Tag Archives: Damon Albarn

Blur: The Magic Whip

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On April 27, 2015, “Parlaphone” label released “The Magic Whip”, the eighth Blur studio album. It was recorded May 2013-November 2014-January 2015, at “Avon Studios” in Hong Kong and “Studio 13” in London, and was produced by Stephen Street, Graham Coxon and Damon Albarn.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, iPad
  • Graham Coxon– co-lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
  • Alex James– bass guitar
  • Dave Rowntree– drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Stephen Street– saxophones, programming, percussion, drum machine, mixing
  • James Dring – programming
  • Demon Strings– orchestration
  • Stephen Sedgwick – recording
  • Drew Smith – engineer assistant
  • Jasper Dent – engineer assistant
  • Armic Tang – engineer assistant
  • Lee Wai MIng – engineer assistant
  • John Davis – mastering
  • Tony Hung – art direction, design

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

  1. Lonesome Street
  2. New World Towers
  3. Go Out
  4. Ice Cream Man
  5. Thought I Was a Spaceman
  6. I Broadcast
  7. My Terracotta Heart
  8. There Are Too Many of Us
  9. Ghost Ship
  10. Pyongyang
  11. Ong Ong
  12. Mirrorball

Blur: The Great Escape

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the-great-escape

On September 11, 1995, “Food” label released “The Great Escape”, the fourth Blur studio album. It was recorded January – May 1995, at “Maison Rouge” in Fulham; “Townhouse Studios” in  London, and was produced by Stephen Street. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in UK by the “BPI” and Platinum in Europe by “IFPI”.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– vocals, piano, keyboards, organ, synthesizer, handclaps
  • Graham Coxon– electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, saxophone, handclaps, backing vocals
  • Alex James– bass guitar
  • Dave Rowntree– drums, percussion
  • Simon Clarke – saxophone
  • Tim Sanders – saxophone
  • Neil Sidwell – trombone
  • Roddy Lorimer – trumpet
  • Louise Fuller – violin
  • Richard Koster – violin
  • John Metcalfe – viola
  • Ivan McCermoy – cello
  • Ken Livingstone– narration
  • Theresa Davis – backing vocals
  • Angela Murrell – backing vocals
  • Cathy Gillat – backing vocals
  • John Smith – engineer
  • Julie Gardner – engineer assistant
  • Tom Girling – engineer assistant
  • Nels Israelson – photography
  • Tom King – photography
  • Jason Cox – studio manager

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

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

Blur: Modern Life Is Rubbish

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Blur_-_Modern_Life_is_Rubbish

On May 10, 1992, “Food” label released “Modern Life Is Rubbish”, the second Blur studio album. It was recorded October 1991 – March 1992, and was produced by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, Dave Rowntree, John Smith, Steve Lovell and Stephen Street.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– vocals, piano, keyboards
  • Graham Coxon– guitar, backing vocals
  • Alex James– bass guitar
  • Dave Rowntree– drums
  • Kick Horns– brass
  • Kate St John– oboe
  • John Smith – engineer
  • Simon Weinstock – mixing

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

  1. For Tomorrow
  2. Advert
  3. Colin Zeal
  4. Pressure on Julian
  5. Star Shaped
  6. Blue Jeans
  7. Chemical World
  8. Sunday Sunday
  9. Oily Water
  10. Miss America
  11. Villa Rosie
  12. Coping
  13. Turn It Up
  14. Resigned

Blur: Think Tank

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Think_tank

On May 5, 2003, “Parlaphone” label released “Think Tank”, the seventh Blur studio album. It was recorded November 2001 – November 2002 in London, Morocco and Devon, and was produced by Ben Hillier, Norman Cook, William Orbit and Blur. The album won the “Q” magazine award “Album of the Year”, and was named the best album of 2003, by The Observer.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– leqd and backing vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
  • Alex James– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Rowntree– drums, backing vocals, guitar
  • Bezzari Ahmed – rabab
  • Moullaoud My Ali – oud
  • Mohamed Azeddine – oud
  • Graham Coxon– guitar
  • Gueddam Jamal – cello, violin
  • Abdellah Kekhari – violin
  • Ait Ramdan El Mostafa – kanoun
  • El Farani Mustapha – tere
  • Dalal Mohamed Najib – darbouka
  • Hijaoui Rachid – violin
  • Rabet Mohamid Rachid – violin
  • Mike Smith– saxophone
  • Kassimi Jamal Youssef – oud
  • Phil Daniels– backing vocals
  • Desyud Mustafa – orchestral arrangements
  • James Dring – engineer, programming
  • Jason Cox – engineer, production assistant
  • Ben Hillier– engineer, percussion

Track listing:

All lyrics by Damon Albarn. All music by Albarn, Alex James, Dave Rowntree except where noted.

