Gorillaz
The Fall

No one can truly stop the creativity of Damon Albarn, and even on Christmas day, he and his Gorillaz don't leave us wanting; in fact, a very interesting album created in no time and recorded via I-pad is released. The style of the virtual band is immediately recognizable from the first note, whether it's a brilliant song (I can mention "Feel Good Inc.", "Last Living Souls", "Hong Kong" and "Stylo" among others, but there are many others) or a truly dismal piece ("On Melancholy Hill and many from the first album). Even though this album is clearly not aimed at commercial success, you just have to listen to understand it, it turns out to be full of excellent songs.

The album begins strongly with "Phoner To Arizona" and "Revolving Doors": the first is a predominantly electronic track constructed alongside a classic Gorillaz march and the typical little monster-kid voices; the second starts with a nice guitar riff to which, for the first time (he does not appear in the first song), Damon Albarn's voice is added; it's a driving track suitable for live performances. The cheerful rhythms of "Hillbilly Man" and "Detroit" follow in swift succession, as well as the engaging atmosphere of "Shy-Town" and "Little Pink Plastic Bags", which marks the lowest point of the entire album.

Fortunately, after the worst song comes, in my opinion, the best one: it is "The Joplin Spider", the most dance-oriented song of the entire album, featuring an excellent pounding rhythm that might vaguely remind one of a track by the Chemical Brothers. The momentum continues with "The Parish Of Space Dust", a beautiful piece to sing along with a splendid melody. At this point come the drums and trombones of "The Snake In Dallas" and the excellent "Amarillo". "The Speak It Mountains" is the most unusual piece of the lot, thanks to the strange vocal and sound effects (highlighted by the sound of a flowing river audible in the latter parts of the track), while "Aspen Forest" is a simple sound composition not very effective. The last two tracks beautifully conclude a well-crafted album. There is the country piece "Bobby In Phoenix", sung entirely by Bobby Phoenix (the most attentive will remember him in "Stylo") and "California & The Slipping Of The Sun", a relaxed initial rhythm that gradually transforms into a dance-house explosion.

In conclusion, what else can be added... long live Gorillaz!... The band that perhaps manages best of all to navigate between Pop, Rock, Alternative, Hip Hop, Electronica, and Dance-House (without ever falling into the flashy style of the Black Eyed Peas) with great class.