Something slightly different from our normal type of albums, as I go into alternative music, reviewing a band that I always thought of writing about: Gorillaz.
I'm sure most of you readers have at least heard of Gorillaz, or even heard one or two songs from them. If you haven't, they are an English virtual band created by alternative rock band Blur frontman Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. Formed in 1998, the animated band consisted of 4 members: 2D (the frontman who does lead vocals and plays keyboard), Murdoc Niccols (bass guitar), Noodle (keyboard, guitar & backing vocals) and Russel Hobbs (percussion & drums). Most of you should know them for their collaborations with many hip-hop artists, from Del the Funky Homosapien to Vic Mensa, but let's take it back to the start.
The relationship between Jamie & Damon began when they first met in 1990. At the time, Blur was just recently formed, and lead guitarist/secondary vocalist Graham Coxon was a fan of Jamie's work, asking for Jamie to interview them. The interview was published on Deadline Magazine, which was the home of Jamie's comic strip Tank Girl. Jamie didn't really get along with Damon and the band members, calling Damon "arsey" and "a wanker", and also not getting along with Graham when he started dating Jamie's ex. Despite this though, Jamie & Damon shared a flat on Westbourne Grove, London in 1997, with both breaking up with their girls.
The idea for the band came when Jamie & Damon were watching MTV. They originally named the band Gorilla and the first song they recorded was "Ghost Train". The musicians behind Gorillaz's first incarnation included Damon and Deltron 3030 (Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator and Kid Koala), who previously worked together on Deltron 3030's eponymous debut album in 2000.
Gorillaz's first release was the Tomorrow Comes Today EP in 2000, featuring the title track and 3 new songs (2 of which would be on the album, and 1 that would be edited and dubbed into Spanish). They released their first single "Clint Eastwood" featuring Del the Funky Homosapien (the original actually featured Phi Life Cypher) in March 2001, and later that month, the long-awaited eponymous debut album was released.
Gorillaz was preceded by the Tomorrow Comes Today EP, and the first single "Clint Eastwood". Supported by 4 singles, the album featured production from the band themselves, along with Dan the Automator, Tom Girling and Jason Cox, and featured guest appearances from Del the Funky Homosapien (who wasn't even originally supposed to be on the album) and Ibrahim Ferrer. Throughout the album, the band experiments with a variety of musical genres, such as dub, hip-hop, rap rock, art rock, punk rock, reggae, psychedelia and Latin music.
The album received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the sound and content. It was listed on many best albums of the 2000s lists: it was ranked #6 by Spin in their AOTY list in 2001, and #96 by Slant Magazine. Q listed it as one of the best albums of 2001, Complex listed it as one of the best albums of the 2000s, and was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was a commercial success in the UK & US, reaching #3 in the UK, and #14 in the US. It managed to sell over 5m copies worldwide.
Anyway, let's actually check this out and see how great it is...
1. Re-Hash
The album opener. I like the singing and production on here, pretty interesting and fascinating. It gives such a vintage 60s-like vibe, with a modernized twist, especially considering the drums and instrumentation. But by the 2-minute mark, it kinda gets bland. The lyrics are lowkey confusing, and are not varied, pretty much having a big drug reference. A decent opener that could've been really better.
2. 5/4
A pretty interesting song. The guitar riff is great, and I like the theme, talking about drugs and how it makes 2D feel, saying that it's good for him, but makes him feel sad and overdose. The drums are nice, and the melody is pretty catchy. The instrumentation reminds me of pop rock, and the type of songs that would play from the 90s to the early 2000s. A lot better than the previous track, and I was actually feeling the vibe.
3. Tomorrow Comes Today
The title track from the 2000 EP release. Not only is it IMO the best song on the album, but one of my favourite Gorillaz tunes. The song is pretty depressing and dark, as 2D/Damon sings about the Information Age & humanity, and how he feels uncomfortable in this world. The production is so relaxing and laidback, the drumbeat is dope AF, and I love the harmonica on here, it makes the whole song better. The content in this song is very interesting, and the sound is pretty sad and depressing, while giving a smooth and relaxing vibe. The music video even complements the whole song, and makes me love it even more. Almost 16 years later, and this song still delivers!
