No. That's all a big pile of guff. We were using it in reference to Blur's albums! This album, "Leisure", Blur's debut, is comeplete cat excrement in comparison to their other bands.

Yes, it's good. But we're talking about Blur... and when you think of Blur, you shouldn't think of merely "good"... you should think of "really great". That's the Blur standard, man.

"So, Justin, why don't you think this is as good as the others?"

I'm glad you asked. Simply put: it just doesn't sound fresh. What it sounds like is a cheap ripoff of The Stone Roses. They were young and hadn't developed their own style yet really... so they just borrowed one off of the most recent popular British rock band. Now, don't get me wrong.. I LOVE The Stone Roses, but if I wanted to hear them.. I'd listen to them... not Blur.

This might be a 4/5 if it was any other band, but I cannot give this anything higher than 3/5 knowing full well how much arse "Modern Life..", "Parklife", "The Great Escape", and "Blur" kick ("13" is pretty good too).

At any rate, next time you hear that childhood rhyme... smile and think about what it's really all about... Blur albums!

"...second is the best..."
...okay, okay, "Modern Life is Rubbish" may not be the best, but it is the most consistent by far...


Blur's best   November 4, 1999
Pessimystica (Austin, TX)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I've been a Blur fan ever since I heard "There's no other way" in '91 when I was in high school...which is still ranks high with my favorite songs of all time, & by far my favorite Blur song. I liked them still after hearing the different sound of "Girls & Boys" in '94, & the more songs I heard by them over the decade, the next being "Charmless Man", the more I liked them just cuz they were so diverse. But if I were to pick just 1 Blur album, this would be it (actually, it's the only Blur album I own). Sure, Damon had better lyrics to write, but these songs just sound great, & they don't all sound the same, although that's not always a bad thing. "She's so high" is a great one too, & really can't remember the other titles cuz I just always listen to this straight through cuz there's really nothing to skip over. And still when it comes to the end, I'm like "it's over already?" I'd recommend this to new Blur fans who know there's more to Blur than Song 2!


Blurs starts with a strong foot forward   May 28, 2006
Manny Hernandez (Bay Area, CA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Blur's debut back in 1991 brought along a blend of psychedelic rock and heavy guitars not too far from the sound of The Stone Roses or The Smiths. Though not too welcome by critics, as being too much like shoegazing (a musical trend that was on its way out), in recording "Leisure", along with Charlatan's U.K. and a handful of other bands, they led the way of a new British invasion (labeled Britpop) that would last for many years.

With a very different sound from the one that would characterize the band later on, they started off with a strong foot forward, actually opening the album with the best tracks on it, most of which remain classics to this day. The middle part of the album looses a bit of steam, to regain it towards the end. Overall, it's not Blur's best work, but it's an incredible debut to be reckoned with. Indeed most bands would want to ever record an album this good.


A blissful album of idiot glee   March 30, 2006
Chet Fakir (DC)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Yeah its true folks the Amazon reviewer was absolutely correct in that the lyrics are simply something to hang the pretty melodies on and the music is nowhere near as sophisticated as Blur would later write, but... and its a big but. Blur never again made an album this unabashedly joyful and ecstatic again. Mix great melodies, dumb dumb simple but very singable lyrics, lovely vocal harmonies strapped on top of a driving guitar with compelling and dancable rhythms and you have this rolling explosion of brit-pop bliss. Sometimes an album doesn't have to mean anything to be good.