Naturally, as the station’s new British music specialty show host (me) cuts out for a rare weekend away, one of the UK’s biggest acts–which has been mostly off for two decades–has announced the impending arrival of their ninth album, preceding it with a great new tune. Check out Blur’s “The Narcissist”:
Again, “The Narcissist” is offering number one from new LP The Ballad Of Darren, set for a July 21 release. The release follows 2015’s The Magic Whip, an album mostly built from found pieces from previous Blur sessions, cobbled together by guitarist Graham Coxon–though the band did play a few shows in the wake of its release, including stateside stops in New York and LA. Damon Albarn and crew kick off a much more ambitious worldwide trek in 2023 with a modest warm-up show tonight where it all started, in the band’s hometown of Colchester.
European (including a pair at Wembley Stadium), Asian, and South American dates all loom this spring and summer; Blur’s US label Warner Records suggests North American show announcements are imminent.
So, all that said, there’ll be no new Blur on this weekend’s UKTX, but rather you’ll hear a replay of the Mother’s Day morning show from last weekend, which featured new ones from Florence and the Machine and Wet Leg. The whole program is below, too.
Last Dinner Party “Nothing Matters”
Nothing But Thieves “Welcome To The DCC”
1975 “Oh Caroline”
Noel Gallagher “Council Skies”
Wet Leg “Being In Love”
Chappaqua Wrestling “Wide Asleep”
Tribes “Hard Pill”
Miles Kane “Troubled Son”
Depeche Mode “Ghosts Again”
Lathums “Struggle”
Florence and the Machine “Mermaids”
Gaz Coombes “Turn The Car Around”
https://soundcloud.com/lynn-barstow-761389838/uktx-14-may-23
