10 things you didn't know about The Magic Whip

1. Blur produced this album secretly in Hong Kong, when they were there for tour in 2014. Graham Coxon even revealed that he had to lie to friends and family in order to keep their new album secret.
2. In May of 2013, Blur were set to play Japan's Tokyo Rocks Music festival. However, the entire festival was cancelled for unknown reasons, leaving the band stranded in Hong Kong for an extra 5 days. The result of this extra 5 days of studio work is the new album, where Albarn later stated he was unsure whether the resulting music would ever be released.
3. Stephen Street, the producer of The Magic Whip, actually produced Blur's first album 'Leisure' and several other subsequent albums. He had a fall-out with the band a few years ago where there was a mini-feud between him, William Orbit and other Blur members. 
4. The Magic Whip is band's first studio album since Think Tank (2003), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in their career.
5. Stephen Street actually plays keyboard in several of Blur's live performances as part of their new 2015 tour. See this video for Stephen on the keyboards! 
6. The cover of the album features the Chinese words of 模糊 魔鞭, which translates into "Blur Magic-whip". The artist, Tony Hung, who also created the lyric video for "Go Out",  met with frontman Damon Albarn in early 2015 to discuss the album artwork and was shown photos and ephemera from the singer's travels in Hong Kong.
7. Damon Albarn has always enjoyed featuring Asian cities or Chinese elements in his songs. His hit from Gorillaz- Hong Kong- was also about the city, as is the whole of The Magic Whip. The song 'Ong Ong' in particular is also a tribute to Hong Kong. 
8. Graham Coxon said that The Magic Whip is his favourite Blur album of all time. His reason? "It's poignant – a lot of what Damon [Albarn]'s saying with the lyrics would maybe resonate with someone who's my age, feeling dislocated by technology but also slightly enslaved by it, and worried about where it's all going to end up. I feel like he's saying the stuff that I feel". 
9. The Magic Whip actually contains only half of the songs that Damon Albarn has written in Hong Kong. Alex James has revealed that the band have enough material to release another new album, having only used half of the tracks they wrote for 'The Magic Whip'.
10. Damon Albarn’s voice has changed a lot, evident in his new album. His voice matured from a more high-pitched voice to a deeper, raspier and melancholic voice which conveys the feeling of the Magic Whip well. It's probably why the new album received very positive critical reviews. 

Graham Coxon and Stephen Street Interview

Here's a great little interview about Blur's Hong Kong sessions and recording their newest album The Magic Whip. Graham Coxon and Stephen Street talks about their latest collaboration and feelings towards the album.

Blur at UK Number 1 for New Album

The Magic Whip, Blur's first album since 2003 has topped the UK Top Album chart in May 2015. It's currently at number 1 on the list. This is the group's first number one album in 12 years. 

They knocked out last week's chart topper Josh Groban's Stages, into fourth place.

The album chart saw little in the way of new entries aside from Blur, with Scottish twins The Proclaimers scoring the second highest new entry with Let's Hear it for the Dogs debuting at number 26. Taylor Swift's 1989 was at number two, followed by James Bay's Chaos and the Calm at three. 

Blur live at La Musicale 2015

Watch Blur perform their new album The Magic Whip, live in Paris, La Musicale in 2015.

Blur Ong Ong Lyrics

(La la la)

I got on a boat on a hot sunny day
To get out of this town
But the tarmac was melting and the people seemed to sway(?)
Stuck in the underground

To the isle of (?) rainclouds and (?) wishing tree
I wanna be with you

On the slow boat that lands on misty sea
I wanna be with you

I pulled out the harbour with precession behind and i'm
feeling the love of you

So you better get to charge until i see you again
You know just what to do

If you're caught up in the (?) junk boat sea
I wanna be with you

On a hill where the mountains are high trapeze
I wanna be with you

Ooh, nah nah, aaaah

If you're a landlord, the social (?)
I wanna be with you

On an isle of regret/rainclouds & (?) seas
I will be there with you

Ooh

(La la la) I wanna be with you

New Blur song review- Ong Ong

Rating: 5/5

Quite possibly our favourite song on Blur's new album The Magic Whip, the new song 'Ong Ong', premiered live on Jools Holland's show on April 14th is simply gob-smacking. It's a perfect, summery and light tune, where Damon sings his lyrics "I wanna be with you" behind a chanting "La La La La".

