"Music Is My Radar" is a song by British band Blur. As a single, it reached No. 10 in the UK. It was released in support of the band's greatest hits compilation, '' Blur: The Best Of'', on which it was the only song that had not previously appeared on an album. An alternative version called "Squeezebox" appeared in 2012 on one of the rarities CDs from the ''

Blur 21 ''Blur 21'' is a CD, DVD and vinyl box set encompassing the vast majority of music by Blur. It was released on 30 July 2012, commemorating the 21st anniversary of the release of ''Leisure'', the band's first album. The release took place befor ...

'' box collection, released to celebrate the 21st anniversary of their debut album release, ''

Leisure Leisure has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. Leisure ...

''. Nigerian musician Tony Allen, who is repeatedly mentioned in the lyrics, later collaborated with Blur frontman

Damon Albarn Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...

as the drummer in the supergroups

The Good, the Bad & the Queen The Good, the Bad & the Queen were an English art rock supergroup composed of singer Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, bassist Paul Simonon of the Clash, guitarist Simon Tong of the Verve, and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen. They released the ...

and

Rocket Juice & the Moon ''Rocket Juice & the Moon'' is the only album by the supergroup of the same name, formed in 2008. The group consisted of Damon Albarn, Flea, and Tony Allen. Album history The project was announced in mid-2008; however due to various other pr ...

, and appears posthumously with Albarn on the 2020

Gorillaz Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, ...

song "

How Far? "How Far?" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring Tony Allen and Skepta. The track was released on 2 May 2020 without any prior announcement as the fourth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, '' Song Machine, Season One: ...

Reception

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

'' critic Richard M. Juzwiak described the song as "truly one of lur'sbest", adding: "It's minimalist, groovy, and combines the shiny poppy old Blur with the ragged noisy new Blur perfectly." Daniel Durchholz of ''

Wall of Sound The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of session m ...

'' called it "vital", while a less enthused

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

saw it as "good, not great". Conversely, Graham Reed of ''

Drowned in Sound ''Drowned in Sound'', sometimes abbreviated to ''DiS'', is a UK-based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway. Founded by editor Sean Adams, the site features reviews, news, interviews, and discussion forums. History ''D ...

'' called the song a "creative misfire" that is "devoid of tune or melody", while ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' critic Steve Sutherland labelled it a "will-this-do

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

y clunkalong".

Music video

The video shows Blur on a 1960s/1970s-inspired "Variety Hour" talk show where they sit on a couch (embedded into the red floor) while a group of dancers in black (male) and white (female) MOD-esque outfits perform a dance routine to accompany the song during an interval break. Those outfits are clearly inspired to the costumes created by the

Sorelle Fontana Sorelle Fontana (literally "Fontana Sisters", also known as "Sorelle Fontana, Alta Moda SRL") is an Italian fashion house, specializing in production of high-fashion couture. It was founded in Rome in 1943 by three sisters and Italian designers: ...

for the dystopian movie “La decima vittima” by italian director

Elio Petri Eraclio Petri (29 January 1929 – 10 November 1982), commonly known as Elio Petri, was an Italian film director, screenwriter, theatre director, and critic associated with the political cinema in the 1960s and '70s. His film ''Investigation ...

. The dance choreography itself was executed by Blanca Li. The music video was not included on the '' Blur: The Best Of'' VHS/DVD but was on the ''

'' box set in 2012.

Track listings

*CD1 #"Music Is My Radar" (radio edit) – 4:21 #"Black Book" – 8:30 #"Headist" / "Into Another" (live) – 3:45 *CD2 #"Music Is My Radar" (radio edit) – 4:21 #"7 Days" (live) – 3:28 #" She's So High" (live) – 4:45 *Cassette #"Music Is My Radar" (radio edit) – 4:21 #"Black Book" – 8:30 #"She's So High" (live) – 4:45 *12" vinyl #"Music Is My Radar" (album version) – 5:29 #"Black Book" – 8:30 *Japan and Europe CD #"Music Is My Radar" (radio edit) – 4:21 #"Black Book" – 8:30 #"7 Days" (live) – 3:28 #"She's So High" (live) – 4:45 *"Headist" / "Into Another" and "7 Days" were recorded for Radio One's Evening Session. First transmission date 5 May 1992. *"She's So High" was recorded for Radio One's Mark Goodier Show. First transmission date 24 June 1990.

Credits and personnel

– vocals, synthesizers, acoustic guitar *

Graham Coxon Graham Leslie Coxon (born 12 March 1969) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter who came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur. As the group's lead guitarist and secondary vocalist, Cox ...

– electric guitar * Alex James – bass guitar *

Dave Rowntree David Alexander De Horne Rowntree (born 8 May 1964) is an English musician, politician, solicitor, composer and animator. He is the drummer for the rock band Blur and was a Labour Party councillor in Norfolk County Council from 2017 until 202 ...

– drums *"Music Is My Radar" produced by Blur and Ben Hillier *"Black Book" produced by Chris Potter

References

{{authority control 2000 songs 2000 singles Blur (band) songs Food Records singles Parlophone singles Songs written by Damon Albarn Songs written by Dave Rowntree Songs written by Alex James (musician) Songs written by Graham Coxon Song recordings produced by Ben Hillier