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"In the simplest terms, "The Great Escape" is the flip side of "Parklife". Where Blur's breakthrough album was a celebration of the working class, drawing on British pop from the '60s and reaching through the '80s, "The Great Escape" concentrates on the suburbs, featuring a cast of characters all trying to cope with the numbing pressures of modern life. Consequently, it's darker than "Parklife", even if the melancholia is hidden underneath the crisp production and catchy melodies. The music bristles with invention throughout, as Blur delves deeper into experimentation with synthesizers, horns, and strings; guitarist Graham Coxon twists out unusual chords and lead lines, and Damon Albarn spits out unexpected lyrical couplets filled with wit and venomous intelligence in each song. A vibrant, invigorating record." (S.T. Erlewine, Allmusic) Deze 2012-editie, in een fraai boxje, gaat vergezeld met een tweede CD met 18 aanvullende songs (waaronder live-versies van album tracks), afkomstig van singles en meer.