13 (Blur album)

October 2020 September 2012 13 studio Blur Blur13.jpg 15 March 1999 June–October 1998 Sýrland, Reykjavík 13, Sarm West and Mayfair, London Art rock"The Life of Blur", by Martin Power – "13 is further evidence that Blur are deadly serious about reinventing themselves as a challenging, experimental art-rock act, melding US noise with European-noir Electronica" experimental rock11 March 1999 Britpop is dead, long live Blur https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4717017/Britpop-is-dead-long-live-Blur.html https://web.archive.org/web/20180902183824/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4717017/Britpop-is-dead-long-live-Blur.html 2 September 2018 2 November 2020 dead The Telegraph alternative rockSeptember 20, 2023 91 Essential Alternative Rock Albums of the ’90s https://www.treblezine.com/best-alternative-rock-albums-of-the-90s/ Treble 66:50 Food Parlophone William Orbit Blur Bustin' + Dronin' 1998 The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set 1999 13 studio Tender 17 February 1999https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/143957/products/262325/1/ テンダー ブラー Tender Blur Oricon ja 26 November 2023 Coffee & TV 28 June 1999New Releases – For Week Starting 28 June, 1999 Music Week 25 26 June 1999 No Distance Left to Run 15 November 1999New Releases – For Week Starting 15 November, 1999: Singles Music Week 27 13 November 1999 13 is the sixth studio album by the English alternative rock band Blur, released on 15 March 1999. Continuing the band's stylistic shift away from the Britpop sound of their earlier career, 13 explores art rock and electronic styles. Lyrically, the album is darker and more personal than Blur's previous efforts, being heavily inspired by Damon Albarn's breakup with long-term girlfriend, Justine Frischmann. Recording took place from June to October 1998 in London and Reykjavík. The album marks a departure of the band's longtime producer, Stephen Street, with his role being filled by William Orbit, who they had chosen after hearing his work on the remix album Bustin' + Dronin' (1998). Relationships between the band members were reported to be strained, with members frequently missing from the sessions. 13 was the last Blur album for over a decade to feature the original line-up, as Coxon later left the band during the 2002 sessions of their next album Think Tank (2003), before returning in 2009. 13 entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, making it Blur's fourth consecutive studio album to reach the top spot. The album was later certified Platinum. 13 also reached number one in Norway and charted within the top 20 in many other countries. The album produced three singles – "Tender", "Coffee & TV" and "No Distance Left to Run" – which charted at number 2, number 11 and number 14 respectively on the UK Singles Chart. 13 met with favourable reviews and received a nomination for the Mercury Prize, as well as for Best Album at the 2000 NME Awards. Background Blur's previous studio album, Blur (1997), had seen the band move away from the Britpop movement and take on a more alternative rock-influenced direction, primarily under the suggestion of guitarist Graham Coxon. The press and the industry had feared that the change in style would not be taken well with the public, and therefore the album would be commercially unsuccessful as a result. Despite these concerns, Blur was an unexpected success, particularly in America, where the album was certified gold. However, the band still wanted to innovate, so they decided to embrace a different sound. Bassist Alex James stated, "I think you just have to keep changing. That sort of thinking was, sort of, key." The band's leader Damon Albarn had been in a long-term relationship with Justine Frischmann, of the Britpop band Elastica. Their relationship was highly publicised, the couple being described by John Harris as "proto-Posh and Becks for the indie-rock constituency."Harris John It's been strong medicine the last few weeks The Guardian 13 June 2009 1 https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/13/blur-interview 2 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120620054423/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jun/13/blur-interview 2012-06-20 live However, their relationship became strained over time, stated reasons including Albarn's desire to have children as well as Frischmann's continued friendship with ex-boyfriend Brett Anderson of Suede, who had shared a musical rivalry with Albarn.April 2003 Indie soap opera: Justine Frischmann, Damon Albarn and Brett Anderson The Guardian Albarn's lyrics and attitude had reflected this in the eyes of the other band members, with Coxon pointing out, "I didn't have much of a clue that things were going wrong between Damon and Justine but it was probably easy to guess."No Distance Left To Run. Pulse films. 