Blur have announced details of a surprise new album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ and shared the first single ‘The Narcissist’. Check it out below.The returning Britpop legends first announced their comeback back in November with news of a huge Wembley Stadium show – before going on to reveal a second date at the venue before a run of European festival shows and an intimate UK warm-up tour, which kicks off in their hometown of Colchester tomorrow (Friday May 19).Now, the band have revealed that the 10-track ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ will arrive on 21 July via Parlophone, and is available for pre-order here.
The band’s first album since 2015’s ‘The Magic Whip‘ comes previewed by the single ‘The Narcissist’ – a moderately-paced bittersweet track reminiscent of the alt-rock leanings of 2003’s ‘Think Tank’.The band’s ninth album was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Foals, Depeche Mode) and recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon.
Speaking about the making of the record, the band said that it found them taking a stock of their relationship.Frontman Damon Albarn described ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ as “an aftershock record” loaded with “reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now”, while guitarist Graham Coxon said: “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention.
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