Hard to believe that, at one point, Graham Coxon was regarded as the Blur member pushing the group into more adventurous territory. While Damon Albarn has broadened his sonic horizons with the Gorillaz side project, as well as on Blur’s excellent (and largely Graham-free) Think Tank album, the guitarist’s solo work has remained marooned in rather uninteresting territory, save for the light pop touches on 2004’s Happiness In Magazines.
Graham’s Sonic Youth/Pavement fantasies may have marked him out as the exception within Blur, but appreciated in any other context, he’s defiantly traditional. Far from sounding oddball or avant-garde, Coxon now peddles gnarled indie-punk almost entirely devoid of quirks and innovation. On tracks like ‘Standing On My Own Again’ and ‘Gimme Some Love’, he rocks out in pretty much the same fashion as Three Colours Red did back in ’97 (Remember Three Colours Red? Didn’t think so.) – unremarkable Pistols-y thrashes, without hooks strong enough to make it worthwhile.
Coxon’s vocals have become more confident, which is not as positive a development as it may sound. The shy, vulnerable quality that added warmth to Blur tracks ‘You’re So Great’ and ‘Coffee And TV’ has been replaced with a disappointingly ugly sneer; brash, and devoid of charm.
When the pace drops, Coxon improves. ‘Just A State Of Mind’ is a sweetly tender ballad, with nice brass touches and cooing harmonies – the first occasion on which he exhibits a lightness of touch. ‘Flights To The Sea (Lovely Rain)’ is another welcome glimpse at Coxon’s gentler side – a more folky ballad that sighs and swoons in all the right places.
Alas, such moments of excellence are few and far between on Love Travels At Illegal Speeds. While one has to admire the niche Coxon has built for himself, it is in danger of becoming a creative cul-de-sac.