I've listened to this album a lot in the week and a half since I bought it. That's right, bought. This is the first album I've bought in a long, long time, so that should say something about how high my hopes had become. I've also listened to the first Gorillaz album a fair amount since I bought it in London before it was released here. All that being said I feel I can confidently state a few truths that I hold to be self-evident.
Things the Gorillaz (and when we say "Gorillaz" lets be clear that what we really mean is "Damon Albarn" because this is clearly his baby, and has a decidedly different lineup than the first album) are good at: Melodies; harmonic progression; and mixing sick, sick, nasty, delicious beats out of an almost unintelligible spectrum of sounds. Things the Gorillaz are not good at: FINDING PEOPLE WHO CAN RHYME. I mean, the raps on this album are okay, and the beats harbor so much inherent potential you just keep waiting for some amazing MC to bust out and melt the track down with his flow. But the MCs on this album just don't flow well at all. I can't figure it out. Bad flow can be forgiven with quality lyrics, but the lyrics here are just plain silly. As much as I love this album, and the Gorillaz in general, I am consistently disappointed by the raps on their albums.
Overall this album is drastically more consistent then their first. There are a few moments during the first two songs where it sounds like they're going to repeat the mistakes of the first album and slip into a-rhythmic or poly-rhythmic electronic cacophony. But then the guitar starts strumming, and Albarn starts singing, and the melodies just wash over you and it is, for lack of a better word, awesome. There is a great hook on every single one of the first 12 songs (save for the techno rocker 'White Light'), and that is a very impressive feat. Standout tracks are 'dirty harry,' 'feel good inc.' and 'every planet we reach is dead.' The rapping on 'november has come' is so bad its just plain unlistenable. But if you can soldier through it there is another sublimely chill chorus for you to soak up. That, and the song is mercifully short.
The last three songs are strung together in a somewhat operatic fashion, telling a mythical story using Dennis Hopper to narrate the intro. At one point in his narrative Hopper is getting really into the story and he says the word "gastrophony" which, as far as I can tell (and Microsoft word seems to agree) is not a real word. He was probably going for "cacophony" given the context, but he blew it, and the fact that they left it in kind of annoys me.
This album is the realization of all the potential expressed on the self-titled debut. They've achieved a solidity and gloss here that the first album definitely lacked, and it is a fully realized vision that is gratifying to listen to.
Since this is a new album and not a classic piece of jazz that it would be insulting and presumptuous to rate, I'll rate it.
8.8/10
Things the Gorillaz (and when we say "Gorillaz" lets be clear that what we really mean is "Damon Albarn" because this is clearly his baby, and has a decidedly different lineup than the first album) are good at: Melodies; harmonic progression; and mixing sick, sick, nasty, delicious beats out of an almost unintelligible spectrum of sounds. Things the Gorillaz are not good at: FINDING PEOPLE WHO CAN RHYME. I mean, the raps on this album are okay, and the beats harbor so much inherent potential you just keep waiting for some amazing MC to bust out and melt the track down with his flow. But the MCs on this album just don't flow well at all. I can't figure it out. Bad flow can be forgiven with quality lyrics, but the lyrics here are just plain silly. As much as I love this album, and the Gorillaz in general, I am consistently disappointed by the raps on their albums.
Overall this album is drastically more consistent then their first. There are a few moments during the first two songs where it sounds like they're going to repeat the mistakes of the first album and slip into a-rhythmic or poly-rhythmic electronic cacophony. But then the guitar starts strumming, and Albarn starts singing, and the melodies just wash over you and it is, for lack of a better word, awesome. There is a great hook on every single one of the first 12 songs (save for the techno rocker 'White Light'), and that is a very impressive feat. Standout tracks are 'dirty harry,' 'feel good inc.' and 'every planet we reach is dead.' The rapping on 'november has come' is so bad its just plain unlistenable. But if you can soldier through it there is another sublimely chill chorus for you to soak up. That, and the song is mercifully short.
The last three songs are strung together in a somewhat operatic fashion, telling a mythical story using Dennis Hopper to narrate the intro. At one point in his narrative Hopper is getting really into the story and he says the word "gastrophony" which, as far as I can tell (and Microsoft word seems to agree) is not a real word. He was probably going for "cacophony" given the context, but he blew it, and the fact that they left it in kind of annoys me.
This album is the realization of all the potential expressed on the self-titled debut. They've achieved a solidity and gloss here that the first album definitely lacked, and it is a fully realized vision that is gratifying to listen to.
Since this is a new album and not a classic piece of jazz that it would be insulting and presumptuous to rate, I'll rate it.
8.8/10