It was telling that Blur announced their Wembley Stadium reunion shows well before they revealed the existence of this, their first album in eight years. The concerts taking place a fortnight before the release date also demonstrated that the gigs were not conceived as a promotional opportunity for the music, as they often are. No need for anyone to sprint to the bar every time Damon Albarn says: “Here’s another one from the new album.” In the end they only played two recent singles in a 26-song set.
That means that in person the Colchester quartet and their fans can bask in as much Nineties nostalgia as they want – part of a second summer of Britpop that has also seen Pulp and Suede flouncing triumphantly round the festivals – but there’s no pressure for the album to be stuffed with stadium-rousing hits.
