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'Parklife' was released in 1994 as Blur's third album and was the album that finally made Blur superstars. The two songs that accomplished this were 'Girls and Boys' and 'Parklife'.
In my opinion this is blur's best album although for many Blur fans it isn't. It depends on whether ... Read review
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Parklife
Although Blur had long been recognised as one of the premier bands responsible for the
... more
reinvigoration of Britpop in the 1990s, it's 1994's Parklife that truly provided the template for the entire movement. At a time when Oasis were aping the sounds of ...
Parklife - Blur
Although Blur had long been recognised as one of the premier bands responsible for the
... more
reinvigoration of Britpop in the 1990s, it's 1994's Parklife that truly provided the template for the entire movement. At a time when Oasis were aping the sounds of their pub-rock heroes on Definitely Maybe, Blur drew from the legacy of the Kinks and Small Faces to create an album that's as English as a rainy Sunday in front of the gas fire. Parklife is full of songs that, quite frankly, don't make much sense outside of the British Isles, songs that find joy in the mundane, like "Girls & Boys" (a song about working-class holidaymakers in the sun) and "Parklife" (a day in the life of a cheeky, unemployed bench-sitter). Witty, ironic and irreverent, Parklife remains one of those rare albums that sum up a specific place and time (Britain in the mid-1990s). For that reason alone, it can be considered one of Blur's finest albums. --Robert Burrow
Advantages: too many, it's sublime from start to finish Disadvantages: NONE
...10/10
4. Parklife (3:05) -
This is the first Blur track that I truly loved when I first heard it. More so than 'Girls and Boys' and thus it holds something special in my mind. 'Parklife' featuring the vocals of actor Phil Daniels is about Urban life with the well know chorus 'All the people, so many people, and they all go hand in hand...'. An absolute classic and great for jumping around to at nightclubs. Believe me - I've done it many a time.
... ...This is a punky sounding track, fast and furious and brilliant.
8/10
6. Badhead (3:25) -
This is another marvel, a greatly constructed track with catchy lyrics, verses and chorus.
9/10
7. The Debt Collector (2:10) -
This is the first instrumental which may surprise you if you listen to the album from start to finish. It is basically fairground music with added sounds. Very calming. 7/10
8. Far Out (1:37) - When I first heard this I thought ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great songs Disadvantages: Bit too chirpy
...opening chords to closing fade, Parklife is as splendid a work of Brit Pop as you are ever likely to experience, as light hearted, frothy and insubstantial as pop gets, while still hiding a grim and moody sensuality at its heart. Most of the attention was inevitably focused on the pretty boy good looks of Damon Albarn, but this album is as much of a triumph for guitarist Graham Coxon as the happy go lucky frontman. There's plenty of stuff on here ... ...which helps you understand, and Parklife is a truly wonderful example of pop music at its archest. ************************************* Girls & Boys ************************************* Jolly Up your fairground, boys, the street urchins are back in town with their up tempo Oompah Oompah triumph, as Damon comes over all Club 18-30 - "Girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they're girls who do girls like they're boys, always ...
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Advantages: Fantastic collection of songs Disadvantages: None
I expect everybody knows or knows about this album by now but I couldn't resist having my say on what is truly a classic album by one of my all time favourite bands.
"ParkLife" was released in 1994 featuring the greyhound racing cover (a soft spot for the band, Damon in particular). It features Blur's usual line-up of Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree, Alex James and Graham Coxon - all have done other musical projects aswell, but I digress. In fact, I ... ...old as it still sounds so fresh and interesting to me.
Tracklisting:
Girls & Boys
Tracy Jacks
End of a Century
Parklife
Bank Holiday
Badhead
The Debt Collector
Far Out
To the End
London Loves
Trouble in the Message Centre
Clover over Dover
Magic America
Jubilee
This is a low
Lot 105
There are many highlights and few lowlights to this album and the best known tracks are probably "Girls & Boys" and "ParkLife" - both massive hit singles. ...
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Advantages: British guitar music was back on the map Disadvantages: absolutely nuffink
...synonomous of generation. Blur's Parklife was the sound of the English layabout striking back, great tracks include the title track "Parklife" with the lads backed up with cockney rap from Phil Daniels, "Boys and Girl" and "End of the Century" to name but a few. This album paved the way for a whole generation of British guitar music, for which, I for one, owe a debt of gratitude. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Excellent album which did infact put Blur back on the map. Disadvantages: Couple of poor tracks!
...an effort until 94 when Parklife appeared on the shelves. It would have been the best album of the time only for Oasis..Definitely Maybe but to be second best to that album doesn`t make it bad in any way.
The Inlay way also quite good in the style of dogs racing with the numbers on the back as if the tracks were names of dogs!
This album is amazing fluent from start to finish although some tracks sound similar. It is full of energy, originality, ... ..."We are Back"
1 Parklife starts with GIRLS AND BOYS. The perfect start to a great album. Full of energy and imagination. "Streets Like a Jungle, So call the Police" Why? I don`t know but it sound great. The whole track "Girls who like girls to be boys and the boys to be girls....yap yap yap excellent!
2 TRACEY JACKS was never single material but was the type of quality track you find on the best albums. Very imaginitive again and continues the ...
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Album Notes: Blur: Damon Albarn (vocals, recorder, Hammond organ, harpsichord, melodica, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, vibraphone, programming); Alex James (vocals, bass); Graham Coxon (acoustic & electric guitars, clarinet, saxophone, percussion, background vocals); Stephen Street (keyboards, programming); David Rowntree (drums, percussion, programming).
Album Reviews: Q (10/01, p.85) - Ranked #15 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime"
Titles on disc 1
1.: Girls And Boys
2.: Tracy Jacks
3.: End Of A Century
4.: Parklife
5.: Bank Holiday
6.: Debt Collector
7.: Far Out
8.: To The End
9.: London Loves
10.: Trouble In The Message Centre
11.: Clover Over Dover
12.: Magic America
13.: Jubilee
14.: This Is A Low
15.: This Is A Low
16.: Lot 105
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