i didn't like Plastic Beach much st the time but listening back i was pleasantly surprised, especially compared to the new stuff i've heard so far.
when was the last classic or even decent Albarn-affiliated album? last Blur sucked, solo album was pretty forgettable.
― piscesx, Thursday, 27 April 2017 16:03 (six years ago) link
i liked plastic beach & think tank
― Mordy, Thursday, 27 April 2017 16:05 (six years ago) link
i actually think i preferred D-sides to Plastic Beach.as for this .. too guest heavy for me.i have never been one for guest heavy albums.
― mark e, Thursday, 27 April 2017 17:17 (six years ago) link
Strobelite's a tuuuune.
― piscesx, Thursday, 27 April 2017 22:02 (six years ago) link
Listening to Humanz again now and it's not like its without its highlights or anything, but I can't shake the feeling that Albarn fell off after Demon Days (his last true masterpiece) and never really got it back.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 17:43 (six years ago) link
a friend gave me a vinyl copy and it's... ok. sex murder party is really bad though.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 13 July 2017 17:47 (six years ago) link
Both this and Plastic Beach suffer from too many guests - particularly the former, which seems like an exercise in "look at who I'm working with" from front to back.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 17:51 (six years ago) link
wasn't that always the gimmick w gorillaz? (full disclosure I have never actually listened to a gorillaz album before this one)
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 13 July 2017 17:53 (six years ago) link
new track, "sleeping powder", is better than anything on humanz.
the album is just too busy trying to impress with the guest list.
i watched a chunk of the demon dayz festival thing last night, and the damon fronted tracks were absolutely fantastic, thus making me realise what it is re humanz that i dont really like.
― mark e, Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:03 (six years ago) link
Yeah, but Albarn was always the boss of the project and it was his identity that was most dominant on Gorillaz and Demon Days, no matter who he was collaborating with - on Humanz, bar a couple of tracks, Albarn sounds like a guest on his own record.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:05 (six years ago) link
(xpost)
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:06 (six years ago) link
exactly.
x-x-post.
also, the earlier albums had a lovely fat warm live band sound (albeit produced to a high standard).a lot of the production on humanz = laptop/thin sounding.yes, there are the modern sonic bass sounds to give it the impression of depth, but it still sounds thin to me.
― mark e, Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:14 (six years ago) link
Yeah, now that you mention it, there does seem to be something "cheap" sounding about portions of not only Humanz, but Plastic Beach too, which is something I could never have said about Demon Days ...
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:25 (six years ago) link
it definitely started with PB, and then hit hard on the demo album, sorry, the fall.and now has become the new sound.damon no longer uses certain studio crew anymore eg cass browne for drums/studio stuff (look at credits - cass was massively involved on the early material), and i think this has massively changed the sound.watch the gig via red bull concert, and it becomes a lot more apparent the difference in sound between the first albums/b-sides, and the new stuff.
― mark e, Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:29 (six years ago) link
ps. "early albums" include the G-sides/D-sides stuff as well if you ask me.some great tracks on those collections.
― mark e, Thursday, 13 July 2017 18:36 (six years ago) link
Turrican OTM - Demon Days is great. That and good, the bad and the queen are the last Albarn projects I rate
― Paisley Window Pane (Ross), Thursday, 13 July 2017 19:12 (six years ago) link
The Good, The Bad & The Queen has some good stuff on it - the title track, for example - but I find it a bit of a slog on the whole.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Thursday, 13 July 2017 19:20 (six years ago) link
Plastic Beach is his last good album, there's plenty of great stuff on there like Stylo, Empire Ants and On Melancholy Hill, though it's not as good as Demon Days. It was the start of those cheap-sounding synths/drum machines though which were ok there but awful on Humanz.
― ufo, Friday, 14 July 2017 01:36 (six years ago) link
Yeah, I like Plastic Beach a lot, especially the songs you mention ufo. Empire Ants is the best Damon related song since the good bits on Think Tank.
― kitchen person, Friday, 14 July 2017 01:52 (six years ago) link
I'm listening to the debut now for the first time in years and it's really not funny how much more fresh it sounds compared to Humanz, particularly since I considered it a bit of a throwaway album back in 2001 and later merely a warm-up for Demon Days.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Friday, 14 July 2017 13:16 (six years ago) link
new album announced.not a single ripple on ILM.me included.not sure I can be bothered anymore, though I have heard it could a lot less guest heavy, in which case, I may become slightly more interested.
― mark e, Thursday, 31 May 2018 19:55 (five years ago) link
If Albarn is to move forward with Gorillaz, he's got to stop sounding like a guest on his own records.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:01 (five years ago) link
exactly.as was said last time we did this.also, the whole 'Murdoch not on this album' thing.who cares now re the whole 'story' re the band now ?
― mark e, Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:04 (five years ago) link
Not me. At this point I'd rather Albarn would knuckle down and make another great record - I think Demon Days was actually his last truly great one, and that was 13 years ago now!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:08 (five years ago) link
Here are the two songs that have been released which I am quite digging:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yFcdPAGv0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68JpPpSc7bs
And here's the Tracklist:
1 “Humility” (Feat. George Benson)2 “Tranz”3 “Hollywood” (Feat. Snoop Dogg & Jamie Principle)4 “Kansas”5 “Sorcererz”6 “Idaho”7 “Lake Zurich”8 “Magic City”9 “Fire Flies”10 “One Percent”11 “Souk Eye”
Only two of the songs feature guest, and in the case of George Benson that guest is purely instrumental. The album is being produced by James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco and Remi Kabaka Jr.
