Who'd have thought it eh? Graham Coxon, usually credited with creating Blur's more awkward moments while Damon Albarn was singing about Country Houses and the like, is in his most commercial phase yet with the excellent Love Travels At Illegal Speeds album.
Previous Coxon solo affairs have tended to be a bit hit and miss, but his latest album is his most consistent yet. You And I is one of its finest tracks, boasting a mightily catchy chorus, some infectious 'la-la-la's and a great bridge where it's impossible not to do a little dance of joy as Coxon sings "never met a girl like you before...". It's a long way from the Pavement inspired scratchy lo-fi recordings that he first dabbled in when going solo.
With Albarn's Gorillaz going from strength to strength, Alex James' WigWam redefining pop music and more great records like this from Coxon, Blur are cementing their reputation as one of the finest British groups ever. Only trouble is, if Coxon continues on this career path, it's unlikely we'll see them together again.
