13 Review

13 is the sixth album by British rock band Blur, first released in 1999. It reached #1 in the UK album chart, while making #80 in the US. The album is named after the band's recording studio but there are also 13 tracks on the album. This album sees the band moving further away from their Britpop past into more cerebral and denser musical territory. "Tender", "Coffee & TV" and "No Distance Left To Run" were all single successes from 13.

The album is inspired by Damon Albarn's severing with Elastica singer Justine Frischmann as well as the former's battle with drug and alcoholic addictions, provoked by this. Two of the singles - "Tender" and "No Distance Left to Run" show Albarn's suffering from this as well as his love for Frischmann.

The album cover is a portion of an oil painting by Graham Coxon called Apprentice. The album's singles also have cover art by Coxon. The numbers 1 and 3 have been painted so they also form the letter 'B' - presumably for 'Blur'.

In 2004, the album was packaged with 2003s Think Tank in a limited edition box set as part of EMI's "2CD Originals" collection.