Blur’s Reunion Track ‘The Narcissist’ Is Worth The Eight Year Wait

Returning as the reigning kings of the Britpop scene, Blur has rocked the charts with their new indie track ‘The Narcissist’. Whilst their debut album, ‘Leisure’, was released over three decades ago, fans have been eagerly awaiting new music since their 2015 album ‘The Magic Whip’. ‘The Narcissist’ is the first track released from the band’s upcoming ninth album ‘The Ballad of Darren’ and marks the end of their second hiatus.

Frontman Damon Albarn, also co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz, leads the vocals for the soft tempo track. As a reunion single, ‘The Narcissist’ combines the songwriting abilities of the quartet and explores the reality of addiction and recovery through the first-narrative lyrics.

Reunion and rebuilding are at the foundation of the band’s new album, thus making ‘The Narcissist’ their first track release illustrates to listeners that they’re on the path to recovery. This sentiment is repeated throughout the choral chants “But I won’t fail this time / With Godspeed I’ll heed / the signs”, making raw struggles of addiction appear optimistic against the upbeat drums and soulful guitar backdrop.

‘The Narcissist’ possesses a nostalgic energy that’s reminiscent of the new-alternative, cool Britannia scene that the band helped spark for British indie music during the 1990s, alongside the likes of Oasis and Pulp.

Guitarist Graham Coxon said of the track and upcoming album; “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention”.

‘The Ballad of Darren’ will be released on CD, vinyl and online on 21 July 2023. Blur will be touring across Europe throughout the summer.

 

Alanya Smith

@AlanyaSmith 

Image: ‘The Ballad of Darren' Official Album Cover