Gorillaz

Woebot

Well-known member
I've always not felt so great about this thing. For quite a handful of reasons.

I never liked Blur, and not just from cultural snobbishness, i just never liked the sonic. Strongly remember an article of blissbloggers in freize around the time of Britpop (which seemed like it was happening in a separate wholly imaginary universe peopled entirely by journalists) which pointed to the paucity of Bluroasis compared to the lofty heights of Jungletricky- and that pretty much encapsulated how i felt about.

Never that keen on the "Damon Albarn persona" either. Seemed to be a white middle class bloke, rather like myself, and to be overly interested in him, well it seemed like a bit of a cultural lockdown. The other is always far more intriguing innit, even if its happening right on your doorstep.

The Gorillaz thing felt a bit sort of exclusive as well. I'd always had a kind of awe for Jamie Hewlett's drawing (being rather crap if characterful myself) but the whole combo seemed dead west-london, like a conceptual joke that lacked much generosity, that required submission.

Carrying on in this negative vein i didnt really like "Clint Eastwood" at all. Damon's vocals put me off. And even the hip Garage remixes did nothing for me.

But have you heard "Demon Days"? Well all doubters and haters would do well to check it out cos I reckon the tracks I've heard are, well, stunning.

"Dirty Harry" with it's shambling undulating bleepy-bassline, children's choir and little middle eastern touches is the bomb. "Feel Good Inc" was pretty great, again a great bassline. "Dare" (with Sean Ryder) is the kind of thing that if it came from the underground would get insane props. And I just LOVE "Demon Dayz" the title track with the big gospel choir. Thats all I've heard, but the strength of these tunes is kind of amazing.

Where did they go right? Well it appears that Albarn has sunk right back in the picture. Hardly any vocals but just concentrated on writing superb Pop/HipHop tracks. Perhaps Dangermouse the producer is the answer its all gone right? But to be honest, I never liked that Grey Album... The fact that theyve gone on to do a second LP, has meant the whole thing feels a lot less like a "project" too. Like Albarn and Hewlett really believe in it what they're doing, it seems a lot less contrite. More heartfelt. Anyways you should do yourself a favour and check it out, you'll get Shaun Ryder, De La Soul, Martina Topley-Bird and Dennis Hopper chucked in the bargain.
 

3underscore

Well-known member
I think the real difference you are identifying can only be down to the move from Dan the Automator as producer to Dangermouse. I had always found that the idea and reputation of Dan was hugely better than anything he ever delivered - I can remember picking up records to check and being hugely disappointed.

I see what you mean about Albarn sinking back though - he is almost like chorus-vocalist on the tracks I have heard from the album. It works better, as Albarn and his public persona were really the downfall of the whole Gorillaz fantasy-cartoon-band idea.

Must say, I am really interested to hear what the reports of their Manchester gigs are. They are kind-of pushing the Kraftwerk robots idea - last tour it was cartoons, and this time something (IIRC) about holograms? A fine line between novelty and really trying something new, but...

Right - holograms are 2007 world tour apparently, and also MTV Music Awards. Manchester is a pure live thing.
 
Last edited:

francesco

Minerva Estassi
Well in the laboratory were now i work the radio is always put on on a really commercial radio station (Radio Deejay one nation one station, the girls in the lab love it...). So when they put on air "Dare", that i love, i swing! Great video too. I didn't dislike Blur, expecially late Blur (while oasis make me want to ....bluurghh... excuse.... puke even only typing their stupid name), but Gorillaz are better.
 

jk_gabba

gabba survivor
I think dangermouse actually wrote a lot of the tracks on the album, the grey album is a bit of a misnomer, but the Danger Mouse & Jemini - Ghetto Pop Life album points to the gorrilaz sound a lot, its great.
 

