Blur - Fool’s Day

Be honest, did we really think we’d see the day we’d be reviewing new material from Blur? Probably not. So much so that the fact ‘Fool’s Day’ exists alone is enough to whack a five star, ten out of ten rating on the blighter without even the faintest whiff of a play. Not that we’d do that. Honest.

Any worries that we’d be seeing Graham, Alex and Dave giving a back seat to one of Damon’s world music extravaganzas seem unfounded. In a way the Blur of 2010 feels closer to the days of ‘Blue Jeans’ or ‘Coffee & TV’ to the largely Coxon-less ‘Think Tank’ - lyrics based solidly in Londinium with a side order of Woolworths for good measure. Ladbroke Grove and the Westway get a mention too over a fairly stripped back guitar chug, finally giving way to a groove that recalls some of the catchier riffs of ‘Leisure’. It’d be fair to say elements of every era find themselves sitting pretty, though in such a way it still feels fresh - understated, sure, but with a touch of magic few other bands can match.

The hard facts, then. Yes, ‘Fool’s Day’ really does sound like the Blur we all loved. Yes, it is pretty damn brilliant. Yes, they should record another album. Happy days.