The Great Escape

Stereotypes
Country House
Best Days
Charmless Man
Fade Away
Top Man
The Universal
Mr Robinsons' Quango
He Though of Cars
It Could be You
Ernold Same
Globe Alone
Dan Abnormal
Entertain Me
Yuko and Hiro

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Blur: Damon Albarn (vocals, piano, organ, synthesizer, handclaps)
Graham Coxon (acoustic & electric guitars, banjo, saxophone, handclaps, background vocals)
Alex James (bass, handclaps, background vocals); Dave Rowntree (drums, handclaps, background vocals). Additional personnel: Cathy Gillat (vocals); The Right On Ken Livingstone (spoken vocals); Stephen Street (handclaps); Angela Murrell, Teresa Jane Davis (background vocals). The Duke Strings Quartet: Louisa Fuller, Rick Koster (violin); John Metcalfe (viola); Ivan McCermoy (cello). The Kick Horns: Simon Clarke, Tim Sanders (saxophone); Roddy Lorimer (trumpet); Neil Sidwell (trombone).

Beyond British and sensationally sociological, Blur and singer/songwriter Damon Albarn weave tales of stifling middle class quirks into clever pop vignettes. THE GREAT ESCAPE is a demonstration of Blur's unique intelligence, more of Albarn's witty commentary, and substantial proof that the group may be bordering on genius. Albarn's senses are keen on THE GREAT ESCAPE. His ear for melody and sound textures shines throughout the album's fifteen brilliant tracks. The ska horns and spy soundtrack guitar riffing on "Fade Away" exemplify Blur's knack for pop music, yet elevate the song beyond simple genre-fication, with a dignity reserved for the orchestra pit. The snide humor behind "Mr. Robinson And His Quango" rubs shoulders with the desperation of "He Thought Of Cars," all the while dwelling on what they hope to escape.
It's this nagging dread that carries the album - -the sense that the people Albarn describes are as desperate to find meaning as Albarn is to capture it within the song's narrative.

Notes - acknowledgements to Tower Records UK