DJL

i'm joking
'Dare' is one of my favourite tunes this year. Didn't like the first single but have listened to the clips on Juno of the rest of it and sounds interesting.
 

sufi

lala
i heard 1 track off albarn's 'african' collaboration which i really liked
called 'bamako city' (is it w Toumani Diabete?)
course i was looking for Youssou's 'bamako' & didnt realise it was kinda mzungu music, then when i id'ed the track i didn't bother with the rest of the album

is it as good, anyone?
i'm not sure it'll really have that feeling of authenticity for me even if the dissensus consensus is that damon's wick.....
 

Melchior

Taking History Too Far
Hated the first album, but the second sounds ok from what I've heard. I hear less Albarn vocals as well, which is what really ruined the first album for me.

As far as britpop goes, I never minded Blur, prefered Pulp and hated Oasis.
 

dHarry

Well-known member
WOEBOT said:
"Dare" (with Sean Ryder) is the kind of thing that if it came from the underground would get insane props.

Is that the "it's coming up, it's coming up, it's there" one? Wildly catchy for sure, but it's got an element of Robbie Williams/Scissor Sisters as well, non? Like a cross between Robman Willsdom's new reggae/dog's dinner effort and Filthy Gorgeous in fact - and that ain't good ;) (though I do have a strange liking for those high notes in the Robbie chorus :eek: may be mdma/fierce ruling diva flashback :eek: )
 

blissblogger

Well-known member
i've got a soft spot, or weak spot, for the Gorillaz singles to date

although the first one off the new album, its melody sounds like its ripped off some Kinks tune i can't quite place

damon's certainly aquitted himself a lot better than graham coxon, whose solo records are half-assed indie-lofi crud of the worst sort

damon's managed to negotiate the what-to-do-with-yourself-once-your-pop-moment-has-passed dilemma better than most (although one relishes alex james' dig about D being "the blackest man in notting hill gate")

the thing that irrititates about those guys is the way they carry themselves -- there's a documentary on blur that been shown on US TV, and damon has this low key just-a-bloke didn't-bother-to-shave-this-morning hint-of-stoned-hangover persona. and graham coxon comes across like a 15 year old boy, scratching at his face, mumbling, averting his eyes, huge spot on his face. in both cases the lack of poise is such a pose.

intriguingly the ILM/NYLPM lot loathed, really DETESTED, gorillaz, i think because it got the sort of broadsheet 'pop-music but-a-bit-clever, a-bit-arty' thumbs-up that the britneys/girls aloud/sugababes etc don't get
 

Grievous Angel

Beast of Burden
That Sean Ryder tune is wicked, those 80s synth riffs are killer. I didn't think it was much good when I first heard but christ that fella's funny.

Reminds me of the Mondays album you're supposed to hate -- it's gr8 when yr str8 -- which I always liked, especially Stinking Thinking, which is a solid gold pop rock gem. If you haven't heard you really need to George Michael* it.

Mind you, I like Scissor Sisters, espesh Filthy Gorgeous, so as ever I am beyond the pale of right thinking dissensians everywhere...

Gorrillaz are pop music but a bit clever -- or rather clever clever, which is always a turn off -- they aren't actually quite as clever as Sugababes. But good. I don't rate All-Bar-One's african stuff (who would?) but so what.

My neighbour's going to see 'em in Manchester, I'll let you know what she thought.




* listen without prejiudice :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:

Woebot

Well-known member
blissblogger said:
damon's managed to negotiate the what-to-do-with-yourself-once-your-pop-moment-has-passed dilemma better than most (although one relishes alex james' dig about D being "the blackest man in notting hill gate")

the thing that irrititates about those guys is the way they carry themselves -- there's a documentary on blur that been shown on US TV, and damon has this low key just-a-bloke didn't-bother-to-shave-this-morning hint-of-stoned-hangover persona. and graham coxon comes across like a 15 year old boy, scratching at his face, mumbling, averting his eyes, huge spot on his face. in both cases the lack of poise is such a pose.

sinking into the background was a wise move of his. quite possibly the answer to all this.

