While the Gorillaz may look like stylized cartoon characters, they are actually a supergroup of uber-talented musicians. Once upon a time, they were a collected helmed by Damon Albarn (Blur) and Tank Girl cartoonist Jamie Hewlett and produced by the famed Dan the Automator (with cohort Del the Funkee Homosapien). Things change and people move on. The Automator and Del left the fold some time after the self-titled Gorillaz debut came and went.
Albarn has now been joined by new wunderkind Danger Mouse (the man behind The Grey Album) as producer. A whole new cast of characters joins Albarn (aka 2D), Cibo Matto guitarist Miho Hatori (aka Noodle), and bassist Murdoc for 2005’s Demon Days. With the change in producer and contributors, it goes without saying that the music differs from that of the 2001 debut. It’s certainly still electro-hip hop-pop but also much darker than the overall feel of the previous album. Demon Days is definitely excellent—the kind of album that I could have only hoped for from the Gorillaz.
With Danger Mouse at the helm of production, Albarn cuts loose. It suddenly is clear that Albarn is the guy who is pulling the strings. Strangely enough, I’ve never been entirely sold on Blur (his primary musical outlet). Demon Days, it seems, is his real outlet. He can hide behind is two-dimensional character and doesn’t have to heed to fans and make the kind of music that one would expect from an artist pegged as “Brit-pop.” Truth be told, this new album is wild and wicked, wonderful land wistful. It’s certainly not intended to be optimistic; it’s a type of popular music that is at the same time hopelessly disturbing and fabulously infectious. The Gorillaz sound is futuristic hip-pop.
Dennis Hopper (yes, the actor), Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays), Debbie Harry, De La Soul, and Martina Topley-Bird (known for her work with Tricky) all make appearances on Demon Days. The resulting release may not have a whole lot in common with the prior one, but there is one thing that is very similar. Demon Days is the kind of thing you can pop into the stereo and gulp down in one sitting. Oh yes—I like the Gorillaz even more today than I did just a week ago.
The first proper song following the brief intro is Last Living Souls. I’m swept away by Albarn’s disaffected, unemotional chanting paired with the keyboards, drum machines, and chunky guitars. What I most like about the song, though, is that it leaves me feeling a sense of loss and this sadness and emptiness are what this album is emotionally about. The music though is consistent throughout. Kids With Guns is a beat-heavy but completely relaxed outing. I love that Albarn creates ironic, socially aware songs that don’t thwap you over the head with their “profundity.” The song breaks into a lovely, sparkly bit where it’s not about beats as much as it is about keys and melody.
Demon Days continues with O Green World which pairs muffled and distorted vocals from Albarn with new wave synths, whirrs, and drum machines—oh yes, and also tons of humming. Strangely enough it’s this nonsensical droning that drives the song. It’s a brilliant little number and just another reason why I really love the Gorillaz. Dirty Harry is a charming, sparkly song well worth checking out. Most amazing though is that the San Fernandez Youth Chorus is really what drives the song with their sweet voices. Sure the strings are nice and the beats are nice and Bootie Brown’s rapping is wonderful, but the center of the song as far as I’m concerned are the kids. By the way, Dirty Harry is almost certainly intended to be a comparison to the band’s earlier hit Clint Eastwood.
The first song to really get me out of my seat and dancing is Feel Good Inc. The pace is fast, the melody is unforgettable, the vocals/rapping are spot on, and the instruments are incredible. By the way, this is the song that features De La Soul. The next song I really connect with is November Has Come. Between that hip-hop heavy song and the one that follows (All Alone) Danger Mouse’s influence is clearly felt. The former is downbeat and haunting while the last is playful and full of life. What I really like about the latter is that Albarn’s dry, coy voice works perfectly with the rapping—they are complimentary colors of the same wheel.
White Light is definitely one of the darker songs, but what I’m most drawn to is the synthesized noise which smacks of the new wave classic Tainted Love. Of course this is a new, modern twist which masterfully weaves together pop and hip hop and electronica into one appealing package. Dare is also a tidy little song, but with the inclusion of dueling vocals from Shaun Ryder and Rosie Wilson. The song has a kind of immediacy that is rare in music. It’s obvious that Dare is a ready-made single.
As the album nears the end, it becomes wilder and stranger. The first indication that the album has spiraled into uncharted territory is certainly with Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head that is focused on Dennis Hopper reciting a surreal fairytale about invaders, a mountain named Monkey, and the Happyfolk. Of course there is more to the song than just the recitation—there’s a keen arrangement. The strange goodness continues with a pair of relatively upbeat sounding songs. Don’t get Lost in Heaven and Demon Days are definitely lovely tracks well worth staying around for.
It is difficult to speak about Demon Days in specifics. It is intended to be heard from start to finish so speaking about one song does the whole work little justice. Suffice it to say, I love what the Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, and Danger Mouse have once again done to make music interesting.
Whether or not Demon Days is better than the band’s eponymous debut is a matter of taste. There is little doubt that I’m more a fan of Blur than I am of either of the two Gorillaz producers. Dan the Automator is cool (Deltron 3030 rocks my socks), but I’m by no means a big hip hop fan. I love what Danger Mouse did with The Grey Album, but I’m not going to pretend I know much about him either. What I do know is good music, and Gorillaz is at least “good” and more than likely falls into the “great” category. Albarn’s vision is entertaining, intriguing, and musically concise. It works as well on the radio as it does on the album. There is no denying: the Gorillaz are innovative and infinitely cool. Buy this album immediately, most especially if you loved the first album not because of its production but because of its vision.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Intro
02. Last Living Souls
03. Kids With Guns
04. O Green World
05. Dirty Harry
06 Feel Good Inc.
07. El Maņana
08. Every Planet We Reach is Dead
09. November Has Come
10. All Alone
11. White Light
12. Dare
13. Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head
14. Don’t Get Lost in Heaven
15. Demon Days
The 15-track Demon Days is the follow-up to Gorillaz s worldwide smash self-titled debut and was co-produced by Albarn and Danger Mouse. The London Co...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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