The Good, The Bad And The Queen – ‘The Good, The Bad And The Queen' (Parlophone) Released 22/01/07

The swirling organ that features heavily throughout is also juxtaposed alongside instances of jaunty, regal and majestic piano. Initially in the early 1950’s high school, dreamboat rock feel of ‘80’s Life’; but no more so than in the title track, which weighing in at seven minutes, closes the album. Increasingly up-tempo with a good old knees up, dirty and fuzzyheaded quality, it exhibits a different, more forceful vocal style, represents a form of closure and is the perfect way to end an amazing album.

Meandering through Britain’s current social and political climate, if rumours weren’t rife about a potential (if not distant) Blur reformation, ‘The Good, The Bad And The Queen’ could be mistaken for Albarn’s swan song. A cleansing of the soul and parting shot at the establishment after over sixteen years of experience within the music industry (“If you don’t know it now, Then you will do” ‘History Song’). But hopefully this is not the case, nor the last we’ll see and hear of Albarn in any of his many celebrated guises. Either way, the resounding success of this album is sure to be down to its depth, emphatic simplicity, heartfelt sincerity and outright musical integrity.

Neither overwhelmingly grandiose or condescending, Albarn et al have drawn from personal experiences in the context of the bigger picture, keeping a firm grasp on reality as a direct result. It’s rare to find a work of art that could double both as an outlet for multiple single releases and as an amazing album in its own right, from start to finish, without question. But through a loose fitting sharpness that only experience can bring, The Good, The Bad And The Queen have effortlessly created a must have addition for every music lovers collection.