Leisure

by

Blur

Edit

Leisure is the debut album by English alternative rock band Blur. The album was released on 26 August 1991 in the United Kingdom, and peaked at #7 in the UK Albums Chart. It was released in the US a month later with a different track listing. The album was certified Gold in the UK.

The U.S. version of Leisure was front loaded with Blur's three UK singles and the song "Sing" was replaced by the B-side "I Know" (see track listings for exact changes). The Canadian version has the same tracklisting as the UK version. "Sing" was included on the Trainspotting soundtrack in 1996. The original version, "Sing (To Me)" was recorded as a demo in late 1988 under the band's former name- Seymour, and can only be heard on the ultra-rare Promo-only single which was released over a decade later in February 2000.

The album was released during the waning days of the Madchester period in the UK and as a result Blur and Leisure were seen as catching the end of a trend. With the release of their second album Modern Life Is Rubbish in 1993, Blur would drastically reinvent themselves. Despite a generally positive critical reaction upon release, lead singer Damon Albarn has since referred to Leisure as "awful".

In 2008, Coldplay announced upon the release of Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends that "Sing" from Leisure provided a starting point for "Lost!".