Blur Announce Surprise New Album Ahead Of Live Dates

by | May 19, 2023

The Damon Albarn-fronted Britpop innovators Blur will release their first album in 8 years, titled The Ballad of Darren and comprising 10 new tracks, on 21st July on Parlophone.

Blur (Reuben Bastienne-Lewis)

Blur (Reuben Bastienne-Lewis)

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.

Blur (Kevin Westenberg)

Blur (Kevin Westenberg)
Blur (Kevin Westenberg)

Of the new L.P. Albarn says: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.” Guitarist and vocalist Graham Coxon adds “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.”

Check out new tune The Narcissist below:

Bass man Alex James says: “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.” while sticksman Dave Rowntree added “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.”

This week’s 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 tonight, marking the start of a short run of warm-up performances which will see the blur visit Eastbourne Winter Gardens on 21st May, The Halls Wolverhampton on 26th May and O2 City Hall Newcastle on 28th May.

Blur (Kevin Westenberg)

Blur (Kevin Westenberg)
Blur (Kevin Westenberg)

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 8th July sold out in minutes – with a second Wembley Stadium show added for Sunday 9th July.

UK LIVE DATES

MAY
19th – Arts Centre, Colchester
21st – Winter Gardens, Eastbourne
26th – The Halls, Wolverhampton
28th – O2 City Hall, Newcastle

JULY
8th – Wembley Stadium
9th – Wembley Stadium

Duran Duran Bring Hits And Deep Cuts To The O2

Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show At BST Hyde Park 2025 Following Illness

In a heartbreaking development for fans, Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have cancelled what was set to be their final ever UK performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 13 July 2025. The decision follows Lynne’s continued ill health and comes just days after the group’s second show at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 10th July was pulled moments before showtime, after the venue had already filled with fans. Lynne, 77, has been battling a systemic infection and is now under close medical supervision.

Olivia Dean @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Olivia Dean Warms A Damp Hyde Park With Soulful Resilience At BST Hyde Park 2025

Though clouds still loomed and the ground remained squelchy underfoot, Olivia Dean brought a welcome calm and undeniable warmth to BST Hyde Park’s Great Oak Stage on Sunday afternoon. Following a weather-disrupted opening set by Amber Mark — whose performance was cut short by a torrential downpour — Dean arrived as the skies cleared, bringing poise, polish, and powerful vocals to a crowd that refused to let a bit of British summer rain dampen their spirits.

Clairo @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Clairo Brings Soft Focus And Dreamy Intimacy To The Great Oak Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In the golden lull between a dramatic afternoon downpour and Sabrina Carpenter’s headline pop spectacle, Clairo turned London’s Great Oak Stage into a sanctuary of softness and reflection. Her early evening performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 6th July offered a tender contrast to the festival’s typically high-energy crescendo, inviting the crowd into a quieter, more introspective space.

Jessie Murph (Press)

Jessie Murph Announces Bold New Album ‘Sex Hysteria’, Shares Vulnerable New Single ‘Bad As The Rest’

Boundary-breaking rising star Jessie Murph has unveiled her latest single Bad As The Rest, offering a raw and emotionally charged glimpse into her upcoming sophomore album Sex Hysteria, due out on 18th July via Columbia Records.

The Jacques (Nick Sayers)

The Jacques Announce Riotous New Single ‘All The Other Sinners’ Ahead of Second Album ‘Make Repetition!’

London/Bristol alt-rock trio The Jacques are ramping up momentum ahead of their second album Make Repetition! with the release of their blistering new single All The Other Sinners — a searing, melody-drenched slice of chaos and catharsis out now.

Cam @ The Tabernacle (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Cam Captivates London With A Night Of Raw Vocals And Real Stories At The Tabernacle

In a sweltering Tabernacle, a somehow both vast and intimate venue, a sweat-soaked audience filled every seat for...
J.Fla (Press)

J.Fla Redefines Herself With Empowering New Single ‘Stellar Paradox’

South Korean singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation J.Fla has taken a giant leap into the cosmos with her newest release, Stellar Paradox, marking the start of a bold new chapter in her musical journey. Known to millions for her viral YouTube covers, J.Fla now turns the spotlight firmly onto her own voice with a genre-blending, emotionally charged original that paves the way for her highly anticipated upcoming EP, due in late summer 2025.

Chloe Qisha @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Chloe Qisha Closes The Rainbow Stage In Style At BST Hyde Park 2025

After a tempestuous afternoon that saw Hyde Park lashed by torrential rain and set times thrown into flux, it was Chloe Qisha who restored the calm — and then brought the fire — as she closed the Rainbow Stage on Sunday evening with a confident, emotionally astute set that proved worth the wait.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing