Published 2026-06-19 07.00
ALBUM When Graham Coxon sends a faded postcard from Colchester, it’s also a musical homecoming.
“Castle Park” is a pure showcase of the underrated songwriter and guitarist from Blur.
Graham Coxon
Castle Park
Transgressive/PIAS/Border
POP When Graham Coxon released his latest album “A+E” I interviewed him in London. “I wanted the album to be a loud, perverted and unpolished experience. Dance music for social misfits,” described Blur-guitarist the music from a rooftop terrace in Kensington.
Parallel to the recording of “A+E” in 2011, another lot of material was added. Something warmer, softer. Blur meanwhile had a busy period with studio time, festival gigs and a performance at the Olympic closing ceremony in London.
The songs were put on hold, but now the Briton’s ninth solo album, the first in fourteen years, is being released. With a charming postcard envelope, the record is named after the park in Colchester where, as a teenager, Coxon used to listen to pop music and crush on girls. The Kinks-the fragrant opening “Billy says” sets the tone.
It’s as if the 57-year-old has finally become old enough to no longer struggle with American lo-fi. Instead, he can calmly sit back in the armchair and ache for the childhood heroes. The Jam and The Beatles around “Revolver”. The feeling when he saw movies like “Billy Liar” and “Fallet Ipcress” with Michael Caine for the first time.
Graham, within his own limitations, sings more finely than ever – of course in patented cockney. Paul McCartney– the bass lines and girl group harmonies sit like safe wallpaper from grandma’s time. If it weren’t for the fact that these ten songs are some of the best Coxon has written, they might have faded away as pastiches.
“Alright” reminds of “Coffee and TV” where a carefree whistling gets to accompany a naïve pop short story as jealous as it is comical. “Isn’t it funny” is hauntingly beautiful crooner pop that wouldn’t have felt out of place on Blur’s latest album “The ballad of Darren”.
A cover of short-lived power pop trio The Nerves “When you find out” sounds like a weird mod classic and conjures up images of suits and talcum powder on the floor. In “Dripping soul” Coxon surprises with the spaghetti western – without ever ceasing to sound like himself (think a chili stew served at the classic Britpop pub The Good Mixer).
The finale “All the rage” captures Coxon in both his best and worst elements. He just woke up. The world is still a blur. He’s ditched his glasses and sounds just as fragile and in desperate need of a restorative cup of tea as he always did when I liked him the most.
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BONUS
BEST TRACKS: In the drizzly country ballad “Easy”, Coxon is both the Britpop generation’s most underrated songwriter and best guitarist.
DID YOU KNOW THAT… Graham played guitar on Olivia Rodrigues version of The Magnetic Fields “The book of love”which was made for the charity War Child.
ALSO LISTEN TO: Brilliant solo album “Happiness in magazines” from 2004, as well as the Coxon-sung Blur gems “You’re so great” and “Coffee and TV”.
