In a sea of brit-pop sharks of 1994, Blur stood out with "Parklife" as one of (if not a single) brightest star of that year. Yes, the competition was fascinatingly strong, but once "Boys & Girls" kicks in through the laser beam, your "definitely maybe" turns into a "fucking yes!". Funnily experimental and seriously radio-friendly, "Parklife" is their true concept album, somewhat informed by the predecessor LP "Modern Life Is Rubbish", an intriguing statement-by-title, fully absorbed with "Parklife" into a tour-de-force, socio-political 16-track masterpiece.

I own two copies of this album. Both have the sticker on the cover, and both have the same matrices in the deadwax. The only difference is that one of the pressings is on typical thin vinyl (common on LPs/12" singles from this period...Radiohead: The Bends is the same way), but the other is pressed on crazy thick 180g vinyl. I can't tell any other differences but may need to go though both with a fine tooth comb. Anyone else have a really thick pressing? It can't be the reissue from 2012 as that pressing came on two discs, and this one has all tracks on one slab of vinyl. Thanks!

How is the sound quality on this original pressing? 52 or so minutes on 2 sides is probably pushing it a bit. Think I'll go for the double LP.

It's not too bad considering..but Yeh. . A bit quiet and hence crackly when a little worn.

I don't own this album but I will give my two cents worth regarding 1LP v 2LP debate...This album has a number of quiet passages and also not a huge amount of really low bass. Because of this you can extend the playing time beyond the normal limit of around 22 minutes so it is entirely possible that this will cut at 26 or 27 minutes per side and not suffer sound quality issues. I have a number of classical albums that top 30 minutes with no sound quality or volume problems. Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love is 27 minutes on side two and sounds utterly fabulous. Genesis, And Then There Were Three cuts at nearly 28 minutes on side one, I have a 1978 pressing and again the sound quality is top notch. It is about the skill of the mastering engineer with albums like this, if they get it right and don't just lob in a bass filter to increase the running time (a common practise sadly) you get very little compromise, if any at all.However, one slight fly in the ointment is when this was released. In the late 1980s and all through the 1990s vinyl went through a particularly painful period of shocking quality pressings - I have several examples of this. Biscuit thin (some weighed less than 100g), high levels of surface noise, pops, clicks, the list goes on. Some were even pressed onto a high density polystyrene. I kid you not, the KLF Its Grim Up North 12" is one example, DJ's destroyed them when they tracked backwards because the surface is very brittle and only lasts for about 100 or so plays even if you have top notch kit. Some labels were worse than others but it was very hit and miss. I did buy vinyl through this period that sounded absolutely fine but equally I also have a fair few shockers too.If it was me I'd be more worried about the pressing quality than anything else.

does anyone have this on gold? Or is that one a bootleg?

Its a bootleg. No official versions were ever issued on coloured vinyl. Nice looking collectable though.

I think it could possibly be a bootleg, can't be 100% but i've seen a red copy on ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blur-Parklife-LP-rare-RED-vinyl-album-/170879848353?pt=UK_Records&hash=item27c93b8fa1#ht_500wt_1287) I got a red marble copy of The Stone Roses first album at a record fair last month, and that was a bootleg, very poor quality one at that, sound is not great and the sleeve is very poor quality card. I regret spending £12 on it now!!

I was just offered a copy on clear red vinyl.. I can't be sure if it was a bootleg or not, but it is the first time I see a copy not on black vinyl, and I have seen and sold a few in my years as a dealer.