4. New Genius (Brother)
I love this track. Something about this song just makes me fawk with this, and actually bump my head to this. It has a spacey laidback vibe, and the production is just banging. The lyrics are pretty subtle, and I love 2D's singing on here. The scratches on here are pretty intriguing as well, and I actually dig the melody, it's very catchy and really got to my head really quickly. Overall, the song is something I can just vibe to and sing along to. One of my favourite songs.
5. Clint Eastwood (feat. Del the Funky Homosapien)
The classic first single off the album, with Del on the mic, while 2D sings the hook. Dan the Automator is on the boards, along with the band themselves, providing a menacing and mellow beat. Del's 2 verses are fire, and his flow is pretty interesting. The concept is pretty interesting, as it's part of the Gorillaz canon/mythology. Del the Funky Homosapien plays Del, a spirit who was hiding from death within Russel Hobbs, the band’s drummer. As part of Russel's back story, Del's character was one of Russel's friends that was gunned down in a drive-by shooting. The production is basic, yet so interesting and menacing, especially with the ominous piano. 2D's chorus is so hypnotizing, and Del really snapped on this track. Another highlight on the album!
6. Man Research (Clapper)
I kinda dig this, the vibe is pretty strange, but interesting, with an eerie drumbeat and video game-like sounds. The hook makes 2D sound like a freakin' baby, although the verses are actually decent. I like the production, it's actually alright. I mess with it. It's just the hook that I didn't like. An alright track!
7. Punk
This is more like an interlude, especially considering the length. Judging from the title, I think it's 2D/Damon making fun of punk rock and its content. It's nothing special, really, just a little track that is a lot different from the other tracks on the album.
8. Sound Check (Gravity)
Well, I didn't see that coming. Starting off sombre and depressing and then the drums and the scratches just kick in. I was just like, OH MY GAUD!!!! The scratches are freakin' dope, and the lyrics are great. But am I the only one that feels like this should've had a rap verse or something. I could imagine Del on this, y'know. The instrumental is pretty haunting and gives a dark vibe, and I was really digging 2D's singing, with them gentle and soft vocals. GAUD DAMN!!! Another standout!
9. Double Bass
Just an instrumental, with electronic sounds and a few scratches here and there. The guitar riff is actually pretty good. But the song just runs on for too long. 5 minutes?!!! There's no vocals, it should've been a 2 minute interlude or something. Anyway, moving on the next track.
10. Rock the House (feat. Del the Funky Homosapien)
The album's third single, and Del returns to provide 3 fire verses, with no additional vocals from 2D. The song is basically what the title suggests. About dancing and having fun. The instrumentation is dope as hell, and gives such an old-school vibe. The horns and flutes on this track are amazing, and I love it. But I always thought the track would sound upbeat, especially judging from the beat. Thought it would have the type of beat I could get jiggy to. I ain't complaining though, this is tight. The old-school vibe is amazing and I love it. One of the best songs on the album.
11. 19-2000
The album's second single, and it was one of my favourites. It still is today. A pretty funky song, which is basically against commercialism, which is funny cos this was used in a gum advert. 2D sings about keeping up with the new trends to look cool in front of everyone. His verses are short and simple, but very intriguing. Noodle's "get the cool shoeshine" bridge is catchy AF, and always sounded like a jingle for a commercial. The production is funky and a little upbeat, with the electronic sounds and a little jolly sound. Great track, still one of my favourites!
12. Latin Simone (¿Qué Pasa Contigo?) [feat. Ibrahim Ferrer]
A strange, but interesting song. Originally sung by 2D in English, the song is dubbed in Spanish by the late Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer, and even if I don't understand WTF he's saying, it still sounds good and I love the Spanish vibe, having such a great effect.
13. Starshine
A little boring. Has a depressing theme to it, with a pretty slow dub drumbeat, and dope bass. But there's hardly any verses, just repeated vocals. It's a song I can listen to without any problem, but I wouldn't say it's one of the album's highlights.
14. Slow Country
A pretty laidback track, good for the Summer and all. Gives a sunny Jamaican reggae and dub vibe. The vocals from 2D are nice, and are quite fitting for the track, and the song has a nice melody. It's the type of song I'd see at the end of a movie, during the end credits scene and shit. Decent song.
15. M1 A1
So the album ends here. After starting off with suspenseful 80s-like music and a guy repeatedly saying "Hello, is anybody there?", the song slowly switches to British rock as the guitar fades in. It's the type of music that you can jump up to in a festival. The guitar is just on point, and the drums are great. It sounds exactly like a Blur song, and I see Damon singing it more than 2D. I fux with it. A very good conclusion.
