Blur has announced a new album, The Ballad of Darren, which is set for a July release.
The Britpop legends are reuniting later this month for a series of warm-up shows before a two-date residency at Wembley, followed by a European tour.
The Ballad of Darren is set to release on July 21, with the first track, The Narcissist, out now.
Speaking of the new album, Damon Albarn said: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”
Graham Coxon, also a founding member of Blur and The Waeve, said: “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.”
The Ballad of Darren will be available on CD and Vinyl, as well as the usual streaming services, with a bonus 7″ vinyl and Deluxe CD featuring two extra tracks.
Alex James of Blur added: “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.
Drummer Dave Rowntree continued: “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.”
A full tracklist can be found below.
- The Ballad
- St Charles Square
- Barbaric
- Russian Strings
- The Everglades (For Leonard)
- The Narcissist
- Goodbye Albert
- Far Away Island
- Avalon
- The Heights
Two bonus tracks, The Rabbi and The Swan, will also be available.
