1. The Good, The Bad & The Queen (2007): Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Albarn's best non-Blur project is also the one that, superficially anyway, most closely resembles Blur: The Good, The Bad & The Queen is a traditional four-piece band -- guitar, vocals, bass drums -- with a set lineup (alongside Albarn are Paul Simonon, Tony Allen and the Verve's Simon Tong). But beneath the surface, more than any of his other projects, The Good, The Bad & The Queen fully combines all of Albarn's identities: the English folk of Dr. Dee, the Afro-beat leanings of Rocket Juice And The Moon, the chilled-out vibe of Mali Music, the collaborative spirit of Gorillaz (though the nominal frontman, Albarn frequently cedes the spotlight to the band's ridiculous rhythm section of Simonon and Allen). Initially underrated, the band's lone release (their 2007 self-titled debut) has aged gracefully; its haziness is enveloping, and once inside, its low-ley details are a pleasure to behold. Of course at its center, perhaps for the final time as a true frontman, is Albarn's voice: languid, melancholic, inimitable.



