When I first heard the opening track "Re-Hash", I was thinking that I wasn't gonna like this album as much as I expected myself to. I thought, other than the singles, that I wouldn't like that much on the album. But boy, was I wrong. Gorillaz is such a freakin' dope album. From track 1 to 15, every song delivers. Lead singer 2D (or Damon) goes through a large subject matter, such as commercialism ("19-2000"), partying and having fun ("Rock the House"), humanity living in the Information Age ("Tomorrow Comes Today") and drugs ("5/4" and "Clint Eastwood"). It also manages to succeed at experimenting, as a variety of styles from hip-hop to Latin are used throughout, making the album give so many different vibes. I love the production on here, it's just top-notch and on some next-level shit. The drums on "Tomorrow Comes Today" are just so ill. "New Genius (Brother)" is wavey, the instrumentation is just banging. "Slow Country" has such a sunny vibe, can hear a little reggae in it. And "M1 A1" sounds exactly like a Blur song, and the guitar is sick. The features are little, but still impressive. Del the Funky Homosapien was great on "Clint Eastwood" and he really gave a retro old-skool vibe on "Rock the House". Although I didn't understand what the fawk Ibrahim Ferrer was saying, he gave a nice feel to "Latin Simone". Overall, I love the album. Buy it! It's such a quality project from a virtual band. The vocals are great, the vibes are on point, and the production is top notch. The experimentation succeeded and managed to impress me. Damon & Jamie managed to pull the idea of Gorillaz, showing that 2D. Noodle, Russel and Murdoc were more than just a idea.
Recommended Tracks
Tomorrow Comes Today
Rock the House
Clint Eastwood
New Genius (Brother)
19-2000
Sound Check (Gravity)
M1 A1
But wait, there's more!
In December 2001, 9 months after their debut album was released with the singles being very successful, Gorillaz released G Sides, a compilation album full of previously-unreleased tracks, b-sides and remixes. It was originally released in Japan in December 2001, before being released in early 2002 in both the US & Europe. The compilation features 10 tracks, with guest appearances from Phi Life Cypher, Del the Funky Homosapien and Miho Hatori, and a Soulchild remix of "19-2000". The album debuted at #65 on the UK Albums Chart, and #84 on the US Billboard 200.
Anyway, let's see how these B-sides were like...
1. 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)
Soulchild provides a remix of "19-2000", which is a lot more poppier and upbeat than the original. It's alright, but it really just adds a bubblegum feel. To be honest, it was even worse than they used this for a gum advert, that's what made me not like the remix much. It doesn't even sound like a regular remix, it sounds like something for a kids advert. It just feels so average, compared to the original, and too poppy for my liking. On to the next one...
2. Dracula
This was the B-side of the "Clint Eastwood" single, which sounds like a chill, but menacing track. You can hear a lot of reggae/dub in the track, along with a little jazz. It's a slow jam you can vibe to. It's mostly instrumental though as 2D just repeats a verse and hook, just to let the beat ride for the next two minutes and shit. But I like it, the production is nice AF, the bass is on point, and damn the instrumentation on here, man! I just wished 2D sang a little more, rather than just letting the beat ride. I still dig the song though.
3. Rock the House (radio edit) [feat. Del the Funky Homosapien]
Pretty much the radio edit of "Rock the House", as the title suggests. Really, nothing has changed, apart from the fact that the 3rd verse is omitted, which reduces the song to 3:00, rather than 4:09. Plus, it's clean. That's pretty much it, to be honest.
4. The Sounder (feat. Phi Life Cypher)
Originally the b-side to "Rock the House", Phi Life Cypher jump on this dope ass track, providing some dope ass verses, while 2D provides a hook with a squeaky tone. Life starts off really nice, and I was really digging Si Phili's verse. 2D's singing on the hook is actually pretty interesting, while weird, and I actually like it, especially during the outro after Life & Si Phili share the third verse, while 2D hums and scats for like a minute or two. The production and instrumentation on here is amazing, and the melody is great. The outro is just beautiful, the humming, scatting, the repeated line from the 3rd verse. It's one that makes the whole song so much better.
5. Faust
The second b-side to the "Rock the House" single, which is a lot electronic, but sombre. After 2 minutes of instrumental, Noodle sings in Japanese, as 2D translates it while she repeats her verse. To be honest, it feels so short as the instrumental takes over. We hardly hear 2D & Noodle sing until the 2 minute mark, which lowkey disappoints me, cos I would've loved to hear them sing more. A decent track.
