Gorillaz - Demon Days
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Free Music Notes for Demon Days
Free Music Review: More Fun than a Honk Kong Phooey Marathon.
Hit: 5 Stars
Three years ago, Damon Albarn's Gorillaz redefined the meaning of musical side project. The cartoon band's eponymous debut notched up a lot of popularity, outselling Blur's releases and ratcheting up the pressure for the follow-up. Suddenly, the project's next steps would affect a major label's share price.
Many a three-dimensional band would have buckled under the strain. Not so. The Gorillaz who, in response, serve up a raft of cultural icons, Hollywood film stars and artists from right across the musical spectrum prove that, at least in 2-D world, second albums don't need sound difficult if you have an abundance of talent and some cool friends.
Demon Days marks a shift into darker realms for the cartoon band from the Intro. An eerie bassoon suggests entry into a haunted house and creates a distinct feel. One almost expects Christopher Lee's dulcet tones to beckon from atop the sweeping staircase. This ghostly emptiness returns several times - it's next detected at the end of O Green World, with a melancholic bell ring.
The next two tracks stick with a lo-fi feel of simple percussion and bass overlaid with Albarn's trademark atmospheric synths, FX and resigned, half-cut vocals. Neneh Cherry offers some Salt'n'Pepa Push It backing vox on the unsettling Kids With Guns.
Clint Eastwood was one of the debut album's standout tracks, and the former governor of Carmel is invoked here too, on the catchy Dirty Harry. Here we get a mix-up of rap from Bootie Brown, a children's choir (the San Fernandez Youth Chorus) and a string section - double bass is used on most tracks - all put together with hand claps and funky synth sounds. Music doesn't get much more eclectic than this.
The lead single "Feel Good, Inc" contains the record's most hook-laden chorus, with Albarn's snoozy vocals juxtaposing De La Soul's guest rap, upbeat acoustic guitar - Blur's Simon Tong on hand - and zingy synth and bass sounds to memorable effect.
"Feel Good, Inc" is fun, but Demon Days as a whole is a thing of considerable depth and melancholy and offers rather more soul than the cartoon gimmick would suggest. Minor chords dominate with resigned vocalizations and lyrical sensibilities as viola and cello add gravity to tracks like "El Manana." Even MF Doom's rap contribution to "November Has Come" doesn't lift the record from its reflective trajectory.
And what of the rest of those guests? Martina Topley-Bird is restricted to space-folk backing vocals on "All Alone," but Roots Manuva takes the dominant lead. Elsewhere, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" even finds Ike Turner at the piano.
One of the highlights of the record is "DARE," starring the always unique vocal talents of ex-Happy Mondays front man Shaun Ryder, last seen accompanying Peter Kay and fellow ex-Monday Bez on the way to Amarillo. A man not known for his lyrical dexterity, like The Fall's Mark E Smith, Ryder achieved icon status rather for the sound his voice makes - and Albarn is all about unique sounds in the cultural escape, as the debut record's use of Ibrahim Ferrer's unmistakable voice on "Que Pasa Contigo" demonstrated.
And just when the cartoon heroes can't get any cooler, along comes Dennis Hopper to read us to sleep with a monologue, "Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head," punctuated by Albarn's clearest experimentation with country in the chorus.
Closing out, "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" and the title track flow easily one into the other, with the London Community Gospel Choir and angelic piano chords, shimmering guitar and uplifting lyrics offering the brightest moments on the record and surely drawing inspiration from The Beach Boys. There's somehow even room for a classical string section and a phrase of reggae along the way to the end of some 50 minutes of music that plays like half that time.
Demon Days isn't the instant party hit that Gorillaz's debut was. Rather, it mingles a decidedly human sadness with a palpable enthusiasm for making new music that's every bit the unexpected surprise it sounds. Two dimensional? Anything but.
Free Music Review: Excellent
Hit: 5 Stars
Before I start reviewing this album, let me clear something up for those who don't know: the Gorillaz are NOT, I repeat, NOT rap or hip hop of any kind. Just because they release a couple singles that feature rap artists ("Feel Good Inc." and "Clint Eastwood") doesn't automatically make them a rap group. The Gorillaz by themselves are more techno than rap. I'd also like Amazon.com to know this and please remove the Gorillaz from the rap category.
In fact, the Gorillaz are more along the lines of Beck, if nothing else. They're quite the creative bunch, using all sorts of things from synthesizers and gospel choirs to acoustic and bass guitars. There's even a 15 year-old Japanese girl named Miho Hatori (or Noodle, as most Gorilla fans know her as) here who does most of the guitar work. She's pretty skilled for her young age and adds a nice touch to the Gorillaz sound. Frontman Damon Albarn, more commonly known as 2-D, has dry and haunting vocals that compliment the many sounds on the album and even tries his hand at rapping on the single "Feel Good Inc.". Bassist Jamie Hewlett, also known as Murdoc, performs some essential bass work on tracks like "Last Living Souls", which also features a soothing violin arrangement appearing near the end of the song that carries on for the remainder of the track, not to mention some acoustic guitaring as a prequel to the violins. Another great track is "Dirty Harry", which features synth work and a young boy's choir that back up 2-D's vocals. But the song changes pace entirely about halfway through when Booty Brown drops an addictive verse. "Dare", a funky song in the vein of disco, is a great club banger and should be their next single, in my opinion.
