Blur – The Ballad Of Darren

Now it's official: Blur have announced their first album in eight years for July 21. It is called "The Ballad Of Darren" and contains 10 songs.

The album was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Foals and Depeche Mode, among others) and recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon. Singer Damon Albarn said of "The Ballad Of Darren," "This record is an aftershock, a reflection and a commentary on where we are right now." Guitarist Graham Coxon added, "The older and angrier we get, the more important it becomes that we play with the right emotions and intentions. Sometimes a riff just isn't enough."

"The Ballad Of Darren" is the band's ninth studio album and first since 2015's chart-topping "The Magic Whip," and you can't wait to hear how it sounds, as drummer Dave Rowntree let slip, "With every record we make, the process brings out something new and we evolve as a band. We don't take that for granted." Bassist Alex James added, "For a long-term relationship to be meaningful, you have to be able to kind of surprise each other, and somehow we all continue to do that."