Blur announce first album in eight years, The Ballad of Darren

Band are playing their first headline show at Wembley Stadium this summer

Blur have announced the release of their first album in eight years.

The Britpop band are returning to the stage this summer for a new series of headline shows, including their first ever show at Wembley Stadium. You can find out how to get tickets here.

On Thursday (18 May), Blur announced that they would also be bringing out an album this summer titled The Ballad of Darren. It is scheduled for release on 21 July.

The album’s first song, “The Narcissist”, has also been released.

Announcing the album, frontman Damon Albarn said: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.”

Bassist Alex James added: “For any long term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.”

The full tracklist for The Ballad of Darren can be found below:

The album artwork for ‘The Ballad of Darren' (Handout)

1. “The Ballad”

2. “St Charles Square”

3. “Barbaric”

4. “Russian Strings”

5. “The Everglades (For Leonard)”

6. “The Narcissist”

7. “Goodbye Albert”

8. “Far Away Island”

9. “Avalon”

10. “The Heights”

Ahead of their tour kicking off, Blur will be playing a number of intimate warm-up gigs across England.

On Friday (19 May), they will return to their hometown of Colchester, Essex, and their first ever performance at local landmark Colchester Arts.

Next week, they will also play at the Eastbourne Winter Gardens on 21 May, The Halls Wolverhampton on 26 May and O2 City Hall Newcastle on 28 May.

The band will then play at Wembley Stadium on 8 and 9 July. The first Wembley show sold out in minutes.