Just when these snotty little Britpoppers had finally managed to win over North America in 1997 with Song 2, a raucous anthem with a screaming chorus about heavy metal, they go and pull the big switcheroo.

 On their latest release, the boys of Blur -- fronted by Damon Albarn -- decided to lose long-time producer Stephen Street in favour of ambient dance man William Orbit, best known for his Grammy Award-winning work on Madonna's Ray Of Light.

 The thing is, it all works out particularly well.

 This sonically arresting album, supposedly inspired by Albarn's breakup with girlfriend and Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann, begins with the epic-like first single, Tender, an astonishing song that runs seven-and-a-half minutes and is unlike anything Blur has recorded so far.

 Full of middle eastern tambourines, a bluesy, country, soul vibe and 40-piece gospel choir singing backup, you will not believe it's them for a second.

 From there, they move back into more familiar territory on the distorted guitar rocker, Bugman; the cerebral pop song Coffee & TV, sung by guitarist Graham Coxon; the glammy Swamp Song; and the punk-metal hybrid B.L.U.R. E.M.I.

 Other tangents come in the form of the gloomy 1992 and No Distance Left To Run, the space-age rocker Battle, the acoustic folk-strings-and-electric guitar gems Mellow Song and Trimm Trabb, and the trippy Trailerpark, Caramel and Optigan 1.

 It's all quite different and it's all quite good.

 Blur plays the Palais Royale on April 6. Let's hope their metamorphosis on this record translates onto the stage.

Track Listing

1. Tender
2. Bugman
3. Coffee & TV
4. Swamp Song
5. 1992
6. B.L.U.R.E.M.I.
7. Battle
8. Mellow Song
9. Trailerpark
10. Caramel
11. Trimm Trabb
12. No Distance Left To Run
13. Optigan 1