Blur - 13: POO

You mean "Song 2"?

That one was on "Blur", not on "13"

"Blur", although slightly patchy, contained several great songs.

But euh, yeah, a lot of the songs just run around on stumpy little legs and make me cry in that particularly bad way.

The album is, to use fine ILX lingo; pants!
Hahahha, misuse of semicolons. I am Captain Ahab

I know of a lot of people who thought Trimm Trabb was the best song on it, I never really noticed that one.

In some other thread I mentioned an earlier live performance of Country House being far better than the studio recording, it was exactly the same with Trailer Park. They had played that one about a year before the album came out, and it sounded amazing.

I agree that the original version of Trailerpark sounded much better... the biggest difference was in the end section. Where there had been a frantic thrash punk ending in the live performance, on the album you just got this pathetic little muted beatbox thing.

1. TENDER:
The first single off the album. I remember people saying it was the song of the year but all i remember thinking was that it was a disappointment compared to other efforts. I lost interest in Blur soon after the Great Escape album. Too many idiots in my class were wearing Blur t-shirts and all the girls fancied Damon and it all got too much like a boy band. The Great Escape was by no means a bad album, just a little over the top and i didn't like the idea of everyone singing Country House all over the place (I was about 16 at the time btw). "Tender" made me think about this all over again. Blur had redeemed themselves with their previous lofi-esque self-titled album and this was a poor start to the album. In fact it felt like a real false start to an otherwise quite experimental album. The song itself is over 7 minutes long but doesn't need to be and just drags on. I always skip it when listening to the album simply because it doesn't fit with the vibe. Maybe a great single but a poor album track.

2. BUGMAN
Although 13 was seen as a broken-hearted forlorn album, "Bugman" is one of several punky tunes on the album. Sadly it sounds rather pointless and tepid, or an outtake from the previous album. The lyrics don't say very much and t begins to sound like a lawnmower by the end. Interestingly, each memebr of the band remixed the song and these were released as b-sides. I get the impression this was trying too hard to be another "Song 2" but it fails miserably in being neither memorable or intersting enough to be of note. I liek the end - "Space is the place" - one of many nice interludes "13" uses to turn a disjointed album intoa bit of an adventure

3. COFFEE & TV
When I first heard this, I just thought "fuck me"!
The antidote to the pompous, gooey "tender", I gather that this was written and sung by Graham Coxon. From the wonderful opening guitar harmonics and trademark Coxon "distant" vocals, this is a standout single from the album. The video was ace, considering this is probably the least commercial Blur single to date. A lot of the chords used remind me of Parklife. The rhythm is jolly and the lyrics reconciling. I just love this song, I'm sorry - it reminds me of one of the best summers i ever had. The song ends with similar harmonics, this time doen on organ.

4. Swamp Song
This song sucks. A boring jam that goes absolutely nowhere. One of too many Blur songs with the word "song" in the title. Whilst I listen to this tedium, I shall try and list them: "A Song", "Song 2", "Mellow Song", "Swamp Song", "Good Song", "Sweet Song" - that's 6, any more? Answers on a postcard. It's getting late. Too late. I want to change tracks...

5. 1992
ahhh... damon's heartbroken. even though he was going out with her from that girl band whilst this album did the rounds. "You loved my bed, you took the other instead"... this sucks arse. apparently damon needs love to do anything half decent. a boring slow moving and inconsequential mopey shitty piece of poo... can't...keep... away .. from.. skip.. button! Good lord it goes on for over 5 minutes!!!!!!!

6. B.L.U.R.E.M.I.
Another attempt at Song 2-style punk rock. this time they're annoyed with EMI for some reason. This seems like a pointless attempt at looking hardcore. I do like the effect they use when they say "BLUREMI" bnut they do it betteer on "Crazy Beat" off their new album, which is essentially the same song done better.

7. Battle
The second really good song off the album. This is really chilled out and the clsest BLur have come to doing ambient soundscapes. If Low had done this, we'd be worshipping it. Not much to say, I just like it. And the synthy outro is nice too.

8. Mellow Song
Wow! Too half decent songs in a row shocka! Despite the shit title, this song is very nice with lilting guitar intro. I always imagine Albarn singing this lolling about in a hammock for some reason. Then it goes into a cheeky dub-style tripout which is nice too. Sorry for the over use of the word "nice", but it is. Not GREAT just NICE.

9. Trailer Park
This was going to be used for the South Park film but got dropped. Not hard to see why. This sounds like the Gorillaz but not as good. One of the worst lyrics they ever wrote and a really poor disonant melody. This is poor. And why does it seem that every track so far has ended in guitar-wash feedback?

10. Caramel
Blur, with this fourth good track you are really spoiling us! This is similar to "Mellow Song" but features a hammond organ (a heavy feature of this album)... It reminds me of "Long Long Long" by the Beatles. All gentle but ominous with dubby feedback and echo. One of the things that spoils 13 for me is the lack of decent lyrics. Blur int heir heyday were interesting and meaningful lyricists, something that set them apart from Oasis. Why have many of the bands from the mid-90s decided to put their lyrics and vocals to the back (see Radiohead)? Love the funfair outro. A lot of this album makes me think of a broken down rollercoaster on the end of a pier - a suitable vision if you'll indulge me.

11. Trimm Trabb
Another decent track. Should've been a single. Named after a kidn of trainer don'tcha know? A good bouncy beat, apt lyrics and vocals, a memorable riff. What more could you want? NICE!

