The Good, the Bad & the Queen

The Profile

The Good, the Bad & the Queen are a British music group featuring Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, known for two studio albums that reviewers often describe as deeply English in mood and imagery.

From the reviews: the group is repeatedly described as a British “superband/supergroup” tied strongly to Damon Albarn’s songwriting; the debut album is associated with London atmosphere and English themes, while Merrie Land is explicitly framed as a post-Brexit concept work. Publicly verifiable: the band released two studio albums (The Good, the Bad & the Queen in 2007; Merrie Land in 2018) and is generally categorized as an English supergroup.

Across these reviews, The Good, the Bad & the Queen are framed as a Damon Albarn-led “British superband” with a moody, very English atmosphere. Writers highlight a mix of folk-ish songwriting, dub/Afrobeat-informed rhythm (often pointing to Tony Allen) and Paul Simonon’s signature bass. The debut is often described as melancholic and London-centric; Merrie Land is treated as a post-Brexit concept statement. Reception ranges from “absolute triumph” to “good but too sparse,” with recurring praise for craft, mood, and songwriting.