面对媒体的不利宣传和公众的不支持, Blur在1996年初几乎解散.但是他们决定暂时离开闪光灯一年.在一年结束之后,Albarn宣布他不再对英国音乐感兴趣,而是迷上了美国的indie-rock.这些影响在Blur 的第五张专辑Blur中表现了出来.这张在1997年2月推出的专辑并没有在英国受到热烈欢迎. 专辑及其主打歌曲 "Beetlebum"一推出即登上了冠军的宝座,但是不久就迅速的下滑.因为小组的大部分听众并不完全接受他们的新形象.但是乐队改头换面的新形象为它在美国赢得了听众.在那里Blur受到热烈关注并开始走红起来.这在很大程度上归功于单曲 "Song 2"的走红.墙内开花墙外香,Blur在美国的成功最终又补给到了英国.到了1999年春天,专辑排名第13了.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Great Escape, for all of its many virtues, painted Blur into a corner and there was only one way out -- to abandon the Britpop that they had instigated by bringing the weird strands that always floated through their music to the surface. Blur may superficially appear to be a break from tradition, but it is a logical progression, highlighting the band's rich eclecticism and sense of songcraft. Certainly, they are trying for new sonic territory, bringing in shards of white noise, gurgling electronics, raw guitars, and druggy psychedelia, but these are just extensions of previously hidden elements of Blur's music. What makes it exceptional is how hard the band tries to reinvent itself within its own framework, and the level of which it succeeds. "Beetlebum" runs through the White Album in the space of five minutes; "M.O.R." reinterprets Berlin-era Bowie; "You're So Great," despite the corny title, is affecting lo-fi from Graham Coxon; "Country Sad Ballad Man" is bizarrely affecting, strangled lo-fi psychedelia; "Death of a Party" is an affecting resignation; "On Your Own" is an incredible slice of singalong pop spiked with winding, fluid guitar and synth eruptions; while "Look Inside America" cleverly subverts the traditional Blur song, complete with strings. And "Essex Dogs" is a six-minute slab of free verse and rattling guitar noise. Blur might be self-consciously eclectic, but Blur are at their best when they are trying to live up to their own pretensions, because of Damon Albarn's exceptional sense of songcraft and the band's knack for detailed arrangements that flesh out the songs to their fullest. There might be dark overtones to the record, but the band sounds positively joyous, not only in making noise but wreaking havoc with the expectations of its audience and critics.