The Ballad of Darren Deluxe

This album is very special in its own way. I can sense the lead singer’s emotion through the lyrics and the music that goes with it! I’ve been a newfound Blur fan for a while now, and I was real happy to hear about this new album from them! The case disc, and lyric sheets all came in pristine condition!! Front cover felt very connective in the mindful sense. The music, in my opinion, was pure perfection. Blur does it again!! I wish them all the very best…❤️

It’s hard not to shed a tear listening this album or at least during one of the tracks from it whichever does it for you, if you let it overtake you. If you’re a fan of the band or that voice or just a music fan in general, in my opinion, there is something here for everyone, lyrically/melodically. Pure, simple at times, heart on a sleeve and authentic record. This kind of an album is a rare gem nowadays. Thank You, Blur!!!

I'll start off by saying that this album feels more like an EP than an LP, even with the bonus tracks. It flies by very quickly. The lyrics are very relatable, especially if you're over 40. Barbaric for example, I think everyone has felt they have lost something about themselves that they thought they would never lose. So lyrically, this album is as good as any Blur album. The problem is, many of the songs feel too short. Take for example The Heights -- a very moving song with memorable hook, but it's over before you know it (and in a very unexpected fizzle fashion). Heights is my favorite track, but other stand-outs include Avalon (a nice jazz voiced tune), The Ballad, Barbaric, Narcissist, and Goodbye Albert. The rest of the songs are not bad, but not quite as memorable to me. St. Charles Square should not have been a single -- there are better songs than that one.The disappointment I have with this album is that it's one of the few Blur albums that sounds like it was recorded in a weekend. Most of the songs have a similar texture to them. For those who appreciated how Blur used to offer large amounts of diverse sounding songs on previous efforts, you might be disappointed with Darren. Take for example the album 13. If you listen to Tender and Bugman, there's a very big contrast in how those songs sound. That diverse Blur is not here, and is likely not returning. As a parent myself, I understand that time is more limited when you're no longer 25. Blur likely don't have the resources to offer something in the way that they used to. However, if you can listen to this album for what it is and not compare it to previous Blur, you may appreciate it more. Also, even though Magic Whip had more diversity in song styles, I think Darren is musically a better album. I think the main point I'm trying to get across is, new Blur is better than no Blur, but just don't expect it to be like a Parklife.

Damon Albarn and I share something: love for the sad song. There's just enough rock to break the spell beautifully-rendered vocals (lead & backing) repeatedly cast over the listener. Guitar music swells with piano, strings and horns, inducing bliss from anguish. "The Ballad", "Barbaric" and "The Narcissist" are standouts among standouts. "St. Charles Square" rollicks in howling horror-show regret.

Can't stop playing it not a bad cut on this cd

Great watching these lads grow up over the years. Fine musicianship, great tunes and lyrics. Thanks, boys!

Great disc!

Well, I must be the only critic (and fan) that thinks "The Ballad of Darren" is lacking. Same with their last album, 2015's, "The Magic Whip". I'll also admit that Blur are not my favorite band, not even close. I like them, but they have always been so-so. I remember hearing "There's No Other Way" around 1991/1992 and although it's memorable it didn't get my attention too much. In fact, it wasn't until 1995, when a girlfriend of mine recommended "Parklife" (1994) that I began to appreciate the band. Since then, I have bought up everything Blur, but each album has had its strengths and weaknesses."The Ballad of Darren" has to be one of the calmest, and most mellow albums from Blur, and that's not a great thing. I struggled to get through "The Ballad", "Russian Strings", "The Everglades", "Goodbye Alert", "Far Away Island" and "Avalon". I didn't hear what others heard. I didn't feel the lyrics. I didn't feel the arrangements. To me, the better songs here are "Barbaric", "The Narcissist", "The Heights", "The Rabbi" and "The Swan", and "St. Charles Square" grew on me. This half of the album has strong lyrics, strong melodies, and they hint at what could have been. I really don't know what the band were thinking here. Not my favorite album from Blur.What's interesting is that I think I am enjoying Gorillaz better than Blur at this point. Not that Gorillaz are head and shoulders ahead of Blur, but I do like what I hear there a bit better than what I've heard on the last two Blur albums. Funny how both Gorillaz and Blur released new albums in 2023 just five months apart. Not even Phil Collins and Genesis were allowed to do that during their heyday in the 1980's.Here's how "The Ballad of Darren" compares to Blur's other works:1991 Leisure: Three Stars1993 Modern Life Is Rubbish: Two and a Half Stars1994 Parklife: Four Stars1995 The Great Escape: Four Stars1997 Blur: Two and a Half Stars1999 13: Three and a Half Stars2003 Think Tank: Four Stars2015 The Magic Whip: Three and a Half Stars2023 The Ballad of Darren: Three Stars

This a fantastic album, that I enjoy more with each listen.The "deluxe" version is only a few dollars more than the "regular" edition.It contains two extra songs:- The Rabbi- The SwanThese are really great songs, and I cannot understand why they are not on the regular edition of this cd.The deluxe edition (even with the two extra songs) is still only 42.5 minutes. The regular edition is a very short 36 minutes. So why even bother to make two editions at all ?Don't short change yourself - it's a great album, and you will want the deluxe edition with all 12 songs.

Un disco precioso y elegante. Además esta edición incluye bonus Tracks exclusivos.

Haven't listened to it so can't really comment on it, but the recipient seemed happy enough.

Dieses Album ist eine echte Entdeckung. Ich fand Blur in den 90ern nicht so interressant. Dieses Album hat aber einige Songperlen, die sich nicht unbedingt nach dem ersten Hören erschliessen. Hört nochmal rein und ihr wollt mehr. Richtig gut.

Seuls les vrais savent. Puis, seuls les vrais savent que blur est tout simplement un des meilleurs groupe au monde ( oui, tout simplement 😊). Après de nombreux excellents albums, le groupe est revenu sans crier gare avec ce nouvel opus. Si étrangement la 1ere écoute ne m'a pas immédiatement touchée, c'est en me plongeant dedans que je me suis dit que c'était peut être leur meilleur album. Chaque écoute révèle la richesse des titres et si c'était leur tout dernier album ( ce que je ne souhaite absolument pas), ce serait un superbe final. A posséder, dans hésitation !