•
Rating: The Gorillaz are a musical project created by Blur's frontman Damon Albarn in 2001, alongside cartoonist Jamie Hewlett. The band is showcased as an animated cartoon (drawn by Hewlett himself), a project that has been hugely successful! First and foremost because, under the guise of a cartoon, they never take themselves too seriously, their music perfectly reflects their virtual world, a dark horror ironic world! Populated by friendly demons and quirky characters. Their music is a mix of genres, a lively blend of Hip Hop, electronic, Rock, and Big Beat (plus various other influences, like even Latin American). It's difficult to label this group with a musical genre; they are simply the Gorillaz! Across 13 tracks, 13 experiments, 13 different genres, 13 extravagant sound situations, from sweet sounds played with strings, violins, accordions, trumpets, to harder, dark, big beat tones. Their way of taking themselves with irony makes them one of the most original musical groups ever. "Gorillaz" and "Demon Days" are two extraordinary albums (great videos, live animated concerts, and eccentric sounds). From the latter album, this new collection named "D-Sides" was derived, a collection of B-Sides (songs that were part of an album's lineup but were not included in the final product).
Who says a B-Side is an inferior song because it was left out of the album? Absolutely false! Incredibly, but... these tracks are almost better than those chosen for the album!
It starts with "68 State" which immediately introduces us to their quirky world, a lovely song characterized by little guitars, small bass loops, and highly catchy electronic sound effects. Not a bad introduction, followed by tracks that I define as little strokes of genius! "People" with a base similar to "Dare" introduces Albarn's charming voice (whimsical, ironic, and intentionally off-key!) pure cheerfulness. The sounds become increasingly bizarre with the melodic "HongKongation" which is stunning! Whereas the true essence of the Gorillaz emerges in "We Are Happy Landfill", a wild pop track with rock influences mixed with a cartoonish base made of cartoon-style sounds (trains, trumpets, horns...) spectacular and immensely fun! There's also room for an authentic masterpiece, "Hong Kong", with heart-wrenching melodic sounds that evoke an oriental sonic style and a truly heartfelt and passionate vocal performance. For those nostalgic for 80s electro-pop, the beautiful "Rockit" with a rap vocal part ending with muttering "blablablablablabla" (purely in the band's ironic style), a very 80s bass, and a vocoder-backed refrain in Kraftwerk style. A tear of nostalgia rolls down.
And after the song dedicated to "Clint Eastwood" in 2001, it's the turn of "Bill Murray", which sound-wise has nothing to envy to the other (light Funky, 30s choirs, trumpets, various electronics).
An unfortunate episode with "Murdoc Is God", which turns out to be too noisy, with little melody, almost annoying. However, the demo version of "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" is beautiful, less epic than the album version, and more cheerful and fun. The album concludes with a very special ballad, "Stop The Dams".
The collection also contains a remix disc from "Demon Days," which I won’t review because I never liked remixes.
In short, an "unusual" album that will surely please all lovers of that more or less experimental musical genre. Full of beautiful sounds and irony, and very captivating. To make the wait for the new album more bearable.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 People (03:27)
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making a sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing their ground
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making a sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing their ground
(Oh yeah!)
He dreams of the top
You will be over the edge
If you get it on side
You'll be taking ditch
You'll be loving our love
But you don't know why
It's the term of the day
So we never excite
Your heart isn't there
So you might as well say:
"I know it, I got it,
but I know that time will set me together"
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making a sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing a their ground
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making a sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing a their ground
(Oh yeah!)
He dreams of the top
You will be over the edge
If you get it on side
You'll be taking ditch
You'll be loving our love
But you don't know why
It's the term of the day
So we never excite
Your heart isn't there
So you might as well say:
"I know it, I got it,
but I know that time will set me together"
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing their ground
People, people, everybody people
Everybody making sound
People, people, everybody people
Everybody standing their ground
(Oh yeah!)
05 Hong Kong (07:14)
Lord, hear me now
Junk boats and English boys
Crashing out in super marts
Electric fences and guns
You swallow me
I'm a pill on your tongue
Here on the nineteenth floor
The neon lights make me numb
And late in a star's life
It begins to explode
And all the people in a dream
Wait for the machine
Pick the shit up leave it clean
Kid hang over here
What you're learning in school
Is the rise of an eastern sun
Gonna be good for everyone?
The radio station disappeared
Music turned into thin air
The DJ was the last to leave
She had well conditioned hair
Was beautiful but nothing really was there
08 Bill Murray (03:52)
Too many days to get lost
Many, many people I've known got lost
Too many days to get lost
Many, many people I've known got lost
Too many days to get lost
Many, many people I've known got lost
Too many days to get lost
Many, many people I've known got lost
Too many days to get lost
Many, many people I've known got lost
10 Murdoc Is God (02:26)
Murdoc is god
Murdoc is god
Murdoc is god
Trying to fit in
Murdoc is king
Murdoc is dead
Murdoc is god
Trying to fit in
Murdoc is god
Murdoc is god
Murdoc is god
Trying to fit in
Murdoc is king
Murdoc is dead
Murdoc is god
Trying to fit in
13 Stop the Dams (05:38)
When You're Smoking In Tinfoil In The Morning
It's Gonna Be A Cold Day
When You're Keeping Everything Inside You
It Can Only Hurt You
Unrelated Sounds
The Sun Will Shine Again
You Hold It In Your Hands
This Young Land Is A Young Land And It'll Stay That Way
Its Pollution Only Turns You Into Something You Don't Want To See In The [???]
A Reflection Of The [???] You Receive
You Got On The Stars
And The Sun Won't Shine Again
So Maybe You're All In Love
[With / And] Aluminium
The Cling And A Clang
Is The Metal In My Head When I Walk
I Hear A Sort Of, This Tinging Noise
Cling Clang
The Cling Clang
So Many Things Happen While Walking
The Metal In My Head Clangs And Clings As I Walk
Freaks My Balance Out
So The Natural Thought
Is Just Clogged Up
Totally Clogged Up
So We Need To Unplug These Dams
And Make The The Natural Flow
It Sort Of Freaks Me Out
We Need To Unplug The Dams
You Cannot Stop The Natural Flow Of Thought
With A Cling And A Clang
And Wake Me Up Again Until
We're Aluminium
You Hold It In Your Hands
The Sun Will Shine Again
The Sun Will Shine Again
The Sun Will Shine Again
The Sun Will Shine Again
The Sun Will Shine Again
The Sun Will Shine Again
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By babymurdoc
Gorillaz abandon their darker side and here emerges on this double CD the group’s more playful side from the first album.
It is certainly not a masterpiece, nor even an album of beautiful songs, but an excellent soundtrack for those who want to hear something that is at the same time original and catchy.
