Hand Clap - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Tambourine, Triangle, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Lead Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Lead Vocals, Writer, Melodica - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
DISC 2
Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - John Fryer, MixingEngineer - The Kick Horns, Section Horn - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Lead Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Steve Lovell, Producer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer, Tannoy - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Rick Koster, Violin - John Metcalfe, Viola - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - Helen Kamminga, Viola - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Miriam Stockley, Background Vocals - Mae McKenna, Background Vocals - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Ivan McCermoy, Cello - Lousia Fuller, Violin - The Duke String Quartet, String Quartet
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - David Rowntree, Producer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - The Kick Horns, Section Horn - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Piano, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Percussion, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - CLIVE LANGER, Producer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Alan Winstanley, Producer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Producer, Engineer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Engineer, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Engineer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Drums, Percussion, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Producer, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Alex James, Bass Guitar - Dave Rowntree, Drums - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - ROD STEWART, Writer - Martin Quittenton, Writer - Graham Coxon, Guitar, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Keyboards, Vocals - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Producer, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar, Writer - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums, Writer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Kathy Firth, Writer - Harry Dacre, Writer - Justine Frischmann, Background Vocals
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
John Smith, Engineer - Alex James, Producer, Bass Guitar - Dave Rowntree, Producer, Drums - Murphy, Composer - STEPHEN STREET, Remastering Engineer - Graham Coxon, Producer, Guitar, Background Vocals - Blur, MainArtist - Damon Albarn, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals - Frank Arkwright, Remastering Engineer - Kathy Firth, Composer - Castling, Composer - Justine Frischmann, Background Vocals
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Album review
As a response to the dominance of grunge in the U.K. and their own decreasing profile in their homeland -- and also as a response to Suede's sudden popularity -- Blur reinvented themselves with their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish, abandoning the shoegazing and baggy influences that dominated Leisure for traditional pop. On the surface, Modern Life may appear to be an homage to the Kinks, David Bowie, the Beatles, and Syd Barrett, yet it isn't a restatement, it's a revitalization. Blur use British guitar pop from the Beatles to My Bloody Valentine as a foundation, spinning off tales of contemporary despair. If Damon Albarn weren't such a clever songwriter, both lyrically and melodically, Modern Life could have sunk under its own pretensions, and the latter half does drag slightly. However, the record teems with life, since Blur refuse to treat their classicist songs as museum pieces. Graham Coxon's guitar tears each song open, either with unpredictable melodic lines or layers of translucent, hypnotic effects, and his work creates great tension with Alex James' kinetic bass. And that provides Albarn a vibrant background for his social satires and cutting commentary. But the reason Modern Life Is Rubbish is such a dynamic record and ushered in a new era of British pop is that nearly every song is carefully constructed and boasts a killer melody, from the stately "For Tomorrow" and the punky "Advert" to the vaudeville stomp of "Sunday Sunday" and the neo-psychedelic "Chemical World." Even with its flaws, it's a record of considerable vision and excitement. [Most American versions of Modern Life Is Rubbish substitute the demo version of "Chemical World" for the studio version on the British edition. They also add the superb single "Pop Scene" before the final song, "Resigned."]
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 33 track(s)
- Total length: 02:17:56
- Main artists: Blur
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Parlophone UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
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