But along with the upbeat songs come more mellow tracks like "November Has Come", which features underground rap artist MF Doom and more haunting vocals from 2-D. "Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head" is somewhere in between the upbeat and the mellow, featuring Dennis Hopper telling a story that somewhat resembles that of humans. 2-D's vocal work on the chorus is arguably the best on the album and is backed up by some short-lived acoustic guitar. "El Manana" is a slightly depressing song with an everpresent siren in the background and great acoustic work. This song is a good example of what 2-D can do with his voice and is a quintessential Gorillaz track that wouldn't be too out of place on their self-titled debut.
Now for the rest. "Kids With Guns" is a catchy song with a great beat and an addictive bass line from Murdoc. "O Green World" is a very odd song that opens with some strange synth sounds and a heavy beat with little chirps all throughout the song. "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" is also heavy and extremely catchy, though the beat lets up a bit during 2-D's verses. "All Alone" is a fast-paced song with a haphazard beat and an appearance by Roots Manuva. "White Light" is another heavy, fast-paced song with some catchy synth sounds and some choral vocals near the end. "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" is a melodic tune featuring a gospel choir and some great vocals from 2-D. And last but not least, the previous song carries on into "Demon Days", the closing of this volume of the Gorillaz experience. It also has a gospel choir in it, and features some synth and guitar work until it fades.
Overall, this album gets a 10/10. Very few albums in today's music world have this kind of creativity, and the sound is refreshing from other groups' tendency to have the same sound throughout the whole album. The only thing I miss is the presence of Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, whose creative rap verses brightened songs on the last album. But hey, "Demon Days" is still excellent.
Free Music Review: Nothing short of a production masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
When the first Gorillaz album hit the radio waves it was hard not be charmed by songs like Clint Eastwood and 19/2000. It pulled together some different elements, had some campy fun sensibilities to them, and of course a slick presentation to the band itself. That said, it's not the kind of album that I find myself compelled to listen to years later, except maybe to play a choice cut that I'm in the mood for. It was a fun album in its time and place.
Demon Days is such a leap for the fictitious band that it's almost feels like a different project altogether. I can't help but be reminded of the Beastie Boys leap from Liscensed to Ill to Paul's Boutique (the former being a classic bit of simplistic 80s cheese that we all thought was fun and the latter being a timeless classic that might be the only rap album released in the 80s that doesn't sound dated).
It's no coincidence that Demon Days features a prominent change in lineup. Producer Dan the Automator has been left behind for newcomer Danger Mouse, a bold endeavor which has payed off in spades. I was completely unaware of Danger Mouse before this album (and indeed his credits are few) but I do know that I will keep a close eye on anything he does from now none.
Demon Days might be the best produced album of the last decade (barring, perhaps Brian Wilson's SMiLE). In terms of sound, Demon Days is completely unlike anything I've ever heard (though all the elements are recognizable). The spine of the production seems to be alot of very nimble electronica. Alot of it thudding and danceable, but with melodic threads that work well with Albarn's somber lilting. Blended perfectly into this fray are some very nice string arangements that recall some of the best of 70s soul, as well as some delicate acoustic guitars, pianos, and even a children's choir. It doesn't rely on predictable standards for constructing a coherent sound. The result is something which feels something like pop, hip hop, rock, techno and yet one wouldn't call it any of these for even a moment.
I don't know if there's really any songwriting going on in this album. There's definately melody going on, and it's very effective, often actually emotional (something I could never say about the Gorillaz first outing). But what I'm not really sure of is that any of it could work if it were to be stripped down. Lyrically there's nothing particularly captivating either, though nothing that turns me off either. But the album in its highly polished state it is perfectly effective, so I'm not sure that these things are even an issue. These same critiques could be made of Beck's Odelay, but the same sorts of strengths that make that album overcome these things work for Demon Days as well.
It's also worth mentioning that this album is clearly more of a coherent project than the first. The album has a beginning, a cimax, and a cathartic ending. It feels like a journey, and tracks flow well into each other, and sometimes work better in context than they otherwise would.
I've been listening to this album for a while now before deciding to write on it, and I can say with some confidence, that's something I will be listening to for years to come. It's just extremely well put together, and its sound is full, rich, and very fresh. One can only hope that this will inspire other artits in the mainstream to be as adventurous.
