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Rating:
THE REVIEW
If you are a guitarist, obviously your dream is to be able to play the guitar. And if you're told that your guitar on the new album will be reduced to a purely decorative element, you get pissed off. And you might even leave the band.
Honestly, I don't understand those who insist at all costs that Mr. Coxon should return to the Blur mothership; Albarn & company have proven with that semi-masterpiece "Think Tank" that they can survive without the bespectacled nerd, Graham has released an indie-guitar pop gem like "Happiness In Magazines". Let the dance begin with "Spectacular", an energetic song with constant "nervous" rhythm changes, and "No Good Time", a verse so Blur that it couldn't be more Blur ("Kickass little girl/goin to a party/eatin' blue Smarties cuz she's rock ‘n roll") and a chorus with the aforementioned rhythmic wanderings highlighting the "skittish" component of Coxon's pieces. Which, alas, has a major flaw: the vocal tone is similar (yikes!) to that of Mr. Albarn, with the difference being that Damon can sing, he can't. And it's a flaw that unfortunately affects the entire album.
Returning to the tracks, after the bland slow "Girl Done Gone", it's time for the second single "Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery", practically "Coffee And Tv" (from "13") remasticated and spat out again: appreciable, but already heard. It introduces us, however, to the album's gem: "All Over Me", a decaying slow piece with a beautiful and poignant melody, which would gain even more value if sung in a manner befitting its beauty. But so be it… "Freakin' Out" is the first single, with plenty of guitar riffs and assured live performance, and "People Of The Earth" plays on the spoken verse/screamed refrain contrast. "Are You Ready?" produces a disorienting effect, with its "spaghetti western" atmosphere, then, after a filler piece ("Bottom Bunk"), returns to post-Blur with "Don't Be A Stranger" and closes with another slow track, "Ribbons And Leaves".
Total: Coxon proves he can handle himself excellently and churns out his best solo work (also recommending the previous "Kiss Of Morning"), Albarn should come to terms with it: even if Graham does return, he'll want his space. And, my dear sirs, he deserves it. Indeed he does.
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Summary by Bot
This review praises Graham Coxon's album 'Happiness In Magazines' as his best solo effort, highlighting energetic guitar work and memorable tracks like 'Spectacular' and 'All Over Me'. Although the vocal tone is noted as a flaw, the album’s inventive rhythms and songwriting shine through. The reviewer suggests that Coxon deserves creative space even if he returns to Blur.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon is an English musician best known as the guitarist of Blur and for an extensive solo career spanning lo-fi songwriting, punk/noise energy, power-pop craft, and soundtrack work.15 Reviews
Other reviews
By temi
This is certainly not an album masterpiece, but it contains four or five must-have tracks if you love the sounds of Blur.
Coxon is creative, but without Albarn's input, he is often too cacophonous and chaotic… I preferred him in Blur!
