Album

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

1993 · Rock

33 collectors on Gatefold own this

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Modern Life Is Rubbish by Blur

Modern Life Is Rubbish is an Alt/Indie album by Blur, originally released in 1993. On Gatefold: 60 pressings tracked, owned by 33 collectors.

About

Such was the deep reserve of talent within the Blur ranks that the quartet could shift styles without missing a beat. After the trippy Madchester-inspired minimalism of their debut album, 1991's <i>Leisure</i>, the group showed the world they could write very good conventional pop songs with 1993's <i>Modern Life Is Rubbish</i>. Likened to Ray Davies' work (or the Jam's Paul Weller, for that matter) due to Damon Albarn's focus on British society, the songs sprint to life, with a playfulness that much 1990s rock and pop bypassed. "For Tomorrow" kicks things off with a tattling vocal from Albarn, while "Advert" spotlights Graham Coxon's slashing punk guitars, lending an Undertones feel to the tune's cheekiness. "Colin Zeal" and "Chemical World" ignite a new psychedelia in the swirling guitars. "Miss America" broods. "Villa Rosie" freaks out. "Sunday Sunday" bounces. "Turn It Up" swells with an infectious chorus. Bonus cuts on the <i>Special Edition</i> include a striking cover of Rod Stewart's "Maggie May," the stellar single "Popscene," the bass-driven "Mace" and an extended version of "For Tomorrow" that all serious fans need in their collection.

via Apple Music

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Tracklist

  1. 1For Tomorrow4:18
  2. 2Advert3:43
  3. 3Colin Zeal3:14
  4. 4Pressure On Julian3:30
  5. 5Star Shaped3:25
  6. 6Blue Jeans3:53
  7. 7aChemical World4:02
  8. 7bIntermission2:27
  9. 8Sunday Sunday2:36
  10. 9Oily Water4:59
  11. 10Miss America5:34
  12. 11Villa Rosie3:54
  13. 12Coping3:23
  14. 13Turn It Up3:21
  15. 14aResigned5:13
  16. 14bCommercial Break0:56

Sound DNA

  • Alt/Indie
  • Britpop
  • jangly
  • swaggering
  • urban

Album notes

Discogs page for these notes (opens in a new tab)

Blur's second album, a rebranding of the band's sound and image, was to provide the template for the forthcoming Britpop movement that would revitalize Britain in the mid-1990s.
Stylorouge, Blur's graphic designers, described the process of designing "Modern Life Is Rubbish" for the group: "Blur's second album arrived, replete with a parochial greetings card-style image — modes of transport were chosen as a way to illustrate the downfall of standards in Britain; a populist oil painting of the famous Mallard steam train was accompanied by 1950's 'Festival Of Britain' typography."
The American pressings feature the demo version of "Chemical World" as the record company there felt the version of that song was better suited to that market. It is a slightly different mix than the one that features on CD2 of the UK single release with a different intro and the drums are louder.
"Young And Lovely" and "Popscene" were originally exclusive to the Japanese pressings of Modern Life Is Rubbish (Japan) (opens in a new tab).
Modern Life Is Rubbish-era singles:
Popscene (non-album single released before the album)
For Tomorrow
Chemical World
Sunday Sunday
Related releases:
UK-only promotional samplers (opens in a new tab)
Basically Blur (UK 1993) (opens in a new tab), a UK-only promotional disc with acoustic versions and interviews
Starshaped, a tour film

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

33 collectors on Gatefold own this · 60 pressings tracked on Gatefold

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