Every Track Reached Is Dead: Gorillaz
Written: Sep 13 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 'Feel Good Inc,' other brief glimpses of glory
Cons: Bleakly drawn-out overlong meaningless alternative mishmash
The Bottom Line: The final product is both alienating and underwhelming, forboding but senseless fantasy lyrics swamped by the talentless murmur and ever-present techno backing.
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| blackstar40's Full Review: Demon Days [PA] by Gorillaz |
You can accuse Gorillaz of the use of many detrimental techniques on Demon Days, but they're far from generic. Proudly bearing banners 'the world's most popular animated group' and the 'first virtual hip-hop group,' the cartoon's second album is a series of bizarre inane tracks that suggest the anxiety of modern living but are clouded by uncertainty. They're held together by an abundance of floating vocalizing and more down-to-earth beats.
What it has to show instead is that Damon Larkham may have been better off with his original British band Blur. The undeniable highlight of the entire album is 'Feel Good Inc,' which smashed worldwide charts and is just that, livened by a guest rapper lending his vocals and catchy bassline, almost leaving unintelligent lines 'Windmill, windmill for the land,' 'Watch the way I gravitate' in the dark. What's upsetting is that the band otherwise attribute synth and vocals that sound like they're coming from across a phone line to a series of numbers that fall somewhere between alternative rap and modern rock and lack a lyrical punch like the afore-mentioned.
It gets really ugly just after the Intro, where the group brood on 'Are we the last living souls?' ironic considering they're cartoons, on 'Last Living Souls,' and continue the use of repetitive hooks (it appears for laziness to create originality) like the above example on a number of tracks, 'O Green World,' 'El Manana' and 'White Light' the chief culprits.
When they try and differ from their own unique differences, it is usually a mixed bag - second single 'Dare' keenly samples a number of tracks and a disturbingly androgynous voice sings the verse, while the beat behind it flits up and down the range looking for life in the track. There is none.
'All Alone's' experimentation with sped-up vocals may have been successful if it hadn't already been formed as the basis for Akon's hit 'Lonely,' meaning we've heard it's primary attraction already.
'Dirty Harry' allows Damon to rest while a children's choir and a guest rapper establish the dance-dominated track for him and the Gorillaz venture into street hip-hop for 'November Has Come.' 'Fire Coming Out Of A Monkey's Head' shows us the "they" behind the animations are actually convinced we will want to listen to a dreary narration of a cryptic tale, it's only the chorus showcasing Damon's rarely used here singing voice that sparks interest.
'Every Planet We Reach Is Dead' maintains it's stark contrast to the rest of the release until a piano-techno clash collapses it inwards; presented perhaps as a tribute to long-gone crooners of 30-40 years ago, it mimics the characteristics of sprawling harmonized notes and keyboard substitutes guitar for a classic rock solo.
So why to avoid it: It's so difficult to comprehend the personalities behind the Gorillaz's mask of animation. The techno is placed just behind the monotony of the spacy drone of Damon Larkham to blandly nag at the tune and the songwriting itself usually has very little substance. Even if you ignore the witless words, you're left with fifteen beats that are bound for the club and good for little else. All in all, it's hard to imagine why this sub-standard compilation of hip-hop beats and a voice applied with tuneless distance would be appealing.
Track List:
1. Intro
2. Last Living Souls
3. Kids With Guns
4. O Green World
5. Dirty Harry
6. Feel Good Inc.
7. El Manana
8. Every Planet We Reach Is Dead
9. November Has Come
10. All Alone
11. White Light
12. DARE
13. Fire Coming Out Of A Monkey's Head
14. Don't Get Lost In Heaven
15. Demon Days
Heavy: No
Swearing: A little
Recommended:
No
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blackstar40
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