I woke up humming He Thought of Cars this morning for some reason so thought I would dig out The Great Escape and play it in the car on the way to work and around jobs today. It was one of my favourite records in my early teens but I got a bit embarrassed by it after the first few years.

I listen to 13, Modern Life is Rubbish, Parklife and Blur all the time but not really this one or Leisure.

Albarn has said he doesn't like it because it's "too messy" and it is really all over the place with many bits falling flat but most of the songs have at least one great idea in them. Besides, Yuko and Hiro, The Universal and Country House are easily among the band's greatest songs.

It all sounds like it would work well as a stage musical (I think there were plans for one at some point).

Ken Livingstone's vocal contribution always makes me laugh too.

Does anyone rate it as one of the best Blur albums or do most people consider it too flawed to even be a flawed masterpiece?