― MarkoP, Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:10 (five years ago) link
Of course the reason I like these is that they remind me more of Plastic Beach, which has been my favorite Gorillaz album.
― MarkoP, Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:11 (five years ago) link
so this is like 'the fall' then.first track is quite lovely.the second, is a demo track that does little for me.
― mark e, Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:40 (five years ago) link
also, the whole 'Murdoch not on this album' thing.who cares now re the whole 'story' re the band now ?
ppl who follow the story will think this is fun, people who don't will have no idea about it. idg the objection?
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:11 (five years ago) link
Turrican otm re demon days
― Ross, Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:19 (five years ago) link
fair enough.I was told earlier by one of the bands inner circle I was being overly cynical during a chat re the albums details.so you are not alone sic in telling me off.
― mark e, Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:24 (five years ago) link
Are the 'band' actually ageing?
No guests on this one or very few, so more like The Fall (the free Christmas Day 2010 Damon-on-his-iPad album, not as in '..plus your granny on bongos').
― piscesx, Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:31 (five years ago) link
Humility is nice enough, probably the best thing Albarn has done since Plastic Beach
― ufo, Friday, 1 June 2018 07:29 (five years ago) link
Yes, Noodle is a tall girl now.
― Mark G, Friday, 1 June 2018 10:29 (five years ago) link
I thought Murdoc was showing his age by balding, but apparently, he's still in jail and the balding green dude is his replacement, Ace, a former Powerpuff girls villan. http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/gorillaz-recruit-powerpuff-girls-character-watch-their-new-video-starring-jack-black
― BrianB, Friday, 1 June 2018 12:34 (five years ago) link
I do kind of like the idea of Murdoc being replaced by another pre-existing cartoon character. It's like when John Frusciante was replaced with Dave Navarro.
― MarkoP, Friday, 1 June 2018 14:38 (five years ago) link
^^ amazing post
― flamenco blorf (BradNelson), Friday, 1 June 2018 14:40 (five years ago) link
The new LP isn't all that bad. It's nowhere near the level of Demon Days, but at least Albarn's presence is more noticeable on this one! 'Tranz' is my favourite Gorillaz track in ages.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 2 July 2018 20:36 (five years ago) link
This has the most repeat play value since Demon Days for me by a long shot (admittedly that wouldn't take very much), only a few days in. Loads of top notch Albarn on here
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 3 July 2018 15:48 (five years ago) link
revive inspires me to hear this. demon days was my last fave
― Ross, Tuesday, 3 July 2018 15:50 (five years ago) link
Album is incredible. Love the spaghetti western song Idaho
― Ross, Tuesday, 3 July 2018 20:46 (five years ago) link
New record rules
― No angel came (Ross), Friday, 20 July 2018 19:23 (five years ago) link
rhinestone eyes is the best gorillaz song
― thicc elizabeth (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 22 October 2019 22:23 (four years ago) link
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2020/09/09/robert-smith-gorillaz-strange-timez/
Gorillaz - Strange Timez ft. Robert Smith (Episode Six):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbA5p54Rw2M
― Bee OK, Thursday, 10 September 2020 03:32 (three years ago) link
ILM doesn’t talk much about Gorillaz. They frequently misuse collaborators but I’m very interested in some of the guests in this one. Elton John + 6lack in the same track sounds ridiculous but I love that combo. I think the Goldlink + UMO and JPEG + Chai tracks might be good but cautious as to why they got sent to the Deluxe / bonus tracks version of the album.
Full tracklist:1.) "Strange Timez" (featuring Robert Smith)2.) "The Valley of the Pagans" (featuring Beck)3.) "The Lost Chord" (featuring Leee John)4.) "PAC-MAN" (featuring ScHoolboy Q)5.) "Chalk Tablet Towers" (featuring St. Vincent)6.) "The Pink Phantom" (featuring Elton John & 6LACK)7.) "Aries" (featuring Peter Hook & Georgia)8.) "Friday 13th" (featuring Octavian)9.) "Dead Butterflies" (featuring Kano & Rosani Arias)10.) "Désolé [Extended Version]" (featuring Fatoumata Diawara)11.) "Momentary Bliss" (featuring slowthai & SLAVES)
Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:12.) "Opium" (featuring EARTHGANG)13.) "Simplicity" (featuring Joan As Police Woman)14.) "Severed Head" (featuring Goldlink & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)15.) "With Love to An Ex" (featuring Moonchild Sanelly)16.) "MLS" (featuring JPEGMAFIA & CHAI)17.) "How Far?" (featuring Tony Allen & Skepta)
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 10 September 2020 04:57 (three years ago) link
honestly I think damon has just kinda lost it as both a producer and melodist
― unpaid intern at the darvo institute (Simon H.), Thursday, 10 September 2020 04:59 (three years ago) link
the last damon album that was at all worthwhile was plastic beach and that was still pretty inconsistent
― ufo, Thursday, 10 September 2020 05:19 (three years ago) link
Merrie Land had some good moments
― assert (MatthewK), Thursday, 10 September 2020 06:19 (three years ago) link
wait hold up what feat who
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Thursday, 10 September 2020 14:29 (three years ago) link
I was wondering why you hadn't said anything yet!
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 September 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
Have to say I’m most intrigued by the Leee John collaboration.
― Dan Worsley, Thursday, 10 September 2020 16:12 (three years ago) link