CMJ How fitting it is that these four British blokes with the sassy attitudes decided to name their band Blur. Since their 1991 debut, the boys have been caught in a whirlwind of style and influences ranging from '60s sing-alongs and '70s punk to '80s electro-pop and '90s rock, distinguishing their style and refining their focus at every turn. Their fifth and self-titled release adds a new chapter to their dizzying modern-pop story. Gone are the brassy overtures, social commentaries and tidy production techniques that have defined their past. This record only looks forward, fusing abrasive rock textures with undeniable pop expertise, successfully severing musical ties with any other British outfit. The first single, "Song 2," drops a bomb of rough power chords and scratchy guitar riffs that could have fallen right out of the American Northwestern sky. But this direction does nothing to dilute the catchy choruses and memorable pop melodies that bum at the group's core. "M.O.R.," "Chinese Bombs" and "Movin' On" travel a similar avenue, but the album often changes gears, toward the acoustic stomp of "You're So Great," the near trip-hop bounce of "Death Of A Party" and "Essex Dogs," and the utterly indefinable "Theme From Retro." Blur is an undeniable piece of pop brilliance, no matter how you slice it.