“It’s not necessarily going to trail-blaze through the hit parade with a succession of fabulous pop ditties,” he says, “but it feels like an important record for me.” The result is “a very intimate record” created out of a “world of memory, reflection and melancholy.” “It needed someone I respected and was prepared to take shit from,” says Albarn. True enough: “Everyday Robots” was made in partnership with Russell, who acted as co-producer and musical director, contributing the richly textured bed of samples and moody electronica that underpin much of the album. “It just never occurred to me before,” he notes of his latest move, not entirely convincingly. Gwen Stefani Splits From Longtime Manager, Chooses ‘The Voice’ When I’ve done something, I move on to something else,” says Albarn, who is now taking on an entirely different guise and challenge: that of solo artist. In addition to the aforementioned, his recent credits include two operas, “Monkey: Journey to the West and Dr Dee,” and supergroup collaborations The Good, The Bad & The Queen and Rocket Juice & The Moon. There’s a noticeable shortage of ephemera from Blur, the huge-selling Britpop band he has led for more than 20 years, though it hasn’t released a new studio album since 2003. At its side is a black-and-white photo of Bobby Womack, whose 2012 album, “The Bravest Man in the Universe,” Albarn co-produced with XL Recordings founder Richard Russell. Above it is a print by graffiti artist Banksy, who produced the artwork for Blur’s last studio album, 2003’s “Think Tank.” Downstairs, an antique map of the Congo Belge – referencing Albarn’s ongoing cross-cultural music-exchange project, Africa Express – hangs in the main studio room. Partially hidden behind a sofa in an upstairs office is a framed poster by his (reportedly now estranged) Gorillaz bandmate Jamie Hewlett. Despite the millions of records that he has sold as the quixotic frontman for Blur and Gorillaz, there are no framed platinum or gold discs on the walls. Scattered around the youthful-looking 46-year-old’s studio are numerous subtle reminders of just how productive his gift for so-called flagellation has been. You may have to select a menu option or click a button.Blur's 'Parklife' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site you’re viewing.You may have more than one ad-blocker installed. You’ll usually find this icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser.When it turns gray, click the refresh icon that has appeared next to it or click the button below to continue.
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