Living Britpop legends Blur return to the scene with a new album called The Magic Whip, due to arrive on April 27. A few weeks ago they debuted the single “Go Out” and an accompanying (and strange) video that you can see here: https://youtu.be/Sp1ks7PTzng. “Go Out” is reminiscent of 13 and bits of Think Tank, making us quite unsure of what to expect from The Magic Whip.
More recently, a new video from the band has been posted. “There Are Too Many of Us” offers a further glimpse into what to expect from the new album. Think Damon’s Everyday Robots meets Modern Life is Rubbish updated for the 2000s. The song is very much a continuation of Modern Life‘s commentary on middle-class suburban life. It’s unmistakenly Damon.
Musically, the song has great replay potential. I’ve found myself listening to far more than “Go Out.” The video is a great lo-fi look at the band’s (perhaps fictional) recording space, with Damon almost doing a Liam impression of singing up at the microphone. The screen is occasionally flanked by scrolling graphics and scrolling high-rise buildings. The claustrophobia of the video serves to reinforce the song’s title. See what they did there?
Personally, this song makes me excited for the new album. I have grand expectations for Blur and with Noel Gallagher releasing a bloody stellar/ near perfect album, this year could be the year for Britpop.
