Blur (Parlophone)
Given the speed at which the music industry is collapsing, the thinking at the world’s big record labels is: ‘we’d better make as much cash as we can from our catalogue’.
The excuse for Midlife is Blur’s imminent reformation tour, which stands to make the band far more money than this clumsy attempt at summing up their career.
Parlophone, Blur’s label, has form in this department, having previously shovelled out a Radiohead compilation against the group’s wishes.
And as with Radiohead, the compilers have foregone a chronological running order for a names-from-a-hat track listing that doesn’t do the group many favours.
The fragile shuffle of Good Song sits awkwardly between the low-grade Britpop of Chemical World and the gurning Parklife; Stereotypes sounds even more facile next to the dim-lit Trimm Trabb; and She’s So High doesn’t come off well next to anything.
Unnecessary, to say the least.
WILL FULFORD-JONES
