Blur have announced a new album: The Ballad of Darren is out July 21 via Parlophone. It’s the band’s first new album in eight years, following 2015’s The Magic Whip. Today’s announcement arrives with the new song “The Narcissist.” Check out the song, and the album’s artwork from photographer Martin Parr, below. Each member of the band shared a brief summary of the record in a statement.
Damon Albarn: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”
Graham Coxon: “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.”
Alex James: “For any long term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.”
Dave Rowntree: “It always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we do, the process reveals something new and we develop as a band. We don’t take that for granted.”
The band is playing this year’s Primavera Sound and will headline two Wembley Stadium shows in July. Before then, Blur have a show tomorrow in their hometown of Colchester, Essex, at the Colchester Arts Centre.
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Blur: The Ballad of Darren
The Ballad of Darren:
01 The Ballad
02 St. Charles Square
03 Barbaric
04 Russian Strings
05 The Everglades (For Leonard)
06 The Narcissist
07 Goodbye Albert
08 Far Away Island
09 Avalon
10 The Heights
