After three albums that helped define the Britpop sound, Blur changed direction. At guitarist Graham Coxon's urging the band looked to American indie rock and lo-fi, with Pavement as the main reference point, and came back with a rougher, more erratic sound. The untitled fifth studio album originally appeared in February 1997 on Food Records, again produced by Stephen Street. Lead single "Beetlebum" entered the UK chart at number 1 and the album reached the top spot as well. "Song 2", two minutes of guitar noise, became the band's best-known song outside Europe. "On Your Own" and "M.O.R." were also released as singles.

This edition is a 2-LP on black vinyl.