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Castle Park is a slightly unusual “new” album from Graham Coxon — not because it represents a completely new direction, but because it’s a record that has been quietly waiting in the wings for more than a decade. Recorded in 2011 during the sessions that eventually produced A+E, the album was originally intended to follow that record before Blur’s reunion in 2012 changed the course of Coxon’s plans. Now finally seeing the light of day, it feels like a lost chapter from one of British indie’s most distinctive songwriters.
Rather than the abrasive, electronic edges of A+E, Castle Park reportedly leans into Coxon’s more melodic, classic songwriting instincts — drawing on the mod-pop, ’60s rock and British guitar traditions that have always been lurking beneath his more experimental work. Produced by Ben Hillier (who also worked on Blur’s Think Tank), the ten-track album features songs that Coxon has described as some of his most personal, with longtime live favourite “Billy Says” finally getting its proper studio release.
The album’s title comes from Castle Park in Coxon’s hometown of Colchester, giving the record a strong sense of memory and place. There’s a feeling that this is an album looking backwards without being stuck in the past — a songwriter revisiting youthful romanticism, old friendships and the feeling of being an outsider, while bringing the perspective of everything that came afterwards.
For fans of Coxon’s solo work, Castle Park feels less like a forgotten archive release and more like a missing piece of the puzzle. It sits somewhere between the scrappy charm of his early solo records and the more reflective songwriting he’s explored in recent years with projects like The Waeve. After all this time, it’s a rare chance to hear a different version of Coxon’s creative path — one built around warm guitars, strong melodies and the wonderfully odd, slightly left-field pop instincts that have always made him such an interesting artist.
Tracklist
Billy Says
Alright
When You Find Out
Isn't It Funny
There's a Little House
Easy
Dripping Soul
Forget Today
Melodie Pour Christine
All The Rage