November 13, 2002 - Xfm.co.uk:

"Don't Bomb When You're The Bomb" details

As previously reported by Xfm Online, Blur frontman Damon Albarn had hinted at his plans for Blur to release a limited edition single, possibly under a pseudonym some time before the end of the year. Now it appears they have.

Although Blur’s record company have given a definite “no comment” when asked if Blur were involved, a new single entitled ‘Don't Bomb When You’re The Bomb’ has been released today (November 13) on limited edition white label 7” vinyl (with no centre) to various specialist music shops in London. The vocals on the track are almost definitely Albarn’s, and while the name on the disc is in Arabic, it roughly translates as “'Don’t throw the bomb when you are yourself the bomb”, a title that corresponds with ‘Don't Bomb When You’re The Bomb’ a song title the singer mentioned in September this year (the playout groove also includes the words ‘THE BOMB’).

The track itself is a mostly instrumental slow electronic dub. A repetitive vocal intones the phrase “Don't bomb when you’re the bomb, bomb, bomb”, while a huge, pulsing sub bass rumbles away alongside almost random analogue keyboard bleeps, skittish electronic percussion. The more electronic influence of co-producer William Orbit can be heard, and tellingly there are no obvious guitar parts.

According to Xfm Online sources the song dates from early in Blur’s sessions for their new album, pre dating Fatboy Slim’s involvement, and it appears that the song won’t be get a widespread release, and probably won’t be on the new album.

You can hear the track in full on the Zoe Ball show today (November 13) after 4.00pm, and you can exclusively listen to a snippet by clicking here [site down] and finding out what all the fuss is about.

After hearing it for the first time the reaction of Xfm DJs has differed greatly.

“It sounds like someone’s left the sampler on and gone for a dump.” says Christian O’Connell, “That sounds like an art house project. On first hearing it sounds shit. This is the end of Blur my friends. Bring back the drunken guitarist.”

“They should definitely bring back the drunken guitarist or they might as well change their name back to Seymour as Damon’s obviously gone back to his art school roots.” added Xfm News überlord Chris Smith. “It’s gonna take a lot of getting used to. Maybe it’ll sound good in the middle of an album”

Kevin Greening however took a more positive stance, saying:

“It sounds like its been inspired by one of those seventies early table tennis games that used to geo ‘blip-blop-blip’. But it’s got an exciting chorus and Damon’s vocal is very strong on it. Interestingly there seems to be no guitar on it at all, which I think is a political statement as much as anything. It doesn’t sound like an obvious ‘single’ track from an album, but maybe it’s not supposed to.”

© 2002 Xfm

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