The Great Escape

by Blur

Overview

In the simplest terms, The Great Escape is the flip side of Parklife. Where Blur's breakthrough album was a celebration of the working class, drawing on British pop from the '60s and reaching through the '80s, The Great Escape concentrates on the suburbs, featuring a cast of characters all trying to cope with the numbing pressures of modern life. Consequently, it's darker than Parklife, even if the melancholia is hidden underneath the crisp production and catchy melodies. Even the bright, infectious numbers on The Great Escape have gloomy subtexts, whether it's the disillusioned millionaire of "Country House" and the sycophant of "Charmless Man" or the bleak loneliness of "Globe Alone" and "Entertain Me." Naturally, the slower numbers are even more despairing, with the acoustic "Best Days," the lush, sweeping strings of "The Universal," and the stark, moving electronic ballad "Yuko & Hiro" ranking as the most affecting work Blur has ever recorded. However, none of this makes The Great Escape a burden or a difficult album. The music bristles with invention throughout, as Blur delves deeper into experimentation with synthesizers, horns, and strings; guitarist Graham Coxon twists out unusual chords and lead lines, and Damon Albarn spits out unexpected lyrical couplets filled with wit and venomous intelligence in each song. But Blur's most remarkable accomplishment is that it can reference the past -- the Scott Walker homage of "The Universal," the Terry Hall/Fun Boy Three cop on "Top Man," the skittish, XTC-flavored pop of "It Could Be You," and Albarn's devotion to Ray Davies -- while still moving forward, creating a vibrant, invigorating record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	01/01/2008
Label:	Food / Virgin / Emi / Food/Virgin
UPC:	0724383523528

Tracks

1. Stereotypes
2. Country House
3. Best Days
4. Charmless Man
5. Fade Away
6. Top Man
7. The Universal
8. Mr. Robinson's Quango
9. He Thought of Cars
10. It Could Be You
11. Ernold Same
12. Globe Alone
13. Dan Abnormal
14. Entertain Me
15. Yuko & Hiro

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blur   Primary Artist,Vocals
Francoise Hardy   Primary Artist,Vocals
Graham Coxon   Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Banjo,Guitar,Vocals,Saxophone,Choir/Chorus,Handclapping,Guitar (Acoustic)
Neil Sidwell   Trombone
Alex James   Guitar,Choir/Chorus,Handclapping,Guitar (Bass)
Cathy Gillat   Vocals
Louise Fuller   Violin
Louisa Fuller   Violin
J. Neil Sidwell   Trombone
Angela Murrell   Vocals (Background)
Duke Quartet   Strings
Ivan McCermoy   Cello
John Metcalfe   Viola
Rick Koster   Violin
Teresa Jane David   Vocals (Background)
Simon Clarke   Saxophone
Stephen Street   Handclapping
Khalil Chahine   Strings
The Kick Horns   Horn
Jacques Bolognesi   Accordion
Roddy Lorimer   Trumpet
Duke String Quartet   Strings
Rick Wentworth   Conductor,Orchestra Leader
Tim Sanders   Saxophone
Isobel Griffiths   Orchestra
Theresa Davis   Vocals (Background)
Damon Albarn   Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus,Handclapping
Dave Rowntree   Drums,Percussion,Choir/Chorus,Handclapping

Technical Credits

Neil Sidwell   Group Member
Alex James   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Frank Arkwright   Digital Remastering,Remastering Engineer
Shem McCauley   Producer,Remix Engineer
Nels Israelson   Band Photo,Photography
Tom Girling   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Cathy Gillat   Producer
John Smith   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Julie Gardner   Assistant Engineer
Tom King   Cover Photo,Photography
Louisa Fuller   Group Member
Dave Bernez   Editing,Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Ken Livingstone   Narrator
George Schilling   Engineer,Remix Engineer
Julia Gardner   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Ivan McCermoy   Group Member
John Metcalfe   Group Member
Rick Koster   Group Member
Stephen Street   Mixing,Editing,Producer,Mastering,Mixing Engineer,Mastering Engineer,Digital Remastering,Remastering Engineer
Stephen Hague   Producer,Original Album Producer
Khalil Chahine   String Arrangements
Roddy Lorimer   Group Member
Francoise Hardy   Composer
Jason Cox   Studio Manager
David Rowntree   Producer
Tim Sanders   Group Member
Isobel Griffiths   Additional Production
Simon Clarke   Group Member
Damon Albarn   Composer,Engineer,Musician,Producer
Dave Rowntree   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Blur   Producer,Additional Production
Graham Coxon   Composer,Engineer,Producer