Name: I Thought I Was Better Than You
Brand: Baxter Dury

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: Yes

Catalogue number

HVNLP214RT

Colour

Blue

Colour details

Transparent Blue

Discogs ID

[r27264855]

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: Yes

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: Yes

Extended format

Extended format: Yes

Format detail

Rough Trade Exclusive Version. 140 Gram vinyl with Alternate Blue Sleeve and Includes Bonus CD

Format Music GB

Limited edition

1500

Release date

2023-06-02

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

PIAS

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5400863134433

Total Cap

Blue LP | Rough Trade Exclusive

Bonus disc: No

HVNLP214C

Pink

Opaque Pink

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

140 Gram Vinyl with Mirri Board Sleeve

2024-01-10

5400863119652

Pink LP

HVNLP214CD

Download code: No

Extended format: No

Includes Bonus CD

5400863119669

CD | Rough Trade Exclusive

HVNLP214

Black

[r27275673]

5400863120016

Black LP

Artist

Baxter Dury

Genre GB

Alternative / Modern

Label GB

Heavenly

Heavenly is a renowned music label that was founded in 1989 by Jeff Barrett, former press officer of Creation Records. With the addition of Martin Kelly and Robin Turner, Heavenly has become not only a record label but also a management and promotions company. While their releases have been distributed by various companies over the years, including Columbia Records and Deconstruction, Heavenly became part of the EMI Music Group from 2000 to 2009. Since 2010, their releases have been licensed to and distributed by various labels.

In addition to their music releases, Heavenly has allocated catalog numbers for non-music projects such as sculptures, exhibitions, books, merchandising catalogs, club events, and more. These unique projects showcase the diverse creative endeavors that Heavenly supports.

With an impressive history spanning over three decades in the music industry, Heavenly continues to be a driving force in discovering and promoting talented artists across different genres.

Baxter Dury is a British indie rock musician, born on December 18, 1971 in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire. He is widely known for his unique musical style and captivating performances. With a strong musical lineage as the son of Ian Dury, Baxter has carved out his own path in the music industry. His talent and passion shine through in every song he creates, making him a beloved figure among fans and critics alike.
Throughout his career, Baxter Dury has released several critically acclaimed albums that showcase his distinctive sound and storytelling abilities. His music effortlessly blends elements of indie rock with catchy melodies and introspective lyrics. Each song takes listeners on a journey through Baxter's experiences and emotions, creating an intimate connection between artist and audience.
With his undeniable talent and unwavering dedication to his craft, Baxter Dury continues to captivate audiences around the world. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his music, exploring Baxter's discography is sure to be an enriching experience that will leave you wanting more.

See the full list of our favourite albums from the first half of 2023 here.

Albums of the Year So Far 2023

The 100 best albums from 2023 based on a year of listening, months of consideration, weeks of discussion and days of compiling. Every one of these albums has made an impact on us this year but to learn more about the ones that made the top 20, please <a href="http://blog.roughtrade.com/uk-albums-of-the-year-2023/">click here for the UK</a> and here <a href="http://blog.roughtrade.com/vinyl-albums-of-the-year-2023-rough-trade-us/">for the US</a>. To see all our the Rough Trade Exclusive editions from our top 20, released to celebrate our Albums of the Year, <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/collection/albums-of-the-year-exclusives-2023">click here for the UK</a>, <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/en-us/collection/albums-of-the-year-exclusives-2023">here for the US</a> and <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/en-de/collection/albums-of-the-year-exclusives-2023">here for Europe</a>.

Albums of the Year 2023

Vinyl variants, bonus material and signed editions exclusively available from Rough Trade.

Rough Trade Albums of the Year 2023 (UK)

Rank: #7 (<a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/collection/albums-of-the-year-2023">See full list here</a>).

Musician, writer and Renaissance man Baxter Dury returns with a brand new album, I Thought I Was Better Than You, his seventh studio album and is produced by Paul White, celebrated for his work in Golden Rules and with the likes of Charlie XCX and Danny Brown. Hotly-tipped new singer-songwriters Eska and JGrrey feature in addition to Baxter’s regular vocalist Madeline Hart.

I Thought I Was Better Than You marks a new era for Baxter, and with this new era comes a new character. “Faux- confrontational,” Baxter calls him. Here, not only is he recounting his childhood, but he’s also reckoning with it. Instead of just swinging at his past blindfolded with a baseball bat, he talks openly about the toxic cocktail of being born into unfortunately fortunate circumstances, with a persuasive surname but no structure or sense of responsibility with which reap the rewards of it. “Really, it’s about being trapped in an awkward place between something you’re actually quite good at, and somebody else’s success.” That ‘somebody else’ being his dad, Ian Dury. As one of the album centrepieces – Shadow – agonisingly puts it: “But no one will get over that you’re someone’s son/Even though you want to be like Frank Ocean/But you don’t sound like him, you sound just like Ian.”

The record also serves as a kind of extension to Baxter’s 2021 book, Chaise Lounge, in which he winningly recounted the story of his unique childhood. Not only does he expand the language of the book, using words to paint disconnected images rather than to string sentences (a kind of cockney hieroglyphics), but he often revisits moments within the book. Characters like ‘Tricksy’ re-appear in ‘Aylesbury Boy’ and ‘Pale White Nissan’, for example, but mainly it’s the abstracted tales of a young Baxter, troubled and in trouble, a victim of circumstance, straddling between a world of ‘Fuck you Leon…/ You stole the sunglasses and I got busted’ and a desire for ‘Porridge in the morning and be normal’.

Bonus CD - 20 minute mixtape of the album - reworked from the album stems.

I Thought I Was Better Than You

Music GB

Discover I Thought I Was Better Than You by Baxter Dury. Available in CD and LP formats, including Rough Trade exclusives. Produced by Paul White and featuring guest vocalists Eska and JGrrey. Released under the Heavenly label. Limited edition LPs available.