13 - Blur

Advantages: Their most innovative album yet
Disadvantages: Sometimes cross the line between creative and crap

...It is slightly boring. 13. OPTIGAN 1 - What can I say? This is, in my opinion, a terrible way to end the album. It doesn't fit in with the album. It isn't relevant to anything. Why is it there? So OK, four poor songs. But that still leaves nine good ones, some of which are quite brilliant. During this review, I have lost count of the number of times I have mentioned distortion. Yes, there is a lot of it in this album, and if you are a more conservative ...
...quite an art to making distortion sound good, but somehow, Blur have done it. Perhaps it wasn't intentional. Perhaps Blur were trying to make a f*ck-off type of album - so experimental it becomes unlistenable. And in some places, their experimentation does grate. Some of it does sound rubbish. And the hidden extra tracks are pretty pointless on the whole. But some of it is pure brilliance, and to be honest, I feel that this is more Orbit's influence ... Read review

Advantages: Blur Go In Search Of Pastures New.
Disadvantages: Unfortunately They Hit Upon Foot And Mouth Ocasionally.

...never quite managed. 13 continues on the same thread deployed by the ‘Blur’ album and offers an enjoyably eclectic listen. It's yank leanings are obvious with titles like 'Trailerpark' adding to the American feel. There are mountain top highs every few songs but the weaker tracks veer far too close to the murky waters of the canyon below. There is an off-kilter lounge music backdrop to a lot of the album, thanks in no small part to producer ...
...the same. On the whole 13 is a more than satisfactory listen but unfortunately Albarn's experimentation falls flat on its face occasionally. So to wrap up, 13 eclipses the lacklustre 'The Great Escape' but comes up way short of the majesty of 'Modern Life is Rubbish' or 'Parklife'. A sort of Blurry 'Kid A' then! ... Read review

Advantages: New and different
Disadvantages: Some people don't like 'new and different'

...buy it? If you wanted 13 new versions of 'Song 2' or 'Girls And Boys' the answer is a definite "NO!". If however you'd rather listen to your heroes taking dramatic musical turns or you'd like to hear a technically gifted band let loose, then off you go to the record store. Of course technical ability does not always a good album make (see Celine Dion, Pink Floyd etc.). So if you like a bit of trippy ambient, weird music, then this is for you. And ... Read review

Advantages: All amazing start to end.
Disadvantages: none

Haunting, upsetting, moving. 13 is a quite amazing album. Produced by William Orbit it is in my view Blurs best album so far. Obviously it is an experimental album which will not please some people that prefer the "Parklife" stuff but even they will enjoy the soft tones of "Tender" and the catchy "Coffee & TV". "B.L.U.R.E.M.I." is a crazy manic track, while "Trimm Trabb" starts as mellow little number which ends up a fantastic crazy trip. Completley ...
...Run" is the albums finest moment as it is simply quite moving. The album ends with Optigan 1 which is a sort of messed up fairground outro. 13 is a must for anyone with knowledge. The artwork and deign for 13 was all done by Graham Coxon. ... Read review

Advantages: SOME really impressive stuff
Disadvantages: Maybe a different style was not good for them

...this albums consists of basically 13 songs hence the name, 4 of these songs are pretty well known : Tender Bugman Coffee + TV and No Ditance Left To Run, the rest are a change in style of song writing work for Blur, unlike their older hits Parklife and Chamless Man. Blur have changed for this Album maybe they've matured. But this album is definetly only for the bigger fans of the band, for the others the change may be too big for their liking. ... Read review