Right in the midst of Blur’s recent reformation gigs comes the release of this new collection that, set alongside the previous Best Of, offers a more varied compendium of the band’s stellar history. Obviously, the era defining hits all feature (save for 1995’s Country House) though the inclusion of Popscene and many less renowned tracks illustrate the scope of this double disc.
Highlights include Modern Life Is Rubbish’s Blue Jeans and the excellent Trimm Trabb from Blur’s most eclectic album to date, 13. Interestingly the collection makes no attempt to whitewash the predominantly Coxon-less Think Tank, giving the impression that the band has selected the tracks on merit alone.
The sheer stylistic depth contained within and the quality of song writing forms a convincing case for Blur as not only the quintessential Britpop band, but also as a band who can stand shoulder to shoulder with any of the greats. If this sounds a little hyperbolic, then tracks such as Tender and This Is A Low should convince without much ado.
Yet, in terms of whether this is an essential purchase, the album does exactly what it sets out to do and offers a comprehensive introduction to the uninitiated and a pleasant reminder to those already in the know that Blur truly deserve their place in the pantheon of popular music.
Disc One:
01 Beetlebum
02 Girls And Boys
03 For Tomorrow
04 Coffee And TV
05 Out of Time
06 Blue Jeans
07 Song 2
08 Bugman
09 He Thought of Cars
10 Death of a Party
11 The Universal
12 Sing
13 This is a Low
Disc Two:
01 Tender
02 She’s So High
03 Chemical World
04 Good Song
05 Parklife
06 Advert
07 Popscene
08 Stereotypes
09 Trimm Trabb
10 Badhead
11 Strange News From Another Star
12 Battery in Your Leg
Luke Baylis.