2010 After one last holiday together in Bali in late 1997 in an attempt to rekindle their relationship, the couple finally split.Smith Andrew 10 March 2002 Elastica limits The Guardian Albarn later commented, "That relationship just absolutely crashed. I mean, it really was a spectacularly sad end." After his breakup, Albarn started sharing a flat with artist Jamie Hewlett whom he had met through Coxon.Patterson Sylvia Which One's Your Favourite? The Face February 1999Maconie Stuart The Death of a Party Select August 1999 Around this time, Albarn had started to broaden his musical output. Whilst he was working on 13, there were various reports that he and Hewlett were working on a secret project, which turned out to be Gorillaz, a virtual band.Gorillaz Interview Q 2001 Albarn also started working on film soundtracks, including Ravenous, Ordinary Decent Criminal and 101 Reykjavík.Long April Blur Q & A – The Fannish Inquisition NME 7 July 1999Damon Albarn The Telegraph May 2001 Recording 13 is Blur's first album without longtime producer Stephen Street. Instead the band "unanimously" decided that they wanted electronic music artist William Orbit to produce the album after being impressed by his remix of their track, "Movin' On", included on the remix compilation, Bustin' + Dronin' (1998).Sillitoe Sue STEPHEN STREET: Producing Blur, Cranberries & Catatonia Sound on Sound August 1999 http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug99/articles/stephenstreet.htm 3 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201836/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug99/articles/stephenstreet.htm 2013-10-29 live Albarn commented that "it was such a personal thing going on, we needed to have someone who didn't really know us". He also described Orbit as being "like a psychiatrist". When asked if his replacement had come as a shock, Street stated, "I just think they wanted to stretch out a bit more and, having made five albums with me, the best way to do that was to work with someone different who would approach the project in a different way. I understand that perfectly and certainly wasn't offended. I did five albums with the band and I must admit I thought each one would be the last because they were bound to want to try something new." Albarn described the decision to not work with Street as "difficult", going on to say "he'll be forever part of what we are, and ironically, he gave us the tools we needed to go it alone."Eccleston Danny There Was No Other Way... Q March 1999 http://charmfulgirl.tripod.com/qmarch99.html 9 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131213034612/http://charmfulgirl.tripod.com/qmarch99.html 2013-12-13 live Tension in the studio ran high during the recording sessions. In Orbit's words, "There was a battle between Damon's more experimental direction, and Graham's punk one, and Graham prevailed. If that tension had been growing on previous LPs, it came to a head here."Hasted Nick From the life of Leisure to inside the Think Tank Uncut July 2009 "Things were starting to fall apart between the four of us," drummer Dave Rowntree later revealed. "It was quite a sad process making it. People were not turning up to the sessions, or turning up drunk, being abusive and storming off." "I had songs," Alex James remarked. "I played them to William. He liked them. But I was sulking. I didn't play them to the others... Now I know how George Harrison felt."Male, Andrew: "A Life Less Orderly", Select, September 1999, p56 Coxon admitted, "I was really out there around 13, which made for some pretty great noise but I was probably a bit of a crap to be around." "1992" had originally been recorded as a demo in 1992 and was lost until Albarn found it again on a tape six years later. "Mellow Song" was demoed as a jam session known as "Mellow Jam" that was later included as the B-side of "Tender". Musical style and composition 13 sees the band moving further away from their Britpop past into more cerebral and dense musical territory. Some of the songs, however, are evocative of songs from their previous efforts, such as "Bugman", "Coffee & TV" and "1992". "Bugman" has an industrial rock sound. The instrumental closer "Optigan 1" was created using an Optigan optical organ. The album is in the style of a loose concept album, much like other Blur albums, in this case about life and relationships. Much of the album was inspired by Albarn's breakup with Elastica singer Justine Frischmann. Two of the singles, "Tender" and "No Distance Left to Run", describe Albarn's love for Frischmann and his struggle to move on. The album features several short hidden tracks at the end of songs, stretching the playing time out; examples of this are "Coffee & TV", "B.L.U.R.E.M.I.", "Battle" and "Caramel", the latter of which features two hidden tracks. The album is named after the band's recording studio as well as the number of tracks on the album (bar the hidden tracks). Artwork The cover is a portion of an oil painting