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Demon Days appealed to me as soon as I heard Feel Good Inc. and Dare, but then when the fantastic new single Dirty Harry was released, I felt the need to go out and borrow it (I'm too cheap to actually buy CDs). Plus it was named as the number 1 album in several end-of-year lists (not ... Read review
Intro @@us/euwm2/614/6590614_1_01.asx?obj=v50527@@ Last Living Souls ... more
@@us/euwm2/614/6590614_1_02.asx?obj=v50527@@ Kids With Guns @@us/euwm2/614/6590614_1_03.asx?obj=v50527@@ O Green World @@us/euwm2/614/6590614_1_04.asx?obj=v50527@@ Dirty Harry @@...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
In November 2005 some of the finest musicians and artists in the world assembled at the ... more
Manchester Opera House to re-create - in full - 'Demon Days', the award-winning album by the animated phenomenon Gorillaz.Spanning five nights, this was the very first live rendition of the record, as sanctioned by 2D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle themselves.This unique event featured guest appearances from Neneh Cherry, Bootie Brown, De La Soul, Ike Turner, Shaun Ryder, Roots Manuva, Martina Topley Bird and pre-recorded contributions from MF Doom, Dennis Hopper and Ibrahim Ferrer.The entire performance was set to a backdrop of specially designed visuals and animation by Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett.Accompanied by an orchestra, a children's choir and the Manchester Community Gospel choir, the results were breathtaking, an exceptional collaboration of music, film and animation that surpassed all expectations.And, y'know, it's very likely that the world will probably see nothing like this ever again. Well, almost definitely...at least not in Manchester.
Advantages: Bizarre, unique, experimental Disadvantages: Some bad hip-hop
...special guests.
Demon Days appealed to me as soon as I heard Feel Good Inc. and Dare, but then when the fantastic new single Dirty Harry was released, I felt the need to go out and borrow it (I'm too cheap to actually buy CDs). Plus it was named as the number 1 album in several end-of-year lists (not that that swayed my judgement - I'm reviewing it entirely on the music). The main criticisms levelled at this alum are that you have ... ...aren't enough slower songs on Demon Days doesn't know what they're talking about. El Mañana is fantastic and elegant, and provides the perfect response to the frenetic Feel Good Inc. The final track in this little section is called Every Planet We Reach Is Dead, and it has a very laid-back and catchy rhythm which reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on it. Excellent.
November Has Come is really disappointing, because it ... more
Gorillaz started as Damon Albarn's animated side-project, although nowadays they must be his primary concern. Made up of 2D, Noodle, Murdoch and Russel, I find the whole premise a bit gimmicky really, and when listening to the album you soon forget about these crazy characters and it begins to sound like Damon Albarn plus special guests.
Demon Days appealed to me as soon as I heard Feel Good Inc. and Dare, but then when the fantastic new single Dirty Harry was released, I felt the need to go out and borrow it (I'm too cheap to actually buy CDs). Plus it was named as the number 1 album in several end-of-year lists (not that that swayed my judgement - I'm reviewing it entirely on the music). The main criticisms levelled at this alum are that you have to like hip-hop and that it takes a while to grow on you. Neither of these are a problem for me, but I did find that these statements were indeed true. That doesn't make it a bad album though, on the contrary, it's great!
The Intro is pointless but atmospheric, Last Living Souls is a bit repetitive, and whilst Kids With Guns does feature Neneh Cherry singing Salt'N'Pepper's Push It and a very good chorus, it isn't one of my favourite tracks. However, the best is about to come.
The next five songs are probably the best section of the album, and from now on the standard is generally quite high. O Green World is slightly slower than the average, as well as ludicrously catchy and inventive, and shows that Damon Albarn's best work isn't necessarily behind him.
Dirty Harry and Feel Good Inc. come next, and I'm sure you've heard these, whether you know it or not. I love the sort of squelchy beat on Dirty Harry, and it just makes you want to get up and start dancing! Although maybe that's just me. This also features the first bit of rapping on the album, and there's a lot more of that to come. And Feel Good Inc., despite being overplayed, is still probably the best pop song of 2005 and the song that defined the summer.
Whoever says there aren't enough slower songs on Demon Days doesn't know what they're talking about. El Mañana is fantastic and elegant, and provides the perfect response to the frenetic Feel Good Inc. The final track in this little section is called Every Planet We Reach Is Dead, and it has a very laid-back and catchy rhythm which reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on it. Excellent.
November Has Come is really disappointing, because it has a great, atmospheric chorus but it's spoiled by some dreadful rapping in the verses, which I think include the lyrics "don't split clownbum". What's that supposed to mean? Answers on a postcard, please. If you want an example of good rapping, then All Alone delivers, courtesy of Roots Manuva. The chorus is really bouncy and catchy, and the verses have great rhythm, plus there's a little slower interlude.