6. Clint Eastwood (feat. Phi Life Cypher)
Phi Life Cypher were actually the original people that were on "Clint Eastwood" for the album, until Del the Funky Homosapien was asked by Dan the Automator to record some verses for Gorillaz on both "Clint Eastwood" and "Rock the House". This led Phi Life Cypher to be omitted and replaced by Del on the album version. But, while it's unfortunate that they didn't get to be on the album, we managed to get the OG version on this compilation. Si Phili starts off with such an ill verse, spitting hot fire such as "I spit words from my mouth that be turnin' you inside out/And I tie knots in intestines just like I'm a boy scout". Plus, his flow was live, I was feeling it like WOAH! Life comes through after and he also kills it, his flow's on point too, delivering bars such as "To the top of my lyrics escalate, accelerate and leave you panickin'/Take the ground from beneath your feet, leave you Skywalk-in' like Anakin". Si Phili comes with another verse, and he once again snaps. The beat is a little different from the album version, I get a different vibe, which is more unpolished and raw here. Another thing is that 2D doesn't sing the infamous hook, which makes this version a lot more darker and less friendly than the album version. While Del really delivered on the album version, this was hands down lyrically better. I mean, Si Phili & Life fully murdered the track! Makes me wonder why Damon didn't put this one on the album.
7. Ghost Train
The third and final b-side to "Rock the House", which is also electronic but pretty catchy and funky AF. It sounds like a theme song, especially with the catchy hook. It starts off slow and steady, but by the middle, is a lot more upbeat and funky, on some 80s new wave shit. By the end, it gets to some alternative rock. The instrumentation is on point, and 2D's singing is great. The way the song builds up and how it switches from electronic to new wave to rock just amazes me. I fux with it, it actually gets me vibing.
8. Hip Albatross
Feels like an interlude, to be honest, especially with the soundbites. A chill, but depressing track, with a gloomy instrumental. 2D sounds insane and out of his mind, and says he was born a zombie. It's alright, I guess. I like the chill vibe, but the song feels way too short.
9. Left Hand Suzuki Method (feat. Miro Hatori)
Here, instead of 2D on the vocals, Noodle (voiced by Miro Hatori) takes over the track, which is pretty funky. She doesn't sing or anything, she just talks about the philosophy of the Suzuki Method, while a funky hip hop beat is playing. I would've loved this song more if 2D or Noodle actually sang on this track. The beat made this song had potential. Oh well, on to the next one!
10. 12D3
Sounds like a country/indie-like track. After taking almost a minute to really start, 2D sings for a while, as a wavey and chill instrumental is playing. 2D's singing is nice, and the harmonization is on point. There's not really a beat, it's just a ukulele loop going on to 3 minutes, which isn't bad, cos a few more instruments come into the track to make it sound even better. Even if there wasn't enough vocals, I actually dig the song. Pretty chill, and a good way to end the album.
So about G-Sides... it actually isn't bad. It's a decent project. Obviously, it's a compilation of tracks that didn't make the album, full of 10 tracks which, like the original album, experiments with a variety of genres from trip hop to punk rock. Unlike the original album, most of the tracks, however, sound like interludes or instrumentals that just have a few vocals on here. "Faust" was pretty much an instrumentals until 2D & Noodle came in near the 2 minute mark. "Hip Albatross" felt like an interlude, with the soundbites all over the track and 2D singing just a little. "Left Hand Suzuki Method" is basically Noodle talking over a dope ass beat, and "12D3" just has a few vocals from 2D. There are still a bunch of solid tracks on the compilation. Phi Life Cypher delivered on "The Sounder" and "Clint Eastwood". "Dracula" was a dope track, with a dub/reggae vibe to it. "Ghost Train" is actually great, and is probably the only song that feels complete. The way the song switches from electronic to new wave to rock just amazed me. Overall, this is just a solid project. If most of the tracks had more vocals and felt complete, I would've loved it even more. I recommend a burn. It's alright, just could've been better. Then again, these were just b-sides and outtakes that didn't make the album, and I'm glad it didn't.
Recommended Tracks
Clint Eastwood (Phi Life Cypher Version)
The Sounder
Ghost Train
12D3
Dracula
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