Blur to release new album ‘The Ballad of Darren’ in July – Entertainment Focus

Blur will release new album ‘The Ballad of Darren’, their first in 8 years, on 21st July 2023 via Parlophone.

The album announcement comes with first track ‘The Narcissist’, which you can listen to below. The song is one of 10 new tracks featured on the record.

Produced by James Ford and recorded at Studio 13, London and Devon, ‘The Ballad of Darren’ is the band’s ninth studio album, their first since the chart-topping ‘The Magic Whip’ in 2015, with artwork featuring an image by British photographer Martin Parr.  

Damon Albarn said, “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”

Graham Coxon said, “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.”

Alex James said, “For any long term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.”

Dave Rowntree said, “It always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we do, the process reveals something new and we develop as a band. We don’t take that for granted.”

The surprise announcement comes ahead of the band’s return to the place where it all began – Colchester, Essex*– for their first ever performance at local landmark Colchester Arts Centre tomorrow, marking the start of a short run of warm-up performances which will see the blur visit Eastbourne Winter Gardens on 21^st May, The Halls Wolverhampton on 26^th May and O2 City Hall Newcastle on 28^th May. 

These warm-up dates are kicking off a summer of highly-anticipated live shows which will bring Alex James, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree together again to perform their iconic and much-loved songs across Europe over the coming months. The band’s first ever show at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8^th July sold out in minutes – with a second Wembley Stadium show added for Sunday 9^th July.

The complete tracklisting for ‘The Ballad of Darren’ is:

1. The Ballad 
2. St Charles Square
3. Barbaric
4. Russian Strings
5. The Everglades (For Leonard)
6. The Narcissist 
7. Goodbye Albert
8. Far Away Island
9. Avalon
10. The Heights

‘The Ballad of Darren’ will be available as a Digital Download & Stream (10 tracks as above); Standard CD (10 tracks) and Deluxe CD (12 tracks, w. expanded packaging), Standard Vinyl LP – 12” heavyweight black vinyl; and – exclusive to blur.co.uk – Deluxe Vinyl pressed on 12″ clear vinyl with black swirls, in a gatefold sleeve, with poster, bonus 7” vinyl, album CD (12 tracks) and integrated booklet, including exclusive handwritten notes, sketches and lyrics; and Cassette (10 tracks).