White Light is strange: it's kind of rocky but with whispered vocals, and for the most part it doesn't sound convincing. There's just something lacking to give it the sparkle of some of the other tracks. However, as in All Alone, there's a bizarre, slow interlude, which is fantastic. Dare comes up next (see what I did there?) and again this is one of the best songs of 2005. Featuring vocals from Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays), it's really bizarre but somehow they pull it off, and it has one of the best intros on the album.
Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head is a hotly contested track, since it's basically a silly little fable about "Happy Folk" and "Strange Folk" who arrive and cause the destruction of the town by their excessive greed, put to seemingly happy beats. It epitomises the whole album, which has a vaguely end-of-the-world / nihilistic vibe. You might not end up listening to this track as much as the others, but it's still interesting every now and again.
The final two tracks kind of go together, as they both have a spaced-out sound and feature the London Gospel Choir. Don't Get Lost In Heaven has a really nice chorus and some contemplative lyrics. This rolls into track 15, the title track of the album. It's quite pessimistic about the state of the world ("mother nature wants us to leave"), but it's beautiful, brave and brilliant, and the choir part is one of the highlights of the album. A fantastic note to end on.
It's true that this album does require you put time into it, but if you're willing to do that you're in for a treat. People often say that Demon Days is full of loads of different genres. I would disagree. I think it's just pop with elements of hip-hop. But if you don't mind listening to pop music, you'll find that in Demon Days, Damon Albarn has created one of the most original, innovative and downright catchy pop albums of recent years. This is just about as good as pop gets. I'm trying to be more critical since I seem to give every album I review 5 stars, so I think 4 and a half is fair.
Demon Days is available to buy online for £6.99 from www.4cheapcds.com, and it's easy to find in high-street record shops.
Advantages: Instuments used, sound effects great band Disadvantages: few songs do not compare to others
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Lets start off by saying what an album this is, it is spectacular and a total different sound to any other album you will hear. No one is totally sure of the people who write and sing these songs as it is all kept quite quiet. There is a group of people who composes sings and writes but only some names of the band itself is known.
Well lets start off with a bit of information about the band that we do know. The four main members ... ...not want people to know? Demon days is an amazing album that did not just take over the music industry for its music but the use of cartoon graphics and videos. This gave the world something they have never seen before and made the music even more exciting than it already was.
My opinion on each of the songs.
Intro - even though this is a short beginning to the album it is a fabulous mixture of tunes and sounds that gets you really excited. I think ...
motty03 05.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Demon Days - Gorillaz
Advantages: Six good tracks, good mix of electronica and rock Disadvantages: The rap parts can ruin a good track
The Gorillaz are a virtual band of four cartoon characters called Murdoc, 2D, Russell and Noodle. As this is a virtual band fronted by cartoon characters there is confusion as to who is actually behind each of the four virtual characters as many names have been mentioned and linked to each of them. After a little bit of reading up on the subject I can safely say that there are only two who are always involved in the Gorillaz project and they are ... ...of 'Tank Girl'). The Gorillaz is really a project that has these two famous names leading it and many dozens of people working behind the scenes or adding musically to the tracks.
~The Album~
First of all the CD album comes with the four cartoon characters printed on the front. Inside the cover there is very little to tell you anything about the 'band' or what they are. I do like the artwork as I am a big fan of Hewlett's 'Tank Girl' artwork and ...
buzzard_cad 02.05.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Demon Days - Gorillaz
Advantages: 15 song album! Coming in at 50 mins 49 secs. Disadvantages: Not quite living up to "feel good inc" but nethertheless an amazing album!
This album was the long awaited return of Gorillaz, and when the world heard the sheer originality of "Feel Good Inc" I think the common expectation was that of something amazing. In my opinion I'm afraid, most of the tracks on the album don't quite live up to the bands first single from this second album But don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of quality music on this album, which I'm sure all gorillaz fans out there will enjoy immensely, but ... ...to these guys by "feel good inc", i was just expecting something a bit different. One huge plus with this album is that there are a good, healthy number of tracks, 15. Many albums these days only average around 10 or so, but gorillaz provide us with enough material to keep us listening for months.
The disk starts with an "intro" which does its job perfectly in setting up the tone for the rest of the album.