  1. Ambulance
  2. Out of Time
  3. Crazy Beat
  4. Good Song
  5. On the Way to the Club – Damon Albarn, James Dring, Alex James, Dave Rowntree
  6. Brothers and Sisters
  7. Caravan
  8. We’ve Got a File on You
  9. Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club
  10. Sweet Song
  11. Jets – Damon Albarn, Alex James, Dave Rowntree, Mike Smith
  12. Gene by Gene
  13. Batteru in Your Leg – Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, Dave Rowntree

Damon Albarn: Everyday Robots

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Damon Albarn-Everyday robots

On April 25, 2014, “Parlaphone” label released “Everyday Robots”, the debut Damon Albarn album. It was recorded 2011 – 2013, at “Studio 13” in Portobelo Road, and was produced by Damon Albarn, Richard Russell and Brian Eno.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– lead and backing vocals, piano, guitar, Omnichord, ukulele, drum machine, bass, choir, Korg M1, synthesizer, engineer, mixing, executive production
  • Brian Eno – vocals, synthesizers
  • Richard Russell–drum programming, MIDI, drum machine, MPC, AKAI MPC 500, spoken word, mixing, sampling, Roland TR-909, engineer, executive production
  • Mike Smith– live keyboards, string arrangements
  • Simon Tong– additional guitar
  • Jeff Wootton– guitar, bass
  • Seye – live bass, live guitar
  • Pauli the PSM– live drums
  • Dan Carpenter – trumpet
  • Nicholas Hougham – French horn
  • The Leytonstone City Mission Choir – choir, backing vocals
  • Kris Chen – spoken word
  • Richard Buckley– voice sample, backing vocals
  • Veona Byfield-Bowen – choir, chorus
  • Margurita Edwards – choir, chorus
  • Conroy Griffiths – choir, chorus
  • Celia Murphy – choir, chorus
  • Patsy Walsh – choir, chorus
  • Mary Oldacre – choir, chorus
  • Robert Morley– voice sample
  • Natasha Khan– backing vocals
  • Timothy Leary– voice sample, backing vocals
  • Jerome O’Connell – steel pans
  • Ollie Langford – violin
  • Demon Strings– strings
  • Isabelle Dunn – strings
  • Kotono Sato – strings
  • Alice Pratley – strings
  • Antonia Pagulatos – strings
  • Stephen Sedgwick – recording, engineer, mixing
  • Ian Eason – engineer
  • Kaktus Einarsson – engineer assistant
  • John Foyle – engineer assistant
  • Kevin Metcalfe – mixing, mastering
  • Aitor Throup– packaging, creative director
  • Jamie Carter – director, editor
  • Yonni Lappin – camera operator
  • Passion Pictures– CGI Production
  • Charles Moriarty – photography technician

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Albarn.

  1. Everyday Robots
  2. Hostiles
  3. Lonely Press Play
  4. Tembo
  5. Parakeet
  6. The Selfish Giant
  7. You and Me
  8. Hollow Ponds
  9. Seven High
  10. Photographs
  11. The History of a Cheating Heart
  12. Heavy Seas of Love

Blur: Parklife

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Blur - Parklife

On April 25, 1994, “Food Records” label released “Parklife”, the third Blur studio album. It was recorded August 1993 – January 1994, at “Maison Rouge” in Fulham.  “RAK Studios” and “St. John’s Wood” in London, and was produced by Stephen Street, Stephen Hague, John Smith, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– lead and backing vocals, keyboards, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, machine strings, harpsichord, melodica, vibraphone, recorder, programming
  • Graham Coxon– guitars, clarinet, saxophone, percussion, backing
  • Alex James– vocals, bass guitar
  • Dave Rowntree– drums, percussion, programming
  • Stephen Street– vintage keys, sound effects, some programming
  • Laetitia Sadier– vocals
  • Phil Daniels– narration
  • Stephen Hague – accordion vocals

String quartet

  • Chris Tombling
  • Audrey Riley
  • Leo Payne MBE
  • Chris Pitsillides

Duke strings

  • Louisa Fuller – violin
  • Rick Koster – violin
  • John Metcalfe – string arrangement, viola
  • Ivan McCready – cello

Kick horns

  • Richard Edwards– trombone
  • Roddy Lorimer– flugelhorn, trombone
  • Tim Sanders– tenor sax, soprano sax
  • Simon Clarke – baritone sax, alto sax, flute

Track listing:

All lyrics by Damon Albarn, except where noted, all music by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

  1. Girls & Boys
  2. Tracy Jacks
  3. End of a Century
  4. Parklife
  5. Bank Holiday
  6. Badhead
  7. The Debt Collector
  8. Far Out – lyrics by Alex James
  9. To the End
  10. London Loves
  11. Trouble in the Message Centre
  12. Clover over Dover
  13. Magic America
  14. Jubilee
  15. This Is a Low
  16. Lot 195

