“The magic whip”, the expected return of the band Blur – The Universal (Venezuela)

London .- Even the most optimistic fans hoped a new Blur album the band recorded in harmony for the four members of the first and golden 90s Britpop. But that album goes on sale today under the name of The magic whip , and its sound recalls the magic that so bewitched his followers.

“It was a bit like when someone returns home is all green lights. As if this album had to be yes or yes “. Graham Coxon, who left Blur in 2002, when the band was at the peak of its global success, “artistic differences” shown excited about the process of creating The magic whip . Although he also confessed to the magazine New Musical Express the first studio album of the band with their original since 1999 members is “a happy accident”.

The truth is that the quartet, who recently reunited occasionally on stage to play old songs live, it poured for a break from his tour of 2013 in Hong Kong to get five days in the studio, although songs were not quite finished. Then each went his way, worrying about his private life or personal projects. Thus, the singer of the band, Damon Albarn, last year launched his celebrated solo debut, Everyday robots .

Part of the driving force for the return of Blur came its sometimes controversial guitarist Coxon. It was he who was responsible for gathering the material Hong Kong and, along with producer Stephen Street, rework the lyrics Albarn. The result, according to critics, one of the best and most matured works of the band two decades ago with Oasis disputed the throne of Britpop.

The magic whip starts with street noise from Hong Kong who sneaks into a room to open the window. One possible interpretation is that Blur lets out for her the dense atmosphere of the past and lets in a new breath of fresh air.

So, Lonesome street sounds to life and humorous (even whistles are heard), with music ranging from the Kinks, the Beatles, Syd Barret, XTC and guitar pop of the 90′s A Blur theme purest style in the line of classics like Parklife or The great escap e. “Sure, the song has something familiar,” concedes Coxon. . Although it seems to go like a glove to the first track on a disc back that aims to unite past, present and perhaps future

Those who fear a pre-cooked product Blur old shall be relieved with the next song: melancholy harmony of New World Towers and modern effects points to the past Albarn solo album, while Go out echo the powerful bass Alex James, the frantic battery Dave Rowntree and Coxon’s guitar. Ice cream man revolves around a cause for keyboards on the acoustic guitar and soulful Thought I was a spaceman , inspired by Hong Kong, is introduced flirts with sounds Oriental.

Blur pays tribute to the Beatles Yellow Submarine with Ong ong , while Mirrorball recreates the atmosphere of spaghetti-western. So, 16 years after their last album together, Blur returns with 12 new songs and a road show that will start on June 13 at the festival of the British Isle of Wight and will take them to Spain one month before returning to Hong Kong, where it all began.