13 Blur

Blur: The Best Of is a greatest hits compilation album by English Britpop band Blur, first released in late 2000. It was released on CD, cassette tape, MiniDisc, double 12" vinyl record, DVD and VHS. The CD album includes 17 of Blur's 23 singles from 1990 to 2000, plus new track "Music Is My Radar". A special edition of the CD version included a live CD. The DVD/VHS version contains the videos of Blur's first 22 singles. The album, which has had enduring sales, hit #3 in the band's native UK in the autumn of 2000, while denting the US charts at #186. The cover is by artist Julian Opie. The painting of this Blur album can be found at the National Portrait Gallery in London, England. The album's cover bears some similarity to that of Queen's 1982 Hot Space…

Modern Life Is Rubbish is the second album by English alternative rock band Blur, released in May 1993. Although their debut album Leisure (1991) had been commercially successful, Blur faced a severe media backlash soon after its release, and fell out of public favour. After the group returned from an unsuccessful tour of the United States, poorly received live performances and the rising popularity of rival band Suede further diminished Blur's status in the UK. Under threat of being dropped by Food Records, for their next album Blur underwent an image makeover championed by frontman Damon Albarn…

It's a two plus hours survey of British indie music in 1992 and as expected, there's a mixed bag of gems, nostalgia, and iffy detritus that hasn't stood the test of time. But with any festival, the ups and downs are part of the experience. You can't expect to like everything, and the fun is in soaking up the atmosphere, discovering new bands, and confirming why your favourite artists are in fact your favourites. That was all true when I first heard this album back in the 90's. As a snapshot of they way things really were in 1992, this album is a priceless artifact that I never get tired of returning to.