(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)
Artist: Blur
Album Title: Parklife
Year released: 1994
Year reissued: 2012
Details: 3 of 7 in Blur 21, anniversary box set, black vinyl, 180 gram, 2 x LP, Gatefold sleeve
The skinny: A thematic and sonic continuation, Blur’s third record almost sounds like its material was recorded during the same sessions as ‘Modern life’. In my opinion, this Blur at their best, Britpop in full bloom, and likely my favourite of their albums, from beginning to end.
Standout track: “This is a low”
My (life in) music lists 
14 replies on “Vinyl love: Blur “Parklife””
I’d agree this might be their best front-to-back – and Clover over Dover from here is up there with The Universal in terms of my favourite Blur track!
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I love Clover over Dove too but have to say This is a low I’d just that much better. Not a bad track on this album though.
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Agree! Agree! They hit their stride with this one. I love the video for The Universal, too! I do wonder if anyone would put up with Damon Albarn if he weren’t so talented…
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Damon Albarn offends you in some way?
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He is arrogant. You read that Britpop book, right? That’s how he came across to me (and in other interviews). Maybe he’s a mad genius and that’s how his madness manifests? 😬
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I haven’t listened to this all the way through in an age. I got just about halfway through when I revisited their stuff off the back of their last album. I think my favourite was always the self-titled one.
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The Self-titled is pretty fine album too. No arguments here.
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Loved this one too – I remember rushing out and buying it the day it came out. My copy was so badly warped that I had to take it back the next day, by which time they’d completely sold out of copies in my town.
Not a second I don’t love here.
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Please tell me you found yourself another copy eventually.
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I did but it took me about a week – it was worth the wait though. I’m particularly keen on the title track.
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With Phil Daniels? Oh yeah. Hilarious stuff.
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The Beatles, The Kinks, The Small Faces, The Jam = Blur – Parklife…a truly phenomenal record IMO.
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Kinks was a reference I heard a lot during conversations about Blur, so much so that I had to investigate. I had heard their hits of course but was largely unfamiliar with their work up to that point. Oh the stories of reverse discovery…
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Yeah, that’s a great point about the reverse discovery factor. As a teen, I was a huge fan of The Stranglers and it was suggested by fellow fans that I really should check out The Doors back catalogue. I did, and immediately understood the reference and had a new band to admire.
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