The melody is top-notch, with it's soothing and melodic tune. Graham Coxon's guitar shines as he gives out his best performance so far, and Damon Albarn's voice is very fitting for the song. The backup singers were also very fitted for the song, giving it a full sound unlike Lonesome Street, Blur's other single.

The Hong Kong and Asian theme is also evident in the song, where there's an interlude between choruses where an exotic tune is played.

All in all, Ong Ong is similar to something between a Beatles song crossed with Blur's tunes from Modern Life is Rubbish. It's absolutely a gem and we are sure it will be a crowd favourite in Blur's Hyde Park performance later on in the year.

Blur- I Broadcast lyrics

Blur - I Broadcast LYRICS

I love the aspects of another city

The representatives are alright

Its such an amazing mistake at a time

Waking up and seeing the industrialize light

Broadcast

Goes on another day

All for a cold sore

Something I know nothing

I love the aspects of another city

They got you another in your blood type

It doesn't make another closure

The apparitions of another prodigal night

Right?

I broadcast

Goes on another day

All for a high score

Something I know nothing

What you said it

I got it

I got it

I broadcast

Goes on for another day now

All for an encore

Something I know nothing

Blur premier new songs Ong Ong and I Broadcast- Jools Holland

Blur showcased two songs, 'Ong Ong' and 'I Broadcast', from their forthcoming album Magic Whip, which is their first in 12 years and is due for release on 27 April 2015. The new songs form part of their new album's "Hong Kong" theme.

Damon Albarn looked like he's in great condition, showing off his signature British menswear and a leather jacket. Alex James looks his usual best in a white shirt and hair shaking, and the other two members of the band Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree was in their usual form. The show also featured other bands such as The Vaccines performing new upcoming singles.



Watch Blur live on Jools Holland (BBC Two) - I Broadcast




Blur performing Ong Ong

Which song do you prefer?

I Broadcast

Ong Ong

Neither

 

free polls

Designing the perfect room to enjoy your music when living in a flat

Whether the sheer orchestral beauty of Beethoven or the grungy kaleidoscope of psychedelic rock draws you in, cranking up the stereo and giving in to complete aural surrender is nothing short of bliss. If music doesn’t immortalise our memories, captivate our minds and souls, then what does? Music gives us that happy place we can escape to, whether it’s on the go or relaxing after a long day at work.

Sound and space

If you covet your sound system, you will most likely arrange your space to accommodate your musical passion. If you’re a musician or DJ, you’ll no doubt have your own room or corner studio set up. How can you construct the perfect musical space?

Many of us are fairly limited in our possibilities, partly because we tend to live in small accommodation. A massive stereo system will not have optimal sound in a small space because it requires specific physical measurements and characteristics to work acoustically. That isn’t to say you can’t soak up the modal goodness of the jazz greats, however. Wooden floors, panelled walls and limited objects and clutter allow better sound, but it’s also important to consider what happens on the exterior of the room as well.

If you’re living in a quiet neighbourhood – or even a noisy one – keeping your sound system contained is a courtesy you owe all your neighbours who may not share your affection for Adam Ant at 3 in the morning. Soundproofing is not only about being kind but also about getting to enjoy your greatest hits albums with peace of mind. Here’s what you need to do:

·       Make sure floors are well insulated. Carpets and thick underlay do an excellent job of absorbing sound. You can also purchase special acoustic sealant to use around floors and walls.

·       Walls can be soundproofed by cavity wall insulation, or for smaller budgets, blown mineral fibre insulation. You can also find soundproof panels to install directly on the walls.

·       Acoustic mineral wool, acoustic plasterboard and soundproofing mats can also be used to reduce “flanking noise” (the indirect path of sound waves which escape into nooks and crannies).

Windows are another big issue with soundproofing, and should also be sealed properly. Ideally, homes should be fitted with double-glazed windows, which also offer the added bonus of keeping the heat in during winter and saving on energy. When properly installed, sealed, and shut, with the help of solid shutters, sound will remain contained.

Comfort

Just as importantly, optimising your music experience also means setting up a layout that is comfortable and welcoming – a cosy seating area, storage for your CDs, vinyls, tapes, and other media as well as the entertainment system you’re using. There are all kinds of dynamic ways to rearrange a room – with a little incentive; you can bring into fruition your own little space you can escape to every day. Your ears and your neighbours will thank you.