Free Music Review: It may be different. But it's just as brilliant
Hit: 5 Stars
Like you, I loved the first Gorillaz record. But also like you, I was a little worried about Gorillaz falling prey to the dreaded sophomore slump that many bands subsequently release after belting out such a stunning debut. Unfortunately, a lot of people are calling "Demon Days" just that, which couldn't be further from the truth. I can't say that I'm surprised, due to the change in the band's line up. Most notably, Dan The Automator has left the group (as well as Del), leaving Damon Albarn as the leader and creative visionary of the group (along with producer, Danger Mouse). That alone is enough to lose a few fans. But the fact is, Damon Albarn hasn't crafted anything this beautiful since Blur's 1994 "Parklife", which is truly an amazing feat. Especially considering Blur's last album "Think Tank" wasn't quite up to par. But this is very different than a Blur record. There is a real sense of liberation on Albarn's side. Gorillaz has really given him a chance to spread his wings, and let him experiment and try things he wasn't able to do with Blur. Albarn's flame has been re-ignited with this record, proving once again that his musical vision is one of a genius.
The record has a very cinematic feel to it. It possesses a lot of build-up and tear-down elements to it. The first few tracks feels like a warm up to the beautiful and chilling, "Dirty Harry", then bursting in with the climax of "Feel Good Inc." the first radio single off the record. Those two really hit hard, and the album doesn't let up until the album's lead out. "El Mañana" and "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" are equally funky and remarkable tunes. The collaborators are sprinkled throughout the album, which are never overbearing, like on the track "November Has Come," where rap veteran Daniel Dumile (aka "MF Doom") lends a hand. It all leads up to the biggest climax of the album, "Dare". A gorgeously crafted pop song that has "club hit" written all over it (it's one of my favorites). The album starts to calm down over the final three tracks with great tracks like "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head". The tracks work cohesively together, bringing the standout tracks to the forefront nicely. With that said, some tracks that may seem like filler to others, really add to the album's mood and flair. It doesn't feel like a bunch of tracks thrown on a CD. It feels like a journey through the eyes of Damon Albarn.
All in all, if you were into the first record strictly for the collaboration of Dan The Automator and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (among others), then you may be somewhat disappointed with "Demon Days," although there are plenty of hip-hop elements to the record. If you entered "Gorillaz" from the Blur end of things, then what are you waiting for; you NEED this record. However you stumbled upon "Gorillaz," the material on this record is remarkable. I will admit, it isn't what I was expecting, which is almost why I like it more. It's far more interesting to listen to the stark contrast of their two studio efforts, than to keep thinking what could've been. This is by far my favorite album from Albarn, which I would recommend very, very highly.
Free Music Review: A Perfect Sequal to a Perfect CD
Hit: 5 Stars
Gorillaz, the first Gorillaz CD, was a perfect CD. It was innovative, with so many different sounds and styles blending together; it had hard rock, rap, alternative, and plenty of other stuff.
Demons Days, thankfully, kept true to it predecessor by keeping that same style. This is a perfect sequel to a perfect CD. Nothing can be said negative about this CD, other than it isn't as long as Gorillaz. After that, though, the content is much more varied and stylistic than the first, with songs that have meaning as well as the chaos that goes with listening to the Gorillaz. It takes time to find the meanings, but when you do there will be some gratification. And the title, whether it was intentional or not, goes so well with the times. It doesn't have anything to do with demons, either, so all you parents out there can stop looking at your children as if they are devil worshippers.
There are plenty of standout tracks on this CD, but the showcase songs are Feel Good Inc., Dirty Harry, Dare, and the title song Demon Days. Feel Good Inc. is a mixture of rap and alternative, and is the first single on the CD. Dirty Harry is the song that has a great deal of meaning dealing with the times we live in the war going on, following an alternative/rap style, but with a great chorus backing that fades in slowly. Dare is a dance song, plain and simple, with a techno beat that sounds great when played loud. Demon Days, the true oddball here, is an orchestral song with tambourines in the background and great lyrics. Following I've listed the entire track selection, and my personal starred rating of each song:
1. Intro: ** (Gets you into a mood but is short and not in actuality a song)
2. Last Living Souls: **** (Good opening song with a simple, addictive beat)
3. Kids with Guns: **** (Another simple beat, but this song has a profound title that is eye-catching)
4. O Green World: *** (Plucked electric guitars, as well as a techno beat that comes in and alternative-styled lyrics)
5. Dirty Harry: *****
6. Feel Good Inc.: *****
7. El Manana: **** (slow lyrics and a soft techno sound)
8. Every Planet We Reach is Dead: **** (electric guitars and a keyboard open this song with slowly sung lyrics)
9. November Has Come: **** (rap with a good base-thumping beat, as well as a decent chorus line)
10. All Alone: **** (probably the fifth best song on the CD, with a techno sound and odd lyrics and a rap)
11. White Light: *** (hard rock with a harsh drum beat, the only song I skip when listening, next to the intro, though it isn't bad)
12. Dare: *****
13. Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head: **** (a story song with a humming chorus and steady beat)
14. Don't Get Lost: **** (Orchestral like Demon Days, and in many ways a prelude to the final track)
15. Demon Days: *****
I'd recommend Demon Days to any anyone who likes a different style to their music, and definitely to Gorillaz fans, as it is their best and promises a great future for this odd group of cartoon characters.