REVIEW: blur - The Ballad Of Darren
Whilst fires of discord continue to rage from certain quarters of Manchester’s Oasis, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree aka blur unexpectedly returned with a new album The Ballad Of Darren released via Parlophone Records on 21 st July. The word ballad fits the bill quite well, apart from a couple of charged numbers the majority of the music found here could easily share glitterballs and dance hall spaces whilst couples held hands and foxtrotted aiming for straight 10’s. Opening with the track Ballad we dive straight into a Bowie-esque serenade, atmospheric harmonies enhanced these days by Rowntree, there are slights hints of Gorillaz To Binge, ‘I fell in love with you ‘, charms Albarn, there appears to be plenty of affection on the album. The straight to the point message of St. Charles Square however shifts away from the charm for a moment ‘I f*cked up’ is followed by razor-edged guitars, the sort of thing Magic Whip had plenty of. Barbaric has Clover Ove