by Graham Coxon called Apprentice. Whilst Coxon initially suggested the piece was a self-portrait upon the album's release, he later revealed in his 2022 memoir Verse, Chorus, Monster! that the central figure was modelled after Adso of Melk from Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose. The album's singles also have cover art by Coxon. The numbers 1 and 3 have been painted so they also form the letter "B" – revealed on the back cover to be for Blur. This was not present on the original Apprentice, nor was the "shine" on the figure's head, which appears on 13. These additions were made long after the original Apprentice, which was painted in 1996. The band's logo does not appear on the album in any form, aside from a sticker on the CD packaging. The logo is also absent from the single covers. Release and reception 79/100http://www.metacritic.com/music/13/blur Reviews for 13 by Blur Metacritic 29 December 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20121023130915/http://www.metacritic.com/music/13/blur/critic-reviews 23 October 2012 live AllMusic 3.5 5http://www.allmusic.com/album/13-mw0000048461 13 – Blur AllMusic 18 November 2015 Phares Heather Entertainment Weekly B+http://www.ew.com/article/1999/03/26/13 13 Entertainment Weekly 26 March 1999 18 November 2015 Brunner Rob 19 November 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151119181726/http://www.ew.com/article/1999/03/26/13 dead The Guardian 4 5Down and outstanding The Guardian 5 March 1999 Sullivan Caroline The List 4 5https://archive.list.co.uk/the-list/1999-03-04/44/ Blur: 13 (Food) The List 354 4 March 1999 31 December 2016 Ross Peter 42 NME 6/10http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990210112301reviews.html Blur – 13 NME 10 March 1999 18 November 2015 Cameron Keith https://web.archive.org/web/20000817222938/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990210112301reviews.html 17 August 2000 dead Pitchfork 9.1/10 (1999)http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/831-13/ Blur: 13 Pitchfork 23 March 1999 18 November 2015 DiCrescenzo Brent9.5/10 (2012)https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16877-blur-21/ Blur: Blur 21 Pitchfork 31 July 2012 2 August 2012 Zoladz Lindsay Q 4 5http://www.qonline.co.uk:80/reviews/server.asp?id=17518 Blur: 13 Q 151 April 1999 2 September 2018 Doyle Tom 92–93 https://web.archive.org/web/20000125073830/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=17518 25 January 2000 dead Rolling Stone 3.5 5https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/13-19990401 13 Rolling Stone 1 April 1999 18 November 2015 Sheffield Rob Rob Sheffield Spin 8/10https://books.google.com/books?id=ayeEJMF-CZUC&pg=PT10 Mess Is More Spin 15 5 May 1999 18 November 2015 Walters Barry 145–46 USA Today 3 4https://www.proquest.com/docview/408837175 Blur sharpens focus on '13' USA Today 30 March 1999 5 July 2017 Gundersen Edna Edna Gundersen subscription https://web.archive.org/web/20161031153356/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/doc/408837175.html 31 October 2016 408837175 live 13 holds an overall approval rating of 79 out of 100 on online review aggregator Metacritic based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Tom Doyle of Q called 13 "a dense, fascinating, idiosyncratic and accomplished art rock album", while an enthusiastic Brent DiCrescenzo of Pitchfork stated that "Blur have finally found a sound to match their name." PopMatters Sarah Zupko praised Blur's new musical approach and wrote that "proving they have the goods of a truly exceptional band, Blur has done what the greats have done before them—evolved."http://www.popmatters.com/review/blur-13/ Blur: 13 PopMatters 18 November 2015 Zupko Sarah Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone called the album "their sloppiest, most playful set, spiking the mix with church organ, electric piano and shambling drum loops." Record Collectors Jason Draper described 13 as a "masterpiece" that stands as arguably the band's "greatest work".http://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/21-the-box Blur – 21: The Box Draper Jason Record Collector 26 January 2017 In a more mixed assessment, Heather Phares of AllMusic felt that "the group's ambitions to expand their musical and emotional horizons result in a half-baked baker's dozen of songs, featuring some of their most creative peaks and self-indulgent valleys." Keith Cameron of NME concluded that 13 was "Blur's most inconsistent and infuriating statement thus far. Infuriating, because divested of four solid-gone clunkers 13 could pass muster as the best of Blur." Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star honourable mention rating, indicating "an enjoyable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well treasure", and remarked that "halfway there, it sits down in the middle of the road and won't budge."http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=359 Blur: 13 15 August 2015 Christgau Robert Robert Christgau Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s Macmillan Publishers 2000 0-312-24560-2 registration https://archive.org/details/christgausconsum00chri_0 The music video for the hit single "Coffee & TV" cemented Blur's reputation as a cult band in the US with its protagonist Milky. The video gained heavy airplay on many modern rock channels in America. Accolades 13 was nominated in the Album of the Year category at the 2000 NME Awards, losing to The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips.Blur's award hat-trick https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/627190.stm 11 November 2012 BBC News 1 February 2000 https://web.archive.org/web/20081201080136/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/627190.stm 2008-12-01 livehttps://www.nme.com/awards-history https://web.archive.org/web/20140510192845/http://www.nme.com/awards/history dead NME Awards Archives NME 10 May 2014http://www.vblurpage.com/info/awardspolls/awards_blur.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20131012072228/http://www.vblurpage.com/info/awardspolls/awards_blur.htm dead The awards Blur have won or got nominated for 12 October 2013 13 was also nominated for the 1999 Mercury Prize, being Blur's second album to receive a nomination. The award was eventually given to Talvin Singh for OK.http://www.nationwidemercurys.com/ Nationwide Mercury Prize Nationwide Mercury Prize 2008-08-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20110207135854/http://nationwidemercurys.com/ 7 February 2011 dead https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/441762.stm Talvin Singh: Closing the divide BBC News 10 June 2009 8 September 1999 https://web.archive.org/web/20070127110901/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/441762.stm 2007-01-27 live The album is ranked number 773 in All-Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd edition, 2000). http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/virgin_1000_v3.htm Rocklist 30 November 2018 16 May 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120516091929/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/virgin_1000_v3.htm usurped + Accolades for 13 Publication Country Accolade Year Rank Eye Weekly Canada Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 19 Metal Hammer UK The 200 Greatest Albums of the 90sDecember 2023 2006 * Melody Maker UK Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 2 Mojo UK Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 22 NME UK Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 19 Pitchfork US Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 10 Top 100 Albums of the 1990sDecember 2023 1999 82 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette US The Best of 1999Masley Ed The Best of 1999/Pop CDs http://old.post-gazette.com/magazine/19991231PopRec5.asp Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 31 December 2016 31 December 1999 2 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180902152005/http://old.post-gazette.com/magazine/19991231PopRec5.asp dead 1999 1 Q UK Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 * 250 Best Albums Qs Lifetime (1986–2011)December 2023 2011 98 Rolling Stone Germany Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 3 Select UK Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 11 Spin US 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)Jenkins Craig The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014) https://www.spin.com/2015/05/the-300-best-albums-of-the-past-30-years-1985-2014/4/ SPIN 22 February 2025 11 May 2015 2015 96 Village Voice US Albums of the YearDecember 2023 1999 45 Track listing Damon Albarn, except where noted Blur (Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, Dave Rowntree) Tender Albarn, Coxon 7:40 Bugman 4:47 Coffee & TV Coxon 5:58 Swamp Song note "Swamp Song" is a reference to an Oasis track from 1995: "The Swamp Song"https://books.google.com/books?id=92EXBgAAQBAJ&q=swamp 978-1-910570-04-3 Getting High: The Adventures of Oasis 2 February 2015 Dean Street Press https://books.google.com/books?id=92EXBgAAQBAJ&dq=oasis%20blur%20swamp%20song&pg=PT373 978-1-910570-04-3 Getting High: The Adventures of Oasis 2 February 2015 Dean Street Press Blur's "Swamp Song" was originally going to appear on the "Tender" single as a B-side, but was put on the album at the last minute.March 2024 4:36 1992 5:29 B.L.U.R.E.M.I. 2:52 Battle 7:43 Mellow Song 3:56 Trailerpark note "Trailerpark" was originally intended for the South Park album Chef Aid, but was rejected by Rick Rubin.Hiatt Brian Blur Plan Three North American Promo Shows 19 March 1999 http://www.mtv.com/news/512963/blur-plan-three-north-american-promo-shows/ https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060153/http://www.mtv.com/news/512963/blur-plan-three-north-american-promo-shows/ dead 16 September 2018 