After a twelve-year recording break, legendary London quartet Blur returns with a new album, The Magic Whip. For their eighth studio long play, the band delivers a slow-paced, introspective set of soft, atmospheric pop rock songs that reflect more their age and their current state of mind. The classic Blur trademarks are still there, treated with painstaking reservation in my opinion - cool guitar riffs, surreal lyrical situations, alluring melodies, and studio effects cohesively built around Damon Albarn’s voice. The energy and intensity characteristic of previous recordings and especially their live performances is scarce, almost non-existent on this record. Regardless, The Magic Whip managed to captivate for its lonesome ambiances and inspired, controlled instrumentation. Tender is the heart.

RIYL: Blur!

FCC CLEAN!!
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12

1. (4:24) *Lonesome Street – Beatlesque pop tune with Blur’s trademarks at full gear. Catchy.
2. (4:04) New World Towers – Ballad with haunting melody.
3. (4:41) **Go Out – Dark toned piece of pop music. Upbeat and energetic – old Blur here.
4. (3:25) Ice Cream Man – Another slow tempo tune with melodramatic chorus.
5. (6:16) **Thought I Was A Spaceman – Slow whispery intro with great upbeat change by the second minute. Poppy.
6. (2:52) **I Broadcast – Classic Blur here – loud and fast. Killer guitars. Play it.
7. (4:05) **My Terracotta Heart – Stunning ballad. Sad, almost tragic. Beautifully preformed.
8. (4:25) There Are Too Many Of Us – Mellow tune with weird military drumming beat and strange synthesizer produced effects.
9. (4:59) **Ghost Ship – Another slow beat, semi-dub ballad with nice arrangements.
10. (5:47) *Pyongyang – Slow track with melodramatic vocals, a great guitar riff, and a lot of trippy sounds.
11. (3:09) **Ong Ong – Glossy classic Blur pop tune here. Short, slow, and sweet.
12. (3:40) *Mirrorball – Effective closer with a 1990’s alternative music touch. Mellow, spacey, and dramatic.