The Ballad Of Darren

The Ballad Of Darren by Blur is an astonishing album that I've revisited many times since its release back in July. The cover is a photo of someone swimming in Gourock's outdoor swimming pool.

Darren, in case you were wondering, is Darren Evans, Blur's longtime bodyguard. Evans had been nagging at singer Damon Albarn to finish a 2003 demo that has now become The Ballad, the opening song on the album.

But the more you listen to the album, the more you realise that Darren is really Damon. Recently split from his long term partner, Albarn pours his heart out on this album; there is reflection, memories, realisation, thoughts of good times, admission (the frank I fucked up starts St. Charles Square ...) and pure heartfelt honesty.

What a year for Blur. A new album, small intimate gigs and huge nights at Wembley, shows they had long dreamed of playing. Damon Albarn is the most prolific high profile artist of my generation. He is in the incredible position where he can do whatever the hell he wants. Gorillaz, a solo album on the piano, some small solo shows, a Blur album, some tiny shows, a huge stadium show .... The number of albums he has released in the last 30-years is pretty mind blowing, he is constantly creating, full of energy, intelligence and talent. 

Back to The Ballad Of Darren. The opening lyrics to The Ballad set the tone, we're immediately into Albarn's heartache. 

I just looked into my life

And all I saw was that you're not coming back

It's the soundtrack to a breakup. And it sounds f**king beautiful. The lyrics, Damon's beautiful melancholic voice, the melodies, the band playing as one ... it tugs on my heart strings.

Well I know, I can't change the time

I know I'm already breaking when I look into your eyes

The aforementioned St. Charles Square ups the pace, Albarn pleading don't leave me, don't leave me completely. It's probably my least favourite song on the album, a little brash and out of place among so many beautiful ballads and melancholic grooves.

Barbaric is absolutely subime, Coxon's jangling guitar riff cuts to big reverb chords, before cutting back again. Albarn sounds angelic. Is he singing to his lost love, or his therapist, or all of us? He is singing for all of us who have suffered heartbreak at some time or another.

And I'd like if you've got the time

To talk to you about

What this breakup has done to me

The chorus is a beauty and I love the way it changes through the course of the song. Beginning with I have lost, then you have lost (his therapist talking?) and then we have lost. 

I have lost

The feeling that I thought I'd never lose

At what cost?

The feeling that I thought I'd never lose

It is barbaric

Barbaric - the dictionary definition is savagely cruel. As in, he carried out barbaric acts of war.

Albarn's loss is savagely cruel.

Still, he has written a fucking beautiful album as a result!

Russian Strings will tug on your heart strings. Damon, heartbroken, calling out ... going on to say that the only thing left for him to do is turn is music up, put his headphones on and hit the hard stuff.

Where are you now?

Where are you now?

Are you coming back to us?

Are you online?

Are you contactable, again?

Blur and Albarn strip things right back for The Everglades (For Leonard) with Damon seeking trees and calmer days.

The Narcissist is an absolutely incredible song; gorgeous guitar, Coxon providing delightful backing vocals, Albarn sounding all forlorn and then lifting things for the chorus. 

I'm a shine a light in your eyes

You'll probably shine it back on me

But I won't fall, this time

With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs

This album could be as emotional as Blur and Albarn might ever sound on record. Goodbye Albert has Coxon playing with some gorgeous psychedelic effects on guitar and Damon reflecting.

I stayed away

I gave you time

Why don't you talk to me anymore?

Don't punish me forever

Albarn is always reflecting on this album. Far Away Island has him singing over keyboards, his classic mix of melodic and melancholic at its best; I'm cut to pieces, I'm dancing alone

Closing with The Heights again has Albarn reflecting on where he is and where he and his love have been. It was love, but it's gone.

Suppose I'm on my own tonight

Suppose I've got to find the heights

I gave a lot of heart, so did you

For Tomorrow

30-years ago #3
For Tomorrow by Blur

For Tomorrow was released in April 30-years ago - 19th April 1993 to be precise. It's safe to say, on reflection, that it was a game changing single for Blur. All of a sudden it felt like Blur had found their sound and look. In that sense, I'd argue that it's one of the most important singles of the Britpop era.

Photo by Kevin Cummins

Damon Albarn was photographed by Kevin Cummins spraypainting the title of his bands forthcoming album (released the following month in May 1993) for the NME. Cummins series of photos really should have been used for the cover and inside sleeve of Modern Life Is Rubbish. Quite why a computer graphic of a steam locomotive was used is beyond me. 

Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree in front of their fresh graffti in second hand suit jackets, turned up jeans and Doc Marten boots would surely have been more appropriate. As I said, they had the look. Too bad the records would have already been pressed with the locomotive sleeve.

