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MUSIC FEATURE

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BLUR'S BALLAD ARRIVES

A nticipating Blur’s recent shows at London’s legendary Wembley Stadium – the biggest performances of the band’s career to date – frontman Damon Albarn pondered: “What's represents, in some way, how we all feel now?” So he decided to start writing what would become The Ballad of Darren – “the first legit [Blur] album since [1999's] 13, ” according to Albarn – in hotel rooms during downtime from Gorillaz’ 2022 Stateside tour. The title of Blur’s ninth studio album references Darren "Smoggy" Evans, the band's former bodyguard who currently works for Albarn. “[Darren] was always telling me, ‘When are you gonna finish the point of doing all of this unless there’s something that

that song?’” Albarn said during a pre-show press conference at Colchester Castle. “So when I finished the song, it could only have one title: The Ballad of Darren . But then it felt like, the song isn’t really about him, although he is referenced in it. The song is about something else. But… The Ballad of Darren felt like a perfect summary of what the album is about. It’s quite a family affair, this record.” Albarn has also described The Ballad of Darren as an “aftershock record”, which resonates with opening track The Ballad ’s first line: “I just looked into my life/ And all I saw was that you’re not coming back." He was undoubtedly deeply affected by the passing – in recent years – of Terry Hall, Bobby

Blur L-R: Alex James, Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree

Womack and Tony Allen (Albarn even named his pet Andalusian cockerel Tony, after his The Good, the Bad & the Queen bandmate) as well as Blur’s long time tour manager Craig Duffy and his partner Sue Parmiter, both of whom died in a car crash. Throughout The Ballad of Darren , Blur fans can also expect to hear:

St Charles Square , though!); limber basslines courtesy of the criminally underrated Alex James; lashings of Graham Coxon’s exhilarating, serrated, circular riffs; and drummer Dave Rowntree excelling in his role as the band’s reliable anchor. “It really is most unexpected,” James said of Blur’s new record during

The Ballad of Darren by Blur is out now via Matador.

an interview. “We didn’t know we were pregnant, and we gave birth in the supermarket car park. It’s like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s a beautiful boy!’” Bryget Chrisfield

Albarn’s trademark wistful vocals interspersed with some unhinged zaniness (those pantomime-esque “AAAAaaaah!”s in second single

SONIC SUNRAYS FROM GRETTA On Positive Spin , Melbourne's Gretta Ray finds life's silver linings through buoyant melodies and harmonies which glow with promise; we put some questions to the multi-award winning singer songwriter about her second album. Words Zoë Radas

up in that feeling of envy and resentment, I now have this song as a reminder to be a little more gentle when thinking of little me. Heartbreak Baby gives us majorTaylor Swift energy (and we know you're a fan, as you lay it out in Dear Seventeen ). What do you admire the most about her songwriting? Thank you so much! Yes, I am a huge fan, and what I admire the most about her songwriting is how she is constantly trying new things. For me, this goes far beyond the ‘eras’/‘reinventing herself’ concept… I am blown

Dear Seventeen is a very compassionate letter to your younger self: “I could resent you but I don't”, and “Don't change a thing when you don't know a thing at all” are two of its most memorable lines. It's sometimes incredibly hard not to cringe at our former selves – did you always feel so forgiving of Baby Gretta? I’m so happy that you like Dear Seventeen ! I definitely haven’t always felt forgiving of my younger self, however the ‘resent’ that I address in that song was actually inspired by envy of my younger self, rather than the ‘cringe’ moments! There was this wave of excitement and interest that came with the release of my song Drive when I was 17, which brought in so many opportunities that I’m forever grateful for. Now at 25, I know a lot more about this job. Sometimes I wish a similar ‘wave’ would occur with a new

song, because I believe I would know how to navigate it a lot better now that I have more experience! I think this kind of feeling is what the phrase ‘youth is wasted on the young’ is about… but I actually hate that phrase, and think it’s so stupid. The truth is, I was perfectly equipped to ride that wave at 17; it taught me so much and it’s brought me to where I am now. So I really wouldn’t change a thing, and when I get caught

away when I listen to a new record of hers and hear her using melodies that I would have never expected her to, or incorporating production ideas that are unfamiliar to her fans. She continues expanding her skill set and it’s just so ridiculously impressive...

Positive Spin by Gretta Ray is out Aug 18 via EMI.

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AUGUST 2023

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