April 14, 2010 10:56

Blur's record label boss urges band to make new album

Parlophone honcho says band 'sound as competent and strong as ever'

Photo Gallery: Blur
Photo: Danny North

Blur's record label boss has said he wants the band to record a new album.

The band are set to release two songs for Record Store Day (April 17) on limited-edition seven-inch vinyl - their first new release since 2003's 'Good Song', and their first with guitarist Graham Coxon since 1999's 'No Distance Left To Run'.

Parlophone Records president Miles Leonard told BBC 6 Music that he hopes the band will now be spurred on to record a full album of new songs.

"At this point we were just really pleased to hear that they wanted to go in and record this," he said. "And who knows, from the reaction to this song, what will come in the future."

He added: "I just hope that from hearing a song like this [the two new tracks on the single] that the band feel there's more in them. We certainly do as a label, and I'm sure when fans hear this they’ll think the same."

Leonard described one of Blur's as-yet untitled new songs as "an absolutely wonderful summer tune" and said that the band "sound as competent and as strong as they've ever sounded before".

He added: "Graham [Coxon]'s guitar lines just sound so simplistic and easy, and Alex [James]'s basslines just drift through the track, very groove-based. And Damon's lyrics are as poignant as they've ever been. There's personal comment and social comment within the song – this is something very special and I think the Blur fans out there are going to absolutely love what they hear."