Blur Binge

"Holy shi'ite", as the once funny Jack Black said in High Fidelity. He was referring, of course, to Belle & Sebastian, and in a derogatory sense, whereas I found myself saying this today when I noticed that over the past two weeks, Blur has shot to become the top artist in my Last.FM list.

Hardly a monumental moment for history, or indeed myself, but it still took me aback that I'd usurped all my listens of Beach Boys, the Manics, Muse et al in the space of a couple of weeks. Then I checked my iTunes, which helpfully keeps a record of listens itself, where it told me I'd listened to No Distance Left to Run, To The End, B.L.U.R.E.M.I, The Universal and Tender (fucking 7 and a half minute long Tender, for fuck sake) at least double figures each. And that's not counting how much I've listened to them on Spotify.

While it's clear that Blur win in the Battle of Britpop (suck on that Jason) I ruffled a few feathers by suggesting they were the best band of the 90s, period. And I stick by it. Over Blur's 6 albums in the 90s, I believe there is more quality music than on the 2 Nirvana albums of the 90s, and the 2 good Radiohead albums.

As for songs, Tender still blows me away. Funny that there is always a song coming right at the end of each decade that can hold its own as a contender for best of that particular decade - Let It Be, London Calling, About a Girl, Tender, and for this year I'd say Cornerstone. And yes, before you ask, fuck the 50s.

Blur also have a good number of really silly songs that I just love - The voice at the beginning of Crazy Beat is nuts, BLUREMI is rockingly fun (yes, cunt, I just said rockingly), and I always sing the low OHs in Top Man.

Also, Blur gave me my signature line...

I'm a professional cynic but my heart's not in it. And on that note...

Ciao for now.