Photo by Kevin Cummins

Modern Life Is Rubbish was inspired by Albarn listening to The Kinks and dreaming of England while trapped in the grip of a mammoth 44-date tour of America that the band hated.

Disillusioned by the grunge scene and the meteoric rise of Suede, Blur drank heavily to the extent where they were close to being dropped by their label. 

Speaking of Suede, Brett Anderson and co had smashed into the top 10 in February 93 with Metal Mickey, only their third single, and were now on the front cover of Select Magazine - Anderson in front of a Union Jack with the title Yanks Go Home - Suede, St Etienne, Denim, Pulp, The Auteurs and the Battle for Britain.

Pulp would fully embrace Britpop with their 1995 album Different Class, featuring era defining singles Common People, Sorted for E's & Whizz and Disco 2000. Although they'd got a taste by breaking into the top 40 for the first time in 1994 with their brilliant Do You Remember The First Time?

Suede went the other way with the release of Dog Man Star in 1994, distancing themselves from Britpop, before coming back with their stunning pure glam pop rush of a single Trash in 1996. 

Back to Blur though. For me, For Tomorrow was their first step into Britpop, before they dived in headfirst in 1994 with Girls & Boys and Parklife (single and album).

Recording of Modern Life Is Rubbish didn't go smoothly, it was only when they got together with Stephen Street (who had previously produced their hit There's No Other Way) that the album gathered momentum. Considering Street's success with the quintessentially English-ness of The Smiths, it is a wonder why they didn't go with him in the first place.

When you read back through Britpop memoirs and online articles, it's not over stating the mark to say that the future of the band was really at stake. It was make or break. Dave Balfe from Food Records told Blur that their album was commercial suicide and asked for a single.

On Christmas Day 1992 Albarn wrote For Tomorrow, which would become the opening track and lead single for Modern Life Is Rubbish. It's one of my favourite Blur songs and I also think it's one of their very best.

Albarn and the band refused to re-record the album for the American market. They were done with America for the time being. 

For Tomorrow has a beautiful feel to it; strings, la la la's, a very southern English vocal by Albarn and solid beats. The video further stamps Blur's new identity; Albarn hanging off the back of a London double decker bus, floating in The Thames, the band playing football in Trafalgur Square and hanging around on Primrose Hill. All wearing the aforementioned new Blur uniform of suit jacket and jeans. The melody changes for the final two verses, flowing superbly as Albarn sings modern life is rubbish

Dave Balfe didn't really get the hit single he wanted, For Tomorrow reached number 28 in the charts. But the was documented evidence that Blur had changed as a band. One year later they did have the hit (and a massive one at that!) with the glorious pop riot Girls & Boys.

Blur - For Tomorrow official video

Blur - For Tomorrow live at Wembley Arena 1999

Previous blogs in the series

1. Loser by Beck

2. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) by Sub Sub

Never Ending Mixtape Part 28

Welcome to the 28th edition of my Never Ending Mixtape. The latest selection of songs takes the mixtape (Spotify playlist) to 700 songs!

Tunes range from 60's classics by Thunderclap Newman, The Sonics and the MC5, also Time Song by The Kinks that I had never heard before. Scotland is represented by Camera Obscura, Strawberry Switchblade, Teenage Fanclub and Edwyn Collins. There is new music from Gruff Rhys and Amber Arcades, a couple of gems from Graham Coxon, including one from the excellent Netflix series The End of the F**king World and vintage Spiritualized, Pulp, Sleepy Jackson and Cornershop.

You can access my Never Ending Mixtape by searching Spotify for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape or CLICK HERE

Scroll down to near the end for the latest songs, or just delve in. I personally love just clicking on shuffle and enjoying.

Thanks for checking it out.

Babies - Pulp
French Navy - Camera Obscura
Good Dancers - The Sleepy Jackson
Since Yesterday - Strawberry Switchblade
Something In The Air - Thunderclap Newman
Kick Out The Jams - MC5
Have Love Will Travel - The Sonics
Sleep On The Left Side - Cornershop
Time Song - The Kinks
Where Did You Go - Amber Arcades
Stop Your Crying - Spiritualized

Baby I'm Just A Fool - Spiritualized
Walking All Day - Graham Coxon
Freakin' Out - Graham Coxon
Limited Edition Heart - Gruff Rhys
Guiding Star - Teenage Fanclub
Don't Shilly Shally - Edwyn Collins
Make Me Feel Again - Edwyn Collins
Fear of Flying - Teenage Fanclub
Tears Are Cool - Teenage Fanclub
Gene Clark - Teenage Fanclub
Negative Vibes - Gruff Rhys
Frontier Man - Gruff Rhys