Graham Coxon // A&E

Graham Coxon - A&E (Parlophone)

Can you bloody believe this is the 8th solo album from Graham Coxon, the bespectacled Paddington Bear type member of popular beat combo Blur? Neither can I. He’s been playing round and about and releasing records whilst that big brassy Damon takes all the media time with his musicals about Chinese astrologers or suttin’. Two interesting facts to share with your friends; Noel Gallagher has described Graham as the most gifted guitarist of his generation, and last year, Fender even named a guitar – the Fender Graham Coxon Telecaster, to be precise – after him. This album is called A&E, and it’s quite good actually. Instead of frightening crazed guitar spurts, or his rather insistent 60’s style folk ramblings that have been traditional from Coxon, this time we have something that’s quite thoughtful, ploddy and  dark in paces, as well as times of manic repetitious desperation and occasional pop riffs. It’s quite rough, and quite real. The best songs? Why, I’d say City Hall, like Kurt Cobain thinking about The Smiths, and the single What’ll It Take which is buzzing with nervous energy. I have to say I’ll always prefer Blur to Coxon’s solo music, but on this occasion he has really come up with some original and worthwhile stuff that not only says something about his musical development but also perhaps reflects some aspects of what life looks like through his eyes. Well done Our Graham. 8/10 Lizz