Product Description

Following LEISURE, a debut featuring many exquisite momentsof melody, Blur began their chameleonic artistic journey with MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH, a record that eschewed massive sonic edifices and swirling harmonies for more basic guitar rock. However, there was little simple about the foursome's creations, as singer/chief-songwriter Damon Albarn fulfilled the promise he hinted at on the prior album: a Beatle-esque ability to pour an incredible amount of drama and adornment into small spaces and emerge with delectable pop.
Leadoff track "For Tomorrow", with its jangly guitar and "la la la la la" chorus sets the tone of the album as well as an opening song can. Its lyrics dance with a subtle complexity, examining optimism while mired in the repetition of modern life (and its rubbish) as renegade strings pop in at just the right points. It's the surprising little touches that really define the band and make Blur's concoctions soar above the rabble. MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH is one of those records that improves with each listen, with the quiet brilliance of story-songs like "Colin Zeal", "Chemical World", and "Pop Scene" (a smart addition to the US release). MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH isa testament to Albarn's maturing songwriting gift and a tightly wrapped pop record simultaneously behind and ahead of its time.

Track Listing

1. For tomorrow
2. Advert
3. Colin Zeal
4. Pressure on Julian
5. Star shaped
6. Blue jeans
7. Chemical world
8. Sunday Sunday
9. Oily water
10. Miss America
11. Villa Rosie
12. Coping
13. Turn it up
14. Resigned
15. Resigned
16. Commercial Break

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10817 in Music
• Released on: 1993-05-10
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Blur's second album saw them finding their feet just before they suddenly went supernova. In songs like "Chemical World", they started developing the themes of everyday British life that would follow them to their Parklife era. "Sunday Sunday" provided its own blueprint for the Britpop scene, showing the traditional Sunday dinner with the family for what it really is ("You gather the family round the table and eat enough to sleep"), while "Advert" follows in the spirit of Blur's musical ancestors (art school punks and mods). "Blue Jeans", meanwhile, demonstrates that Damon Albarn has always had a talent for writing delicate, sad ballads. Modern Life Is Rubbish deserves to be heard, not only to show how much Blur changed over the years, but because it still stands up and holds its own against anything they came up with later in their career. --Emma Johnston

Customer Reviews

North to South?
Not many bands change their sound so gracefully as Blur do here. The trick is they sound convincing/comfortable where as when other bands do so it is not always the case. Not sure how it would of sounded to a fan at the time but looking back now it seems an obvious move. Seen as many as part one of their trilogy (they certainly maintain a similar sound for the next two albums which is a long time stylistically for Blur) of character based albums. It has went from being my least favourite Blur album to now sounding one of their strongest. The songs aren't as instant as they are on their debut but have far more depth.

Next stop.... Parklife!
OK, I admit I was one of those who discovered Blur (apart from "There's no other way" on the radio) via Parklife, and played that album to death in the mid-90s (didn't really buy all that Blur vs Oasis crap, liked both but for different reasons). After getting The Great Escape and Blur when they first came out, thought I'd get this one to see what they were like before they broke big.

Verdict? It's good, but not IMHO as good as Parklife et al, but you can certainly see the roots of what was to come. Album starts off well, bit of a dip mid-way then recovers towards the end. Worth a look if you liked Parklife and want to see an earlier prototype....

great album, great memories
this album changed my life! when britpop kicked off, being in a cheshire school, oasis were the big band...so of course, i chose blur's parklife as the album i would champion! i wasnt really into music then, it was kinda the big thing at time, everyone was doing it! but when i wanted to hear more, i bought modern life is rubbish, and it all changed. no longer the easy chart music, but catchy songs that wouldnt get played on the radio. this introduced me to looking for other music that didnt get played often and helped me discover so much more music!

if you are thinking of getting a blur album, or a brip-pop era album, start here! im listening to it now, and i can still see images of sitting on a bus through france, while listening to this on my old casette walkman!

an album that changed my life.
A true brit pop record that doesnt sound cheesey or dated.
long live modern life!