"Last Living Souls" is a great tune, with ...
chriswynne16 14.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Demon Days - Gorillaz
Advantages: Original, Old School mixed with Contemporary Disadvantages: Far from a classic, tracks can become boring
...like many film productions today, Demon Days lacks a Clint Eastwood. I know what hardcore Gorrilaz fans are thinking, Dirty Harry could easily be thrown into this catergory, but this fades quickly like Feel Good Inc. Sure when you first hear them, you think you are hearing something fantastic. Now try and religously listen to these two tracks and do the same with Clint Eastwood, Rock the House and 19/2000. The difference is staggering. The latter ... ...put my finger on why I like these songs so much, I can listen to them still after all these years. Another drawback is that the album is slightly repetetive. It has a urban feel the whole way through, which is surprising as the album as you may know is very popular. (Urban music has lost it's edge) The only songs that differ from this are 'El Manana' and 'Kidz with Guns', no surprise when they were both released togther then. Although, as you may ...
terryryan2005 24.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Demon Days - Gorillaz
Advantages: Some decent tracks Disadvantages: Some weak tracks
After seeing Gorillaz live on TV, I was pleasantly surprised, and went and uncovered their album....
The albums starts with what you expect from the Gorillaz sound. Lots of bass, and the ringing of an alarm in the background, it sounds like something out of a horror film, just at the good part...
'Last living souls' starts slowly, but builds up quickly. This wasn't the best track for me, I found it slightly repetitive, and the music overpowered ... ...'Kids with guns' seems like a strange name for a song, and I was quite surprised at the inoffensive sound of this track.
'O Green world' almost had me reaching for the forward button with the intro. Annoying and repetitive, I felt my ears were about to bleed.... As the track progressed, it didn't get any better in my opinion, so I decided to fast forward the end for the sake of my ears...
'Dirty Harry' is definitely one of the highlights of the ...
pollipocket 03.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Demon Days - Gorillaz
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Quality and consistency...
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Advantages: DVD offers more use of the Gorillaz official site, including extra tracks Disadvantages: Price is higher than normal album
THE ALBUM
I can safely say I have no regrets in purchasing the Gorillaz new album, DemonDays. The original mix of tracks are new and upbeat, and a joy to listen to.
The title track, DemonDays, includes a rather surprising choir for most of the lyrics, and they also feature along side the lead singer, 2D (Damon Albarn) in track number five, Dirty Harry. 'All Alone' would be the most electro track on the album, and it does not fail to impress with it's gradual growing into a huge anthem for all to hear. It is swiftly followed by White light, the most punk rock kind of track on the CD. 'White light' is a must listen for all punk fans, as it's sure to set the pulse racing and make you want to have a good old rock out in the middle of your living room. :o) The track 'Kids with Guns' is full of thought provoking material. It is based ...
Advantages: Some real good offerings Disadvantages: Some totally duff tracks
' to provide friends with the 'Grey Album.' Unfortunately, they posted it on the net to huge underground acclaim much to the disgust of EMI. He also produced Gorillaz 'DemonDays' for which he gained a Grammy nomination for Producer of The Year. In addition to these accolades he has been exalted on high by NME as "The Hottest Hip Hop Producer in The World" and has been linked with Damon Alburns much anticipated on the cards first solo album offering
~Cee-Lo~ (Thomas Calloway). A big man in every sense of the word, noted for his easily distinguishable Gospel Soul easy flowing southern style was, and still is officially, a member of The Goodie Mob (no?obviously not the Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie, Graham Gardner set) who being part of the Atlanta Georgia musical collective known as The Dungeon Family have seen him guest on the off ...
Advantages: Jenny Lewis; the musical guests and production; it's a good record Disadvantages: It's the weakest album she's made so far; Elvis Costello; slight lyrics
Of The Moon) and Gorillaz (DemonDays) are two such bands that have done this in the past. Lewis switches this round, and finishes with a hopeful, uplifting song which slowly gets tainted by a chorus of gloomy, rumbling guitars which roll and crash out like waves as the song reaches a peak. The lyrics "if you sing a song, sing a song for them" takes on a different outlook when combined with this music, taking the optimism out of proceedings and instead filling it with gloom and dread. It makes for the deepest, most enjoyable song on the album, but needs several listens before it truly begins to stand out from the rest.
Acid Tongue is an album of good songs, which are poorly linked together and offer more on the surface than is really there. There are a succession of songs which feel rushed, and if she had taken more time with recording than ...
'Demon Days' is the second album by bizarre cartoon concept band Gorillaz. With a dizzying array of guest stars including De La Soul and Roots Manuva, the album takes jazz, indie and hip-hop elements and melds it into a sleek, unique sound that sounds fresh and innovative. Includes the single 'Feel Good Inc'.
Titles on disc 1
1.
Intro
2.
Last Living Souls
3.
Kids With Guns
4.
O Green World
5.
Dirty Harry
6.
Feel Good Inc
7.
El Manana
8.
Every Planet We Reach Is Dead
9.
November Has Come
10.
All Alone
11.
White Light
12.
DARE
13.
Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head
14.
Don't Get Lost In Heaven
15.
Demon Days
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