Something happened when Damon Albarn broke up with Justine Frischmann way back when. He became depressed and started writing some of his most emotionally introspective music which was a stretch from his usual analysis of English middle-class culture. He then travelled to Africa where he did a lot of mind-altering drugs and met his new partner who he has since had a daughter with. This change transformed Albarn into one of the most prolific songwriters, collaborators and producers of anyone in British music over the last ten years. His work included Gorillaz, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, Rocket Juice and the Moon, and side projects dealing with hip hop, various African music projects, and scoring two operas.
The Westway is a 4km section of elevated highway in the neighbourhood of North Kensington in London. It was built in the early-1970s to ease congestion away from the downtown core but in doing so it disrupted the community and brought concrete and crime. Picture what downtown Toronto may look like today had the proposed Spadina expressway been built around the same time.
“Under the Westway” however, is reminiscent of mid-90s Blur albums “The Great Escape” and their self-titled release that followed as it’s a gloomy tribute to a night in the neighbourhood. “Doing one eighty still standing at last call / When the flags coming down / And the Last Post sounds / Just like a love song”.
The second track “The Puritan” is similar to what you might have heard on “13” with its loud, distorted guitars, backed by a catchy synth beat.
Look for Blur to perform these two songs when they close the London Olympic ceremonies this summer.