Think Tank Blur

• 1Ambulance05:09
• 2Out of Time03:51
• 3Crazy Beat03:15
• 4Good Song03:09
• 5On the Way to the Club03:48
• 6Brothers and Sisters03:47
• 7Caravan04:36
• 8We've Got a File On You01:02
• 9Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club03:03
• 10Sweet Song04:10
• 11Jets06:25
• 12Gene By Gene03:49
• 13Battery in Your Leg (Includes 'Me, White Noise')11:35
• Total Runtime57:39

Info for Think Tank

Sessions for Blur’s seventh album began in the band’s London studio 13 late in 2001, with producer Ben Hillier at the helm. Seeking inspiration in warmer climes, Blur transferred an entire studio to a disused building in the grounds of a riad in Marakech - no mean feat after weeks of negotiation with local customs. Parts of the vocals were recorded on rooftops bathed in moonlight, under additional supervision from Norman Cook, whilst finishing touches were applied in a barn near Damon’s Devonshire home. The final thirteen tracks were selected from more than twenty five completed songs.

Think Tank is Blur’s only album as a three piece – founding guitarist Graham Coxon was present for the initial sessions and plays on the closing track “Battery In Your Leg”. The album garnered Blur another top 5 hit, in the classic ballad “Out Of Time”, and topped the Observer Music Monthly end of year review.

“This is the sound of a band in love with music, enjoying the artistic freedom that sales of several million albums have afforded them: Damon’s finally over Justine, Blur are happy being Blur, and Think Tank is a joy.” (Bang)

Damon Albarn, vocals, guitar, piano
Graham Coxon, guitars
Alex James, bass guitar, backing vocals
Dave Rowntree, drums, backing vocals

Recorded at Zoë Ball Show, XFM in August 2003
Produced by Blur, Ben Hillier, Norman Cook and William Orbit

Digitally remastered

Blur
as we know it was born in 1989 when the band signed to Food/EMI. Debut album Leisure (1991) announced the arrival of a band with pop suss warped by an art-punk eccentricity. Yet Blur had more in them: namely, a revolution in the sound of English popular music. Second album Modern Life Is Rubbish reintroduced the idea that English rock music could be cool, and by the time their third album Parklife emerged in 1994, the rest of the UK had caught up.

The Great Escape (1995) refined the sound palette of Britpop, but Blur were already moving on. 1997's Blur was an about-face - scuffed and noisy and un-English. Follow-up 13 was an even a more radical adventure in sound as William Orbit refereed a truce between organic punkpop and new-fangled technology.

Seventh album Think Tank (2003) was Blur’s first as a three piece after the temporary departure of founding guitarist Graham Coxon, featuring an eclectic variety of rhythms and textures and glorious melodies.

In 2009 Blur reconvened as a four-piece to play a series of UK shows including two sold out dates at Hyde Park and a historic Sunday night appearance at Glastonbury. A film about Blur, No Distance Left To Run, was released in 2010.

This album contains no booklet.