The Spinning Top is the seventh studio album by Blur

Blur (band)

Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...

 guitarist Graham Coxon

Graham Coxon

Graham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...

 on new record label Transgressive Records. The album is produced by Stephen Street

Stephen Street

Stephen Street is an English music producer best known for his work with The Smiths in the 1980s, as well as Blur and The Cranberries in the 1990s. Street also collaborated with Morrissey on some of his most popular work after The Smiths broke up, playing instruments and co-writing songs...

 and was released on May 11, 2009. It is a concept album

Concept album

In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

 that follows a narrative of a man from birth to death.

The album was supported by the single "Sorrow's Army

Sorrow's Army

"Sorrow's Army" is the first single from Graham Coxon's seventh studio album The Spinning Top. The single was to be released on May 18, 2009, a week after the album, by Transgressive Records. "Sorrow's Army" was Zane Lowe's Hottest Record on March 11, 2009 ....

", released on 18 May.

Production

The cover art and liner artwork, like previous releases, was painted by Coxon himself.
The two music promos Sorrow's Army and In The Morning where filmed by creative director Nick Craske. Dead Bees, the third single from The Spinning Top, was filmed by Chris Hopewell.

Live Album Tour

Coxon took the album on tour around the release date in May 2009 and also in November 2009 after the cool down from July's Blur

Blur (band)

Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...

 reform gigs at Hyde Park and Glastonbury. Coxon played with his Power Acoustic Ensemble. Live Members included Coxon (Guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, Vocals and Soprano Saxophone

Soprano saxophone

The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...

), Graham Fox (drums), Gareth Davies

Gareth Davies (singer-songwriter)

Gareth Davies was a founder member and principal songwriter in Suburban Vegetable, releasing five albums between 1990 and 1993, including the cult classics Organic and Censored Haircut...

 (Bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

), Lucy Parnall and Jen Clayton (Vocals), Owen Thomas (Bass, Guitar), Louis Vause (piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

), Ranbir (dilruba), Bee2 (Percussion). The short tour played the full album in order. The last concert on the list was at the Barbican Theatre in London where Coxon would play with some of his all time heroes. The gig featured Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar....

 and Martin Carthy

Martin Carthy

Martin Carthy MBE is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days...

 (guitars), Natasha Marsh (Opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 Vocals) and Max Eastley (The Arc). It also featured Radiohead visual artist Chris Hopewell.

Track listing

1. Look Into The Light - 3:18
2. This House - 2:54
3. In The Morning - 8:26
4. If You Want Me - 5:43
5. Perfect Love - 2:51
6. Brave The Storm - 5:19
7. Dead Bees - 3:25
8. Sorrow's Army
   Sorrow's Army
   "Sorrow's Army" is the first single from Graham Coxon's seventh studio album The Spinning Top. The single was to be released on May 18, 2009, a week after the album, by Transgressive Records. "Sorrow's Army" was Zane Lowe's Hottest Record on March 11, 2009 ....
   
   - 4:20
9. Caspian Sea - 4:54
10. Home - 4:21
11. Humble Man - 3:43
12. Feel Alright - 4:37
13. Far From Everything - 4:09
14. Tripping Over - 4:52
15. November - 5:40