New Toughts: 10 Years To Blur's "Think Tank"

When Blur, the highly acclaimed four piece band from London, started their recording sessions in 2001, they didn't know that it would be the last album of them together. All the four founding members, Damon Albarn (Vocals), Graham Coxon (Guitar and backing vocals), Alex James (Bass) and Dave Rowntree (Drums) have been together since high school, but Graham Coxon was deeply involved with alcoholism, what  made him leave the recordings after a while. The three members then recorded without their leading guitarist, a thing that you can notice when you hear the album at the first time, when you're looking for the guitar melodies in the songs (except of Battery In Your Leg, the only song he played in at this album. The result is more Electronic, Damon's voice based and a few clues for things that Damon Albarn will do in the next decade with Gorillaz, The Good The Bad And The Queen and more. It's also more Political with references to the invasion to Afghanistan and an anti-war declarations that you can recognise on the album cover. 10 years after the release of the seventh album of Blur (Released on 5th of May, 2003), I can still find here some magical moments, five of them are featured below.

Album Rating: 8/10

Out Of Time

Battery In Your Leg

On The Way To The Club

Ambulance

Sweet Song

Is This Hardcore? 15 Years Anniversary to Pulp's "This Is Hardcore"

When the Brit-Pop scene in UK emerged in the beginning of the 90's, Pulp where already there. This

 veteran Band, which was formed in Sheffield in 1978, has released 3 albums during their career until the singles from His N' Hers (1994) started to climb to the charts' high places. The next release, Different Class (1995) became very popular due to two hit singles: Disco 2000 and Common People, which paved their way to the mainstream together with Brit-Pop mates such as Oasis, Suede and Blur. Nothing could prepare the audience to the sixth studio album, which was released on 30^th of March, 1998. This Is Hardcore dealt with the dark side of humanity in the modern era – lack of love (unless you buy it for money), aging, thoughts about revolution which might change the social order and other issues. Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Mark Webber and Nick Banks broke all the dreams of meritocracy and unveil the fake sides we adopt in order to get along in this competitive world. The album got very positive critiques in UK while totally ignored in the US, reaching #114 place in the charts. Now, it's time 

to memorize why it was such a great album

Glory Days

 

Help The Aged

Sylvia

This Is Hardcore

 

The Day After The Revolution

The London Suede: 20 Years To Suede's "Suede"

The lost generation of the 90's tried to find a comfort place in a world that rapidly changes their lives. They were the first generation to use a private computer, to move faster from place to place and feeling at home anywhere around the world due to the standartization of life styles. Suede tried to fill that void with their music, releasing their debut album Suede on 29 of March, 1993. Some see this album as one of the first Brit-Pop album, which paved the way to other acts such as Oasis, Ash and Blur and more. Speaking of the last band, Blur, led by Damon Albarn, both of them hated each other, especially due to the break up of Brett Anderson and Justine Frischamnn, when the later found comfort in the arms of Damon Albarn. After the departure of Justine Frischmann, there were four members left: Brett Anderson, Bernard Butler, Mat Osman and Simon Gilbert. They got into the studio and recorded one of the best debut albums ever, with dirty sounded guitar of Bernard Butler and Brett Anderson great voice, they managed to win the second Mercury prize contest in 1993. That was an album about dying young (Exciting So Young), wishful thoughts about life after death (The Next Life) and break ups (She's Not Dead, Breakdown). Death and love were the main issues in that brilliant album and it all came into one-time masterpiece (And then they released Dog Man Star, Which redefined the phrase masterpiece) While I listened to this album today, right after I put their last release Bloodsports aside, it still sounds fantastic, even though it's 20 years old. For the 90's great days. here are five picks from that album....

Animal Nitrate

 

Breakdown

 

So Young 

 

Pantomime Horse

 

The Next Life