12. No Distance Left To Run
Oh boo-fucking-hoo Damon, who do you think you are, John fucking Lennon???! False-sentimenatl bullshit! If you're going to write a heart-breaking ballad, at least sing like you mean it and write a decent tune. Jealous Guy this aint. Had it not been a third single, maybe it would get by my inscrutable laser-sharp vision and become a bit of a "This Is A Low" but sorry, it's shite.

13. Optigan 1
Optigan 1?! Optigan 1?!! What kind of a name is that?! Pointless filler that adds nothing to the album. May as well have been a secret track.

Sorry if that was unreadable, just realised in reading that that 13 is actually quite a crappy album compared to the rest of their output. Only about 5 tracks out of 13 were any cop and the rest just seemed like they weren't trying. Actually, even the whole thing sounds like they weren't trying. Fuck the excuses. It's late I'm drunk I'm going to bed.

Promote that man.

Kate, Kate. Dream of cheekbones past.

Not only is it a bad Spiritualized rip-off, but it is a bad rip-off of BAD Spiritualized!

Quite right. Sorry Piscesboy, but the first time I heard it I thought, "God, could somebody have played Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space even MORE into the ground?"

13 is BLUR'S MASTERPIECE !!!!

Beginning is poppy & spiritualizedish (to those who knows this band obviously) and energetic then from "1992" it gets all moody, psychedelic, violent, sweet, tripped out and very emotional...
Battle, 1992, Caramel, Trimm trab, and Optigan 1, true masterpieces...
You can't imagine how much i tripped on this music back in 1999... (a bit less now, for i discovered many tripped out band and i transcended this into my own music.)
you guys seems to be focused on the lyrics, but for me it's all about the music... The vocal is sound, articulation, emphasis and a few words i can grab. im not english and i tend not to pay attention to the lyrics meaning when i listen to music, and it's actually better this way. You can't imagine how many times i've been disappointed when i found out what they were saying (blur or whoever) i mean, trim trab, that excellent songs talks about trainers ??? fuck me, when i listen to this, i dont imagine some "losers on the piss again" walking down the street...
it's a bit like reading a wicked book and then you go and see it at the cinema, usually a cheap version, with lots of different meanings. Anyway, i dont say lyrics are always rubbish, but in my case, i often find them dull. And when it talks about love or deep feelings, i find it always ridiculous. Apart from some great songs that moved me, but for instance when Albarn says "it's over, you dont need to tell me etc.." he sounds like an inexperienced teenager and it really kills a lot of credit to the tune...!
After reaching the 7 year cape, i still find this album very enjoyable, melodious, techy, spontaneous, tripped out, but not "broken heart" at all....
I was so excited when i though back in 99 what could be their next album in 200...1 ? fuck them, coxon left, and their 2003 record was ok, but totally not in the vein of the great 13.
1999 rules, and 13 ruled 1999.
peace

Max

"M1A1" > "Song 2" > "BLUREMI" >>>>>> "Crazy Beat"

God I hate "Crazy Beat."

I'm not sure I can think of a single similarity between the two songs (besides the obvious "both have words in them", etc)

But all the best Blur songs are on the self-titled one.

That said, "Trimm Trabb" has always been my favorite track.

They're both sung by graham. No other blur songs were, ever, as far as I know. That's a pretty big similarity really.

I'm going to listen to this again now.

Take out the abysmal (and totally out-of-place) punk songs, the Rolling Stones one, 1992, and maybe No Distance Left to Run and you've got yourself one of the best Blur albums ever. Tender and Optigan 1 are both awesome!

get some ears

A fine description, I think, and one of the reasons I've never really liked the album. Most of the album sounds as if the band got stoned, noodled about directionlessly in the studio for a while, and then handed the tape off to Orbit to make some sense out of all- something they couldn't be bothered to do themselves. The result just seemed thrown together without much care- quite a change from the type of craftsmanship Blur had shown on their post-Leisure recordings.

That said, "Coffee and TV" is great.

although the first 5 tracks, battle, caramel and trimm trabb are all magnificent.

1992, however, just does it for me. One of Blur's best ever basslines meets Coxon's greatest-ever performance, cue magic.

Some of the others are good, but just go on too long (Battle, Mellow Song), or are good, but not great (Bugman, Swamp Song). I played this album to death when it came out, but never feel like listening to it now - or at least not all in one go.

I like blur's b-sides, but yeah.

xpost

OTM re: 'No Distance Left To Run'. I don't know how anyone can like that song. By the end of the album you just want to scream at him "Yeah, alright, we get it! You're miserable because you broke up!". But I don't see how you can relate this irritating self-pity to any of the Gorillaz output.

y'all trippin

O to the T to the M.

TRAILER PARK IS THE SONG THAT KILLS ME THE MOST IN RETROSPECT:

"I'M A COUNTRY BOY/GOT NO SOUL/LOST MY GIRL TO THE ROLLING STONES"

"FREESTYLE 45"

I think this thread featured my first ever ILX post.

"1992" is great headphones stuff, but "Battle" is still my favorite.

The second side of this is some really heroiny shit, for all I know about it.

When I was learning to play the drums I would play along to "Battle" over and over.

^^drums on this track are perfect

Oh GOD you folks are gonna MAKE ME pull 13 out aren't you? I knew you were going to do this to me. I knew.

hated all the ballads on this album but the rest was great. first blur album i ever liked actually. i loved what william orbit did to/with them on this.