Blur Album: “Leisure”

I've been a Blur fan ever since I heard "There's no other way" in '91 when I was in high school...which is still ranks high with my favorite songs of all time, & by far my favorite Blur song. I liked them still after hearing the different sound of "Girls & Boys" in '94, & the more songs I heard by them over the decade, the next being "Charmless Man", the more I liked them just cuz they were so diverse. But if I were to pick just 1 Blur album, this would be it (actually, it's the only Blur album I own). Sure, Damon had better lyrics to write, but these songs just sound great, & they don't all sound the same, although that's not always a bad thing. "She's so high" is a great one too, & really can't remember the other titles cuz I just always listen to this straight through cuz there's really nothing to skip over. And still when it comes to the end, I'm like "it's over already?" I'd recommend this to new Blur fans who know there's more to Blur than Song 2!

Blur's debut back in 1991 brought along a blend of psychedelic rock and heavy guitars not too far from the sound of The Stone Roses or The Smiths. Though not too welcome by critics, as being too much like shoegazing (a musical trend that was on its way out), in recording "Leisure", along with Charlatan's U.K. and a handful of other bands, they led the way of a new British invasion (labeled Britpop) that would last for many years.

With a very different sound from the one that would characterize the band later on, they started off with a strong foot forward, actually opening the album with the best tracks on it, most of which remain classics to this day. The middle part of the album looses a bit of steam, to regain it towards the end. Overall, it's not Blur's best work, but it's an incredible debut to be reckoned with. Indeed most bands would want to ever record an album this good.

Blur's debut album Leisure is never acknowledged by the press or the band itself but it does include some real gems.

There are two major styles of song running through the album, the first of which is simple post-punk/grunge music (fool, come together) that shows Damon Albarn's more naive attempts at writing.

The second style however shows elements of Blur at their best with beautiful Beatlesque harmonies, (Sing, Bang, She's So High),outstanding backward guitar played by the underrated guitarist Graham Coxon (There's No Other Way, She's So High) and hammond organ (There's No Other Way,) giving it a mid-60's Revolver feel with a fresh 90's twist.

Though perhaps not as consistent as its follow up albums, Leisure contains some of the most intriguing songs Blur have released. With songs such as Bad Day, Birthday not even making it as singles, it is easy to see why Blur soon established themselves as guiding lights of the British music scene in the 1990's. Well worth a listen.

Leisure was Blur finding their feet and it was better than competent style copping of the time. I quickly blew this album off as being disposable and had decided Blur would probably head the way of other bands riding Manchester's coattails... nowhere. So, I skipped Modern Life is Rubbish out of post Leiseure indifference, but discovered at Parklife, through my sister, that Blur was really rocketing past any accusations I could level of being pure imitators. They were writing smart songs with great music. They've pretty much outlasted any British band that I've liked in terms of staying power and importance. I think they are pretty much the closest thing to The Beatles in this sense. So, Leisure is just a childish first step into the world of britpop and by no means bad, but it's probably best to start at Modern Life is Rubbish and move on from there.

I bought this CD approximately five years ago while studying in Sweden for a year. I had previously bought in "Parklife" in 1994, and I believe this was the fourth Blur album I purchased. It was super cheap, so I wasn't THAT upset when I played it once or twice and was completely unimpressed. I found it simply boring, so I ceased to play it again... That is until about the spring of 1997. I'm not sure why I gave it another try, but I did, and I found that it started to grow on me slowly but very surely. I don't know what happened, but I just started playing it over and over again. I would exercise by jogging and walking around my student apartment complex at night, and I must have listened to it nearly every evening I did this. I now feel that it's just totally brilliant. Never before has an album grown on me in such a surrising way. If you're a Blur fan, I recommend this CD, but don't be surprised if you're disenchanted by the first listening. Just take some "quiet time" to become familiar with it, and you will find it slowly but surely pulling you in. You may find yourself buying it, listening to it once or twince, putting it away for two years and pulling it out only to find that it's simply captivating. John Eason