Gorillaz

[Wolkenkrabber]

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[Enjoyed]

A distinct lack of excitement for the new album, huh?

Conceptually it looks to be great! But so far, the "singles" have been pretty middling:

Will certainly be giving the album a spin when it comes out next week, but expectations are sadly quite low. Hoping for some treasures in there somewhere, and guessing it'll be the bonus disc again.

[shakermaker]

it feels like just yesterday that Cracker Island came out, but wow it was three years

I snagged tickets to Monday's album release concert in LA, excited for that!

[Bosco]

A distinct lack of excitement for the new album, huh?

Conceptually it looks to be great! But so far, the "singles" have been pretty middling:

Will certainly be giving the album a spin when it comes out next week, but expectations are sadly quite low. Hoping for some treasures in there somewhere, and guessing it'll be the bonus disc again.

Has any Gorillaz albums lived up to the first two? (I would say no)

The unwavering perfectly moody and dark underground oddity, is long gone. Damon really lucked out by getting Dan the Automator in the peak of his artistic prime, and then basically equally in Danger Mouse.

Everything post-Demon Days has been a mishmash of making things work with big-time special guests and essentially not pigeonholing the band into obscurity. Damon still sounds great when featured, and it certainly has magical moments of old... but it will never feel whole because there isn't a predominant producer to take the reigns and fulfill his/her sonic landscape.

Or is it me, maybe I'm too old?

Either way, I have an non-dependent fan-ship with Gorillaz. I still think Damon might be one of the best vocal performers from the 90's era still going, and even if I'm not into all the new material, I think he at least has interesting concepts and is constantly working with interesting guest artists. If I could afford I would probably make it out to all Gorillaz shows in my area, but nowadays they are pretty well documented on YouTube ...

Happy the project is still going, wish it could be more corralled by a brilliant producer rather than feel like some giant algorithm magnet.

[Enjoyed]

Has any Gorillaz albums lived up to the first two? (I would say no)

Plastic Beach for sure. I think I prefer it to Demon Days.

After THAT? I'd probably agree.

I like how you describe it as non-dependent fanship. I resonate with that a lot! I adore those first three albums, and certainly would call myself a fan - and regularly am listening to their music from throughout their career. But I agree, it's actually a nice state to be in where the quality of the output doesn't feel like it's make or break. Put out some good shit? Awesome! Don't? Still cool. Again, as you said, glad he's still doing interesting things with interesting people!

[shakermaker]

I thought Song Machine was really solid when it was presented as a series of unrelated singles... then it got bloated down with filler to become an album. But I agree their post-plastic-beach output has been inconsistent. I'm OK with them churning out a lot of material for the gems that surface.

The Mountain concert was a lot of fun. It was a cool way to experience a lot of the new material for the first time, and I look forward to hearing it more.

Very curious what they will play on SNL next weekend.

[Bosco]

Very curious what they will play on SNL next weekend.

I would guess at least a song from the Mountain, probably Orange County.

And then a bevy of options for the 2nd song. Things I can forsee:

• Stir shit up, invite Bad Bunny (assuming he's available), and do Tormenta
• Another Mountain track, probably The Happy Dictator
• Keep things original and stick with your mega hit, Clint Eastwood. The optics of the melodica is always a winner, and obviously so damn catchy in this particular track.
• The mega hit SNL wants them to do, Feel Good Inc.
• A poignant and cathartic moment, the self titled track Demon Days. (My choice, if I had it)