Think Tank

by

Blur

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I have already written about the record, I still like it overall and I think the high points far outway the low ones. For a Blur fan, it's ace.

This is basically a review of the limited edition packaging. Which if you haven't figured it out by now, isn't all that great.

It comes as a 6x6 red cloth bound book with Think Tank and a very small printing of the divers art on the front, in gold. Inside there are just pages of lyrics. No Photos, no great Banksy art, no design at all really. I liken it to the Kid A limited edition which, in my opinion, wasn't as good as the regular version either. Both regular versions (Kid A and Think Tank) have a ton more art work, bigger, brighter, and cheaper. I expected a lot more out of Think Tank's packaging, esp. with Banksy on board doing his great stencil art. I instead got a "rushed job" that was a bit more expensive. Hey, at least the music is still good.

So just a little FYI, in case you can't make up your mind about going for this edition of Think Tank, hope this helped.

"Experimental" albums can be tricky beasts. If done well, they can showcase a new and exciting side of a band, but if done poorly they can be self-indulgent messes that confuse and alienate the fans. Or sometimes, as in the case of `Think Tank', you end up with a bit of both.

Drawing on his time in Gorillaz, Damon Albarn pushes Blur further into dance and electronica, and also incorporates more classical arrangements as well as some African sounds. But too often, Albarn falls into the old trap of thinking "experimental" means piling on endless layers of instrumentation, and adding in unnecessary extended noodling that goes nowhere. The use of orchestration and especially the Moroccan influences does work well at times, but several songs are nearly buried under the overwhelming layers of horns, strings, keyboards, drum loops, and choirs. And despite the furious denials of die-hard Blur fans, Graham Coxon is sorely missed. These highly polished songs would really have benefited from Graham's guitar to give them a more organic, natural feel.

On the other hand, the scattershot, unfocussed nature of `Think Tank' is what makes it so unique. The album is full of ideas, even if not all of them work, and you're never quite sure where it will go next.

'Ambulance': think 'Tender' with an orchestra and drum machines. An excellent song and good introduction to the style of the album. Unfortunately, this is one of the songs with a pointless extended coda, which drags the song on about two minutes too long.

'Out Of Time': One of the more old-school Blur songs here, driven predominantly by guitars. The orchestration washes gently in and out of the mix, instead of swamping it as on some other songs.

'Crazy Beat': Heavier and more processed than many other songs on the album, and seems like an attempt to go for another `Song 2' US hit single. Doesn't fit that well among the more reflective tracks here, and not one of my personal favourites.

'Good Song': beautiful, restrained track driven by an acoustic guitar loop and Albarn's gentle vocals.

'On The Way To The Club': starts out well, a pleasant mid tempo dance-influenced track with wistful vocals and a strong chorus. But like `Ambulance', it ends on a meandering instrumental coda that does nothing for the song.

'Brothers And Sisters': The mantra-like singalong chorus is great, but the clumsy verses (either a celebration or satire of drug culture) don't work so well.

'Caravan': very subdued mood piece. A bit of a take-it-or-leave it song; some will regard it as deeply haunting and atmospheric, others will head straight for the Skip button.

'We've Got A File On You': short, sharp Eastern-tinged rocker immediately sparks things up after 'Caravan'. A highlight, despite being only a minute or so long.

'Moroccan People's Revolutionary Bowls Club': a personal favourite, and one of the best songs on the album. Funky, catchy, African-tinged track that's guaranteed to stick in your head for days.

'Sweet Song': another subdued piece, driven by a gentle piano. A beautiful song, but as with 'Caravan' it does take a particular mood to truly enjoy.

'Jets': the only real shocker here. The song goes nowhere, the guitar line sounds like something from a low-grade demo, and the track ends on two minutes of directionless sax noodling. No idea what Albarn was trying to do with this one. A very long six minutes which can be safely ignored.

`Gene By Gene': comes dangerously close to being another pointless diversion, but it picks up once it settles into its rhythm. Funky beat and singalong chorus saves this from becoming another `Jets'.

`Battery In Your Leg': poignant closer that sums up the best and worst of the album. The song has a fragile beauty, but is almost ruined by the out-of-nowhere walls of distortion and noise that appear halfway through the verses. The tender guitar solo from Graham Coxon just manages to save things.

As you can see, it's a real mixed bag, but even the less successful experiments are intriguing enough in their own way. I also suspect that different people will appreciate different tracks, depending on their mood and personal taste, although nearly everyone will find something they like here.

`Think Tank' is an album you need to put some work into, and it won't always reward you for your efforts. But this is what makes it one of the more interesting albums of recent times, and worth getting for that reason alone.