13

Product Information

Swamp Song" was originally going to appear on the "Tender" single as a B-side, but was put on the album at the last minute. Eccleston, Danny (March 1999). "There Was No Other Way..." Q. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013 . Retrieved 9 December 2013. The album is ranked number 773 in All-Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd edition, 2000). [41] Accolades for 13 Publication had originally been recorded as a demo in 1992 and was lost until Albarn found it again on a tape six years later. "Mellow Song" was demoed as a jam session known as "Mellow Jam" that was later included as the B-side of " Tender". Recording took place from June to October 1998 in London and Reykjavík. The album marks a departure of the band's longtime producer, Stephen Street, with his role being filled by William Orbit, who they had chosen after the release of the remix album, Bustin' + Dronin' (1998). Relationships between the band members were reported to be strained, with members frequently missing from the sessions. Lyrically, the album is significantly darker and more innovative than Blur's previous efforts, being heavily inspired by Damon Albarn's breakup with long-term girlfriend, Justine Frischmann, which followed an increasingly strained relationship. This album was the last for over a decade to feature the original line-up as Coxon left the band during the sessions of their next album Think Tank (2003), before returning for The Magic Whip (2015).

Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal at: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Hiatt, Brian (19 March 1999). "Blur Plan Three North American Promo Shows". MTV . Retrieved 15 May 2015. This draw is conducted in a secure enivironment selecting an identifier which can not be used to access your account and the data is deleted as soon as the draw has been conducted. Britpop is dead, long live Blur". The Telegraph. 11 March 1999. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018 . Retrieved 2 November 2020. Talvin Singh: Closing the divide". BBC News. 8 September 1999. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007 . Retrieved 10 June 2009.a b "Indie soap opera: Justine Frischmann, Damon Albarn and Brett Anderson". The Guardian. April 2003. New producer William Orbit (of Madonna fame) loosens up Blur for their sloppiest, most playful set yet, spiking the mix with church organ, electric piano and shambling drum loops. It's the kind of album you can't wait to play for your guitar-geek pals, as Coxon makes his ax squeal, hum, fizz and even levitate at the end of "1992," a top-notch freakout that almost lets you forgive his recent solo record. Like all Blur albums, 13 has filler: too much studio-improvised headphone goop. But the real songs go places. "Tender" is a gentle gospel sing-along, while Albarn sings some surprisingly sincere heartache ballads (best line: "I lost my girl to the Rolling Stones"). "Coffee and TV" propels a marriage proposal over a warm gush of guitars that sounds like Pavement sitting in with Brian Eno circa Taking Tiger Mountain -- after three or four minutes, your only complaint is that the song has to end. As do the other great moments on 13, "Coffee and TV" gives you the pleasant feeling of getting run over by a hit squad on Vespas: all in all, a smashing time. (RS 809)

Tension in the studio ran high during the recording sessions. In Orbit's words, "There was a battle between Damon's more experimental direction, and Graham's punk one, and Graham prevailed. If that tension had been growing on previous LPs, it came to a head here." [18] "Things were starting to fall apart between the four of us," drummer Dave Rowntree later revealed. "It was quite a sad process making it. People were not turning up to the sessions, or turning up drunk, being abusive and storming off." [7] "I had songs," Alex James remarked. "I played them to William. He liked them. But I was sulking. I didn't play them to the others... Now I know how George Harrison felt." [19] Coxon admitted, "I was really out there around 13, which made for some pretty great noise but I was probably a bit of a crap to be around." [7] a b Sillitoe, Sue (August 1999). "STEPHEN STREET: Producing Blur, Cranberries & Catatonia". Sound on Sound. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013 . Retrieved 3 September 2012.

Track List

Blur formed in 1989 as Seymour in Colchester, composed of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon (1989-2002, 2008- ), Alex James (2), and Dave Rowntree. British album certifications – Blur – 13". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 17 October 2012. Nationwide Mercury Prize". Nationwide Mercury Prize. Archived from the original on 7 February 2011 . Retrieved 11 August 2008.