MTV 15 May 2015 4:26 Caramel 7:38 Trimm Trabb 5:37 No Distance Left to Run 3:27 Optigan 1 instrumental 2:34 66:50 Disc 2: 2012 special edition French Song 8:21 All We Want 4:33 Mellow Jam 3:56 X-Offender Damon/Control Freak's Bugman Remix 5:38 Coyote Dave's Bugman Remix 3:50 Trade Stylee Alex's Bugman Remix 5:58 Metal Hip Slop Graham's Bugman Remix 4:16 So You 4:11 Beagle 2 2:54 Tender Cornelius Remix 5:23 Far Out Beagle 2 Remix 3:58 I Got Law demonote The Japanese bonus track "I Got Law" (demo version) was developed into the Gorillaz hit single "Tomorrow Comes Today".Wade Ian Blur Blur 21: The Box Review https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/82d3/ BBC 12 May 2015 2:43 Music Is My Radar 5:29 Black Book 8:31 Caramel remix; Japan exclusive bonus track 4:54 Notes note As well as having 13 tracks, Coxon also uses '13th' chords on several of the tracks including "Bugman", "Coffee & TV" and "B.L.U.R.E.M.I."March 2024 Personnel Blur Damon Albarn – vocals, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, melodica, backing vocals on "Coffee & TV" Graham Coxon – lead and rhythm guitars, banjo, saxophone, slide guitar on "Swamp Song", lead vocals on "Coffee & TV" and co-lead vocals on "Tender", backing vocals, cover artwork Alex James – bass guitar, backing vocals, double bass on "Tender"James, A, 2007. Bit of a Blur: The Autobiography. 1st ed. London, UK: Hachette Digital. Dave Rowntree – drums, percussion Additional musicians The London Community Gospel Choir – vocals on "Tender" Jason Cox – additional drums on "Battle" Technical personnel Produced by William Orbit and Blur, except "Trailerpark" produced by Blur John Smith, Jason Cox, William Orbit – engineering Gerard Navarro, Arnþór "Addi 800" Örlygsson and Iain Roberton – additional engineering Sean Spuehler, Damian LeGassick – Pro Tools programming Mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk, New Yorkhttp://www.vblurpage.com/discography/albums/13_notes.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20121216091403/http://www.vblurpage.com/discography/albums/13_notes.htm dead Blur – 13 – liner notes 16 December 2012 Production All tracks produced by William Orbit, except "Trailerpark" produced by Blur and "I Got Law" (demo version) produced by Damon Albarn Charts and certifications Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for 13Chart (1999)PeakpositionArgentinian Albums (CAPIF)https://archive.org/details/BNA_S001207768_19990411N00139Rad/page/16/mode/2up Los más vendidos Página 12 es 9 September 2024 11 April 1999 151Australia 12 Blur 13 trueAustria 12 Blur 13 trueFlanders 22 Blur 13 trueWallonia 29 Blur 13 trueBillboardCanada 11 Blur trueNetherlands 60 Blur 13 trueEuropean Albums (Billboard)Hits of the World Billboard 10 April 1999 111 15 https://books.google.com/books?id=6QwEAAAAMBAJ 0006-2510 48–491Finland 17 Blur 13 trueFrance 12 Blur 13 trueGermany 6 Blur 13 true 2950Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)http://timarit.is/files/33423623.jpg Tonlist Top 40 DV is 8 June 2017June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes 5Irish Albums (IRMA)Hits of the world Billboard 3 April 1999 111 14 59 https://books.google.com/books?id=SQ0EAAAAMBAJ 0006-25101Italian Albums (FIMI)9Japanese Albums (Oricon)13 ブラー 13 Blur https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/143957/products/263888/1/ Oricon ja 16 October 201213New Zealand 2 Blur 13 trueNorway 1 Blur 13 trueScotland 1 1999-03-21 true 26 July 2026Spanish Albums (AFYVE)10Sweden 4 Blur 13 trueSwitzerland 12 Blur 13 trueUK2 1 Blur 19990327 trueBillboard200 80 Blur true Year-end charts + 1999 year-end chart performance for 13Chart (1999)PositionUK Albums (OCC)https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/19990110/37502/ End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1999 Official Charts Company 8 September 202143 Certifications and sales Certifications and sales for 13 Canada Gold album 1999 Blur 13 17 October 2012 Denmark Gold album 1999 2025 Blur 13 15326 30 April 2025 13 ブラー album 1999 Japan Gold 1999 3 New Zealand Platinum album 1999 Blur 1999-05-28 newchart 20 November 2024 13 Spain Blur 13 Gold album 1999 1999 23 September 2022 United Kingdom Platinum album 1999 Blur 13 65-388-2 17 October 2012 United States yes 136,000 http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/74287/guitarist-coxon-exiting-blur Guitarist Coxon Exiting Blur? Prometheus Global Media Billboard 31 July 2013 yes true References External links 13 at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed) album 34446 13 Category:Blur (band) albums Category:1999 albums Category:Parlophone albums Category:Food Records albums Category:Albums produced by William Orbit Category:Albums produced by Damon Albarn Category:Albums recorded at Studio 13 Category:1990s concept albums Category:Art rock albums by English artists Category:Experimental rock albums by English artists Category:Albums about heartbreak