Blur
Think Tank

The anticipation for Blur's latest work had made me hopeful for the return of the four with something very interesting. But in October 2002, the news of Graham Coxon's departure made me think that it would be difficult for Blur to continue. In "Rockol," Damon spoke about Coxon, saying that since '95, the guitarist had begun to show signs of restlessness: it all started with arguments with Alex James, who was living the life of a diva (something Graham couldn't stand).

The transitional months up to that legendary May 5 2003 (the album's release date) were instead delightful, listening to another product of high quality (like "Parklife" and "Blur," which between its strengths - the melodies - and weaknesses - a bit too much noise - stood as the balance between the two), a sign that it takes time to shape and give content to ideas.

On March 20, the war in Iraq broke out, and MTV had a heavy rotation of peace videos. Blur arrived with "Out Of Time" and images of a woman involved in the Gulf War: a masterpiece marked by Blur and BBC.

Even though "Out Of Time" and the work containing it would not achieve great success in Italy, I consider "Out Of Time" one of the most beautiful songs of the new millennium and the opening phrase as one of the GREAT QUESTIONS of our uncertain times:

 "Where's the love song to set us free?"

He saw well our uncertain times, full of selfishness and fear.

If the mix of Africa (north) and the West makes "Out Of Time" a masterpiece, the rest of the album is no less. The opening of "Ambulance" leaves another phrase destined to remain a guide to Blur's eighth work: "I ain't got nothing to be scared of," which appears in the album's booklet. And then on with "Crazy Beat," "Good Song" (terrifying "I could be lying on an atom bomb"), "On The Way To The Club," the cold English cry of "We've Got A File On You," the trees weaving the oxygen of "Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club" ("The trees are spitting oxygen"), the sweet and dreamy atmosphere of "Sweet Song" and then the rest.  

"Battery In Your Leg" puts a grand finale to an album full of hope. A finale to a friend, Graham Coxon, who had collaborated right on the last track. A guitarist who had always excelled but was never counted among the guitar heroes in rock history. Perhaps because Blur was a group of people too peculiar for someone to be elevated to a star: because Graham Coxon is not just a guitarist. Graham had been very active in composing Blur's music along with Damon. And the departure from Britpop was much due to him.

But Damon had taken the reins of the group and the album still came out very well. Only now there wasn't the guitarist to balance Albarn's image with that of the others, himself included. Now Blur seemed to be only Damon Albarn. And the concert on MTV on May 13 (with the beautiful performances of "Out Of Time," "Crazy Beat" and "Trimm Trabb" (the beautiful version of that year (and not the original of "13"!))) confirmed it to me.

Congratulations anyway. Even after five years.