Britpoppers around the world unite! Graham Coxon has always held a special place in my heart. Not only is he one of the most brilliant guitarists of our time (in Blur and his solo work) but also the fact that he also produces his own art (most notability on Blur’s 13, and also on his newest venture, Happiness In Magazines) which makes him a true renaissance man. Graham has never been one that strays into adventurous unknowns; his music is pretty straightforward. With that in mind, it doesn’t mean his latest work is dumbed down, or cant hold water with the likes of Radiohead, later Blur, and other “thinkable” bands. It makes the listener familiar, happy, and brings you back to a sunshiny time that is reminiscent of summer. Isn’t that what we really want right now in the winter? Speaking of familiarly, track four, “Bitterweet Bundle of Misery” starts off with an uncanny resemblance to “Coffee and TV” before it really kicks in. “Freakin’ Out” has one of the catchiest guitar riffs I have heard in a while. Most notable is “All Over Me” a track that is layered in rich textures and stands out to be the best song on the album, in my opinion. It is child’s play to pinpoint what sounds like a Blur b-side on the album, considering he was a key member for so long. Take notice of the direct punk influence on several of the tracks. You can see that Graham is also influenced from music past, not just present. Graham’s soothing vocals are the perfect match that ties the two spectrums together. To say that anyone short of his core fan following are bringing excitement to the finally soon to be domestically released record may be true at the moment, but listen up to his fourth solo album. Happiness In Magazines is nothing shy of stellar. It just might be the sleeper that grows on you.

Graham Coxon
Astralwerks

1. Graham Coxon To Kiss And Make Up With Blur?
2. For The Record – An Interview With Graham Coxon
3. Blur Will Go On Without Coxon
4. No Blur Without Graham Coxon
5. Graham Coxon Gone From Blur?