Gorillaz: Same

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Gorillaz

On March 26, 2001, “Parlaphone” label released the self-titled, debut album by the virtual band Gorillaz. It was recorded December 1998 – May 2000, at “Studio 13” in London, and “Geejam Studios” in Portland,Jamaica, and was produced by  Tom Girling, Jason Cox, Dan the Automator, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– vocals, keyboards, melodica, guitar
  • Del the Funky Homosapien– rapping
  • Ibrahim Ferrer– vocals
  • Miho Hatori– vocals
  • Tina Weymouth– vocals
  • Junior Dan – bass guitar
  • Cass Browne– drums, percussion
  • Kid Koala– turntables
  • Jason Cox – engineer
  • Tom Girling – engineer
  • Toby Whelan – engineer
  • Jamie Hewlett– artwork
  • Zombie Flesh Eaters – artwork
  • Jow – photography
  • Ed Reeve – photography

Track listing:

  1. Re-Hash – Damon Albarn
  2. 5/4 – Damon Albarn
  3. Tomorrow Comes Today – Damon Albarn
  4. New Genious – Damon Albarn, Odetta Gordon
  5. Clint Eastwood – Damon Albarn, Teren Jones
  6. Man Research (Clapper) – Damon Albarn
  7. Punk – Damon Albarn
  8. Sound Check (Gravity) – Damon Albarn
  9. Double Bass – Damon Albarn
  10. Rock the House – Damon Albarn, Teren Jones, Dan Nakamura, John Dankworth
  11. 19-2000 – Damon Albarn
  12. Latin Simone (¿Qué Pasa Contigo?) – Damon Albarn, Lazaro Villa
  13. Starshine – Damon Albarn
  14. Slow Country – Damon Albarn
  15. M1A1 – Damon Albarn, John Harrison

Blur: 13

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Blur-13

On March 15, 1999, “Food” label released “13”, the sixth Blur studio album. It was recorded from June to October 1988, and was produced by William Orbit, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

Personnel:

  1. Damon Albarn– lead and backing vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, melodica
  2. Graham Coxon – lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, banjo, saxophone
  3. Alex James– bass guitar, backing vocals
  4. Dave Rowntree– drums, percussion
  5. The London Community Gospel Choir – vocals
  6. Jason Cox – additional drums

Track listing:

All lyrics by Damon Albarn except where noted, all music by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

  1. Tender – lyrics by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon
  2. Bugman
  3. Coffee & TV – lyrics by Graham Coxon
  4. Swamp Song
  5. 1992
  6. L.U.R.E.M.I.
  7. Battle
  8. Mellow Song
  9. Trailer Park
  10. Caramel
  11. Trimm Trabb
  12. No Distance Left to Run
  13. Optigan 1

Blur: Same

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Blur_Blur

On February 10, 1997, “Food Records” label released the self titled, fifth Blur studio album. It was recorded July to November 1996, at “Stúdíó Grettisgat” in Reykjavík, “Maison Rouge Studio” in Fulham, “Studio 13 Mayfair Studios” in London, and was produced by Stephen Street, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree.  In 2013, “NME” magazine ranked the album at number 137 in its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Damon Albarn– lead vocals, piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, acoustic guitar
  • Graham Coxon– lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, Theremin,  drums
  • Alex James– bass guitar, lead and rhythm basses
  • Dave Rowntree– drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree, except where noted.

  1. Beetlebum
  2. Song 2
  3. Country Sad Ballad Man
  4. M.O.R. – David Albarn, David Bowie, Graham Coxon, Brian Eno, Alex James, Dave Rowntree
  5. On Your Own
  6. Theme from Retro
  7. You’re So Great – Graham Coxon
  8. Death of a Party
  9. Chinese Bombs
  10. I’m Just a Killer for Your Love
  11. Look Inside America
  12. Strange News from Another Star
  13. Movin On
  14. Essex Dogs” (includes hidden track Interlude)

 

Massive Attack: Heligoland

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Massive_Attack_Heligoland

On February 8, 2010, “Virgin” label released “Heligoland”, the fifth Massive Attack studio album. It was recorded 2005 – 2009, and was produced by Neil Davidge and Robert Del Naj.

Personnel:

  • Horace Andy – vocals, keyboards, synth bass
  • Tunde Adebimpe, Damon Albarn, Blurand, Hope Sandoval, Guy Garvey, Marina Topley-Bird – vocals
  • Adrian Utley – guitar
  • John Baggott – keyboards
  • Neil Davidge – bass
  • Billy Fuller – bass
  • Jerry Fuch – drums
  • Damon Reece – drums

Track listing:

  1. Pray for Rain – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Tunde Adebimpe
  2. Babel – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Martina Topley-Bird
  3. Splitting the Atom – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Damon Albarn
  4. Girl I Love You – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Horace Andy
  5. Psyche – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Martina Topley-Bird
  6. Flat of the Blade – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey
  7. Paradise Circus – Robert Del Naja, Grant marshall, Hope Sandoval, Stew Jackson, Dan Brown
  8. Rush Minute – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge
  9. Saturday Come Slow – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Hope Sandoval, Stew Jackson, Dan Brown
  10. Atlas Air – Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Neil Davidge, John Baggott