blissblogger said:
intriguingly the ILM/NYLPM lot loathed, really DETESTED, gorillaz, i think because it got the sort of broadsheet 'pop-music but-a-bit-clever, a-bit-arty' thumbs-up that the britneys/girls aloud/sugababes etc don't get

this has to do with the way they consume. the popist approach demands that the subject is free to be manipulated conceptually and ignorant of any possible meanings they throw up. you'll come across artists now and then who are hip to this and play dumb to their projection (though i'm stuffed if i can come up with any examples...) you wonder how it would be recieved if Girls Aloud started talking about deterritorialization (known hithertoforth as the Pat Kane syndrome)- they'd probably be dropped quick as you like.

i never really liked the stuff off the first record for the reasons given above (didnt hate it though...) but any charge of them being manipulative, too much of a conceptual conceit is, i reckon, ameliorated by this second record. they're sticking to their guns rather admirably.
 

blissblogger

Well-known member
piece in the independent on damon as this era's great artist of boundary-crossing and cultural outreach!

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/features/article324507.ece

couple of choice bits



"Albarn's transformation from Essex pop star to cultural globalist is traceable to the moment when, at the peak of Britpop, he realised that he had lost faith in the mythical undercarriage of "Englishness" which had carried the band's work up to that point. "


"When he was asked to contribute to the recent War Child benefit album, he happened to be in Hong Kong and so recorded a beautiful piece of that title with a Chinese zither player, Zeng Zhen. It was both the most moving piece on the album, and the track that best crystallised the charity's principles of fellowship and outreach. Not even his most assiduous critics could deny its charm; it was a rare jewel in a pile of old off-cuts, out-takes and live tracks. It confirmed Albarn as the most eclectic musician of his era, and possibly since the heyday of The Beatles. Certainly, his closest challengers in that respect - Cooder, Eno, Peter Gabriel, The Residents, the German avant-rockers Can, and maybe a few of the more out-there sampling artists - have rarely managed to make the notion of an eclectic world music work as well in a pop context."

i didn't know he was one of the partners behind Honest Jon's the label

another awful moment in the blur doc is when damon is doing the score to a movie and steps out to berate the sessions musicians for not playing his lame little funk-jazz-blacksploitation riff with sufficient swing and gusto
 

dominic

Beast of Burden
2stepfan said:
Reminds me of the Mondays album you're supposed to hate -- it's gr8 when yr str8 -- which I always liked, especially Stinking Thinking, which is a solid gold pop rock gem

"stinkin thinkin" is a great single

however, the mondays album you're supposed to hate is "yes please!"

it's "great when you're straight" is black grapes
 

Woebot

Well-known member
blissblogger said:
"When he was asked to contribute to the recent War Child benefit album, he happened to be in Hong Kong and so recorded a beautiful piece of that title with a Chinese zither player, Zeng Zhen. It was both the most moving piece on the album, and the track that best crystallised the charity's principles of fellowship and outreach. Not even his most assiduous critics could deny its charm; it was a rare jewel in a pile of old off-cuts, out-takes and live tracks. It confirmed Albarn as the most eclectic musician of his era, and possibly since the heyday of The Beatles. Certainly, his closest challengers in that respect - Cooder, Eno, Peter Gabriel, The Residents, the German avant-rockers Can, and maybe a few of the more out-there sampling artists - have rarely managed to make the notion of an eclectic world music work as well in a pop context."

oh dear, oh dear. theres nothing like middlebrow journalism to completely turn you off things! the cult of damon albarn, YIKES!

(now blushing)

i said i liked the gorillaz lp- but thats as far as i'm willing to go!
 

hamarplazt

100% No Soul Guaranteed
Certainly, his closest challengers in that respect - Cooder, Eno, Peter Gabriel, The Residents, the German avant-rockers Can, and maybe a few of the more out-there sampling artists - have rarely managed to make the notion of an eclectic world music work as well in a pop context."
That have to be the lamest, most unimaginative namedropping I've ever seen. He probably don't even know any "out-there sampling artists" at all.

And since when have The Residents tried to make eclectic world music within at pop context?
 
Top