The Britpop icons Blur are back with a completely surprising new album – and they are already releasing the first single “The Narcissist”.
This is unexpected: Blur will release their ninth studio album in just a few weeks — and they’re already letting their fans hear a new song from it.
The Ballad Of Darren, the title of Blur’s first album since 2015’s The Magic Whip, will be released on July 21, 2023 via Parlophone. It will consist of ten tracks and was produced by James Ford, known for his work with Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode and Foals, among others.
Official statements from the band
In an official statement, vocalist Damon Albarn describes the record: “This is a recording of the aftershocks, a reflection and a commentary on where we are now.” it that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and the right intention. Sometimes a riff just isn’t enough.”
Bassist Alex James says, “For a long-term relationship to matter, you have to be able to surprise each other, and somehow we continue to do that”. Drummer Dave Rowntree also spoke up and stated that for the four musicians it “always felt very natural to make music together. With every record we make, the process reveals something new and we continue to evolve as a band. We don’t take that for granted.”
The cover artwork can also be seen. This is a work by the British photographer Martin Parr, which the Guardian wrote about back in 2014.
First single “The Narcissist” already released
As if that wasn’t cause for celebration enough, Albarn & Co. donate a new single including a visualizer video. “The Narcissist” is the name of the piece, which begins relatively calmly with atmospheric guitars, vocal harmonies and a drum machine. “Looked in the mirror/So many people standing there/I walked towards them into the floodlights/I heard no echo/There was distortion everywhere“, it says in the text (you can find the full text further down in the article).
This is how the single sounds:
The tracklist of “The Ballad of Darren”:
“The Ballad”
St Charles Square
“barbaric”
“Russian strings”
“The Everglades (For Leonard)”
“The Narcissist”
“Goodbye Albert”
“Far Away Island”
“avalon”
“The Heights”
The lyrics to The Narcissist
Looked in the mirror
So many people standing there
I walked towards them into the floodlights
I heard no echo
There was distortion everywhere
I found my ego
I felt rubato standing there
Found my transcendent
It played in mono painted blue
You were the pirot
I was the dark room
I’m going to shine a light in your eyes
You’ll probably shine it back on me
But I won’t fall this time
With godspeed I’ll heed the signs
I saw the solstice
The service station on the road
I took the acid
Under the white horses
My heart it quickened
I could not tear myself away
Became addiction
If you see darkness look away
I’m going to shine a light in your eyes
You will probably shine it back on me
But I won’t fall this time
With godspeed I’ll heed the signs
O glorious world
Oh potent waves valleys gone wild
Connect us to love and keep us peaceful for a while
I’m going to shine a light in your eyes
You will probably shine it back on me
But I won’t fall this time
With godspeed I’ll heed the signs
I’m a shine a light in your eyes
You probably shine it back it back on me
But I won’t fall this time with godspeed I’ll heed the signs
But I won’t fall this time with godspeed I’ll heed the signs