Parklife - Blur > Reviews > Park - Loiyfe

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	too many, it's sublime from start to finish
Disadvantages:	NONE

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Blur consist of singer/songwriter Damon Albarn, drummer Dave Rowntree, Alex James on Bass and Graham Coxon on guitar.

At the time of release critics reagrded it as the most diverse collection of pop songs on one original album since The Beatles 'Sergeant Pepper's'. Maybe this is slightly over the top but still it is very mixed.

'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 you loved the mid-90's britpop era. This album virtually announced the start and heavily influenced the britpop era and for that reason it is number five on my all time top ten albums list.

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Track-by-Track
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1. Girls & Boys (4:50) -

This track is about taking the satirical view of the club 18-30 culture. It has a great rhythm and dance beat explaining why it was so popular. Not one of my favourites though.

8/10

2. Tracy Jacks (4:20) -

This is about the story of a 40-year-old man who rebels against his dull existence by running naked around a seaside town. The bored civil servant cracks up because he finds normality 'just so overrated'. 'Tracy Jacks' is certainly not overrated. It is a great track with good lyrics and instrumentals.

8/10

3. End of a Century (2:45) -

If you never hear a blur song except this then you will have experienced a great side to Blur. The melodic, mellow chilled-out nature of this track is glorious. Was released as a single.

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.

10/10

5. Bank holiday (1:42) -

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 'what a load of junk and it's an album filler' but with repeated listening it grew on me. They play some novel instrumentals in the background while Alex James basically names a load of stars. It may sound awful and some people think it is but I see it as Blur doing what they do best - trying to be different and experiment musically. Can't imagine Oasis doing it. 10 out of 10 for originality.

8/10

9. To the End (4:04) -

Another great track and was released as a single. It starts off slowly but then speeds up a bit. Damon's Singing on this is superb.

9/10

10. London Loves (4:14) -

'London Loves' is a song about London's obscurities and the media. It's standard Blur stuff but nothing particularly special compared to others on this epic album.

7/10

11. Trouble in the Message Centre (4:09) -

Another good track with excellent lyrics, sounds and melodies but not their best.

7/10

12. Clover over Dover (3:22) -

One of my favourites this, so mellow and calm yet still full of life. Particularly love the lyrics of this track 'I'm on the white cliffs of Dover, thinking it over and over, well if I jump it's all over, a cautionary tale for you'. It may sound depressing but think again, there's nothing depressing about it at all.

10/10

13. Magic America (3:38) -

A bit like the last track with a kind of calming feeling. It's about 'Bill Barrett', a wide-eyed fool with a love of American culture. This is real britpop bouncy stuff and Damon excels as usual. Love the lyric explaining america 'there are buildings in the sky and the air is sugar free'.

9/10

14. Jubilee (2:47) -

'Jubilee' is a raw punky style track with the usual jokey lyrics. It is about a teenage misfit who only wants to watch telly and play on his 'cuomp..you..ter..games'. Pretty good.

8/10

15. This is a Low (5:16) -

Another mellow one but this has got true quality from start to finish. It's inspired by the shipping forecasts and the title means an area of low pressure. The acoustic guitars and Damon's calming voice do it wonders. There are the usual sublime lyrics as well - 'Hit traffic on the dogger bank, up the Thames to find a taxi rank, sail on by with the tide and go to sleep'. One of my faves.

10/10

16. Lot 105 (1:19) -

An instrumental with a wurlitzer which starts slowly and picks up with Damon shouting 'La la la la la la la la la'. A good way to end such as varied and interesting album.

7/10

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'Parklife' is probably one of greatest and most diverse collection of styles all fitted together on one album. There's the Disco, punk, new wave, easy listening and the good old bog standard Britpop.

As with other Blur albums, Damon employs a mixture of colourful characters to explore his ideas and eaxh song is constructed brilliantly by Stephen Street.

Blur have proved over and over again that they have what it takes and deserve all their success and more. It is unlikely that their Oasis could even dream of producing such varied and talented songs.

If you haven't got it buy it right now, you won't be disappointed unless you only like 'dance' music.