Blur Seeks To Keep You Company

Into the mix plops the goodness. Keys, guitars tuned up acoustically, lightly salted whimsy join forces to produce "Lonesome Street", a chewy treat from this long time, reformed six years ago outfit's "The Magic Whip". Cruising with them resembles waltzing through a windy, unpredictably complex tunnel. You never know which direction you're headed but that in no way, shape, or form bothers you (or should anyway) because the boys refresh continually. If some notes get champagne bubbly then so be it. If guitars rule the roost that's not so terrible either. Blur does complex song geometry justice. Not only that they pull it off with flair to spare. You'll delight in the cheek pinch worthy humor aroma therapy jolting you in the video. Who out there digs eccentricity in any tinge you can get your hands on? "Lonesome Street" won't tolerate the boundaries you erect for it. You might yell "Aha!! I've nabbed me guitars that want to wine and dine. Sorry, wrong answer. You'll appreciate towards the end when there's a higher keyboard element to boast about. Alternative rock back in its MTV infancy days had its eye raising non-pigeonhole factor. Those who swore by 120 Minutes when it hit airwaves on Sundays are bound to catch my drift. "Lonesome Street" wants to pal around with you. Singer Damon Albarn isn't even trying to project clarity into the mike. See how exotic the video clip is? That's proof that his way of vocalizing matches the textures perfectly. Let's lift up the lyrical hood, shall we? Reminder...don't expect something you could easily translate into plain English. To get my meaning across let's open with "If you need a yellow duck - service done this is a place to come to, or, well it was. So there you have it...equal parts let's remember fused with a reference to water fowl. Lost yet? Out...standing. You can rest easy knowing it's only going to got odder going forward. I know a hot spot crossing on the guillotine. One part method of execution brought to simmer. Uh...huh. Why don't I cut right to my opinion, the very reason you're absorbing eye strain to follow my word play (insert knowing wink here). "Lonesome Street" does stand out from the pack. Well defined asset. On the flip, this effort could be accused of being too artsy precious for folks like you (or not, depending on the crowds you've observed) due to lyrics only Brits knowingly nod their heads to. Alt music from its inception had its mind set on eviscerating boundaries. Radio wouldn't touch it without a cattle prod. As history has shown us REM, The Cure, and Depeche Mode wore down radio resistance to score big. Blur does not walk on that side of the street here. Alex James turns on the juice in the bass guitar department but "Lonesome Street" isn't a gears, cogs, nuts, bolts guitar song. In equal argumentative fashion Damon's keyboard exhibitionism won't sell you on the idea we're witness to some coquettish new wave throwback that penetrated the prison bars. Drummer Dave Rowntree isn't out to hog the spotlight either. Blur fine tunes its artistry on its terms as you'd hope bands of all persuasions are emboldened to do. Commerce counts but creativity works well too. So is "Lonesome Street" creative? I'd say oddball in an avuncular sense. Believe me the arena rock tribes aren't going to have their worlds blown away. Perhaps nostalgic MTV age alt rock holdovers shall be deeply smitten. You'd need a language translator to make heads or tails of what the video's trying to communicate. Don't have a Blur to mere mortal translator on hand. So what's my verdict? Tea time hello goodbye with Blur this go around sounds laudable. Bringing the relationship into longer term status could be a risk you're not emboldened to jump at. "Lonesome Street" needs to shoot for acquaintanceship elsewhere past tea and scones because the song's a tea and scones ready shot in the arm but not the permanent answer to the loneliness you aim to keep at bay.