As a Blur fan myself, I was eagerly awaiting the release of The Ballad of Darren – and I wasn’t the only one. Fans around the world have been anticipating Blur’s first release in eight years, impatience growing with each single release. For me the excitement had teetered over the edge by the release of the album’s second single ‘St Charles Square’. The song has been on repeat, acting as my companion for the past month, not leaving my earphones at work, on planes, on trains, in cars… The guitar intro, which repeats at intervals throughout the song, has an edge to it which reaches an itch in the corner of my brain which has been waiting to be scratched for years. The tone of the guitar is sublime and gives the song an addictive quality.
The album’s first single, ‘The Narcissist’, is also a great song: strong in so many ways with a certain tenderness yet still retaining the Blur sound that fans know and love. Blur excelled with the selection of singles on this album, they really are a triumph.
Following along from 2015’s The Magic Whip, The Ballad of Darren has a more laid-back vibe but it retains the unmistakable feel of a Blur album. The remainder of the tracks on the album demonstrate the work of seasoned musicians featuring harmonic backing vocals, clever use of instrumentals, and intelligent lyricism.
Opener ‘The Ballad’ gives listeners a flavour of what can be expected from the rest of the album: chilled out vibes with a unique twist. There seems to be a certain factor to each track that makes each one interesting, differentiating it from the noise of other slower-paced tunes. On ;The Ballad’ the twist seems to be the use of instruments and almost intergalactic sounds that create a cinematic effect marking the opening to a show compiled of fast-paced peaks and shocks, as well as moments to breathe and reflect.
The rest of the album is very easy listening. ‘Barbaric’ is one of the more upbeat tunes with the instrument-work and chirpy backing vocals giving it a distinct summer holiday feel. The chorus is strong enough to be memorable, but not too strong and loud that listeners need a break from their journey into the warm, blue depths of Darren’s ballad. ‘The Everglades (For Leonard)’ is a beautiful song, with the pretty plucks of guitar complimenting Albarn’s soft vocals. ‘Goodbye Albert’ also has quite a laid-back feel but with more of an electronic, other-worldly production. At the back end of the record, ‘Far Away Island’ and ‘Avalon’ continue the trends of interesting lyricism and strong vocal performances with cinematic instrumental twists.
The Ballad of Darren is a strong comeback album for Blur, demonstrating musical maturity with its laid-back feeling but also containing echoes of the band’s youth with more upbeat and classic Blur instrumentals, featured on tracks like ‘St Charles Square’. The album is soft and delicate with a unique twist and a twinge of melancholy, captured perfectly by the album art. I expected nothing less from Blur and I’m certain I’m not the only one hoping for more ballads to be sung in the future.
7.5/10
