Demon Days : Gorillaz
The Gorillaz are a project by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett (creator of Tank Girl), involving four animated characters -- 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel -- who make up the hip-hop band. Naturally expectations were a lot higher for Gorillaz's sophomore effort, but Demon Days actually is even better than its predecessor. With producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura gone, Albarn, a.k.a. 2D, has paired up with DJ Danger Mouse (responsible for the infamous Grey Album that illegally mixed the Beatles and Jay-Z) to steer the musical ship, while a whole new slew of guests enlivens the proceedings. Albarn has described Demon Days as being darker, but there's a real kooky dance-party vibe coursing through the CD. Despite its somber tone, "Kids with Guns" is lifted by a killer bass line, for instance, while the catchy first single, "Feel Good Inc," is augmented by an appealing contribution from De La Soul. Other noteworthy guests include Roots Manuva and Tricky collaborator Martina Topley-Bird on the dubby "All Alone" and Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder on the bouncy "DARE." And yet it's a 69-year-old actor who gets to deliver the most baffling contribution--just listen to Dennis Hopper's spoken-word narrative on "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head."
The first few tracks feels like a warm up to the beautiful and chilling, "Dirty Harry", then bursting in with the climax of "Feel Good Inc." the first radio single off the record. Those two really hit hard, and the album doesn't let up until the album's lead out. "El Mañana" and "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" are equally funky and remarkable tunes. The collaborators are sprinkled throughout the album, which are never overbearing, like on the track "November Has Come," where rap veteran Daniel Dumile (aka "MF Doom") lends a hand. It all leads up to the biggest climax of the album, "Dare". A gorgeously crafted pop song that has "club hit" written all over it. The album starts to calm down over the final three tracks with great tracks like "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head". The tracks work cohesively together, bringing the standout tracks to the forefront nicely.
Song List: | 1. | Intro | 1:07 | | 2. | Last Living Souls | 3:15 | | 3. | Kids With Guns | 3:48 | | 4. | O Green World | 4:35 | | 5. | Dirty Harry | 3:50 | | 6. | Feel Good Inc (Album Version) | 3:41 | | 7. | El Mañana | 3:53 | | 8. | Every Planet We Reach Is Dead | 4:55 | | 9. | November Has Come | 2:45 | | 10. | All Alone | 3:33 | | 11. | White Light | 2:13 | | 12. | Dare | 4:06 | | 13. | Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head | 3:19 | | 14. | Don't Get Lost In Heaven | 2:11 | | 15. | Demon Days | 4:28 |
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