The virtual band Gorillaz made their debut in 2001 when they dropped a self-entitled release. Headed by a band consisting of members: 2D, Noodle, Russel Hobbs and Murdoc Niccals, they bring together a range of musical influence into a giant mix with some Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Electronica, amongst other things all thrown in together.
1. “Re-Hash”
They get the album going with a track that immediately gives you a chance to feel just how complex their material is as it opens up to some straight Hip Hop production before it opens up a little more in order to bring in more Alternative Rock into the mix before later developing the sound a bit more towards the Electronica end of things. It is a gentle way to get things going and although I didn’t think much happened in it, it shouldn’t be classed as a weak opener.
**Three Stars**
2. “5/4”
This, a rather short one from them finds them adding a little more into what we know the act for as we get one where they choose to base it all in the Alternative Rock end of things and with this as acting as its foundation, it gives them lost of freedom to take things anywhere they want and it appeals that this occurs once again, but I can’t say that I was really feeling it all that much by this stage.
**Three Stars**
3. “Tomorrow Comes Today”
The harsh Hip Hop beats come pounding away on this one to show that we are in for a change from the much lighter material as it is all shifted in a rather significant way as we are made to take things towards the darker end and are forced
to be taken right into a side of their music that really doesn’t suit what people had known of them up to that point as they make the shift towards more emotive bluesy stuff.
**Four Stars**
4. “New Genius”
It seemed as though we were made to stay in the same deep, dark atmosphere as we faced on the track prior to this one and it seemed to do a lot in order to give you a chance to see just how far they will take things when they explore material that some may not be as comfortable listening to. I felt that it was a decent one, but again another that didn’t really do it for me and needed some to allow its full power to be felt.
**Three Stars**
5. “Clint Eastwood”
I have to admit that although I did enjoy this track, it simply doesn’t compare to what came of it in its ‘Re-Fix’, in which Sweetie Irie was able to toast over it with adapted production to fit in with the contemporary 2-Step Garage style that was prevalent in the UK club scene of the time. It is another soothing track and features Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, who brings some of his typical alternative flows. It was a great debut single for them and allowed them to break into the game immediately.
**Four Stars**
6. “Man Research”
With this one we get more experimentation from the band, who are seen to go for one where they are seen to take things back quite a bit in order to fit in some late sixties Psychedelic influences into the mix, but done in cotemporary fashion with the electronic instrumentals and sound effects that lead to it coming out in just the way it does here. A lot goes into this one, but I still didn’t feel it was going much further.
**Three Stars**
7. “Punk” (Lude)
8. “Sound Check”
As they come right off an unexpected, and highly-valued, Punk Rock display we find that they return back to where they had seen to be earlier with some colder material that really needs the listener to be fully-engaged to feel it for all it has to offer. Laced with samples and DJ scratches, it borrows from Hip Hop to get its messages across whilst sticking to the electronic end of what they are known for and a bit of an improvement to the quality of the record.
**Four Stars**
9. “Double Bass”
I felt that this was a great escape in the album and one that I really didn’t expect to get on the album (yet still seemed to fit in so effortlessly in spite of how it differs from many of the others). It is an instrumental recording and built up from the double bass, and manages to combine the power of the live instrumentals with electronic sound effects to make it feel as if it has a place here as a strong looped composition.
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien returns for this track, and personally I felt that this was one of the biggest tracks on the album (and one that would have only have beaten if the Garage Re-Fix to “Clint Eastwood” had been included to the thing). Here we get some straight Hip Hop work that seems to take it towards the late eighties in the Jazz Rap style that I can’t really see any clear faults in whatsoever.
**Five Stars**
11. “19-2000”
They move into what was their second single with this one and a track that I felt was amongst the best on the album. It finds them moving towards some trippy Electronica that borrows from a variety of sources subtly (including a throwback Marvin Gaye duet – for which if melodies are used as part of the backdrop to the thing. So much occurs with this one and seems to liven it up without being overly-energetic.
This is another interesting composition on the album and one that sees them showing just how far they are willing to go on this album to show that you are completely unable to define their sound as they twist it whenever you make have found a way to understand their systems of doing things. You get a Latin-influenced one here that uses lots of others things that have been heard before for a tune that you simply cannot ignore.
**Four Stars**
13. “Starshine”
They appear to have worked their way back towards the colder end of the album as they get down to this one and return to the sorts of things that were heard on the earlier jams on the album that set up how the things would go here. This tune develops as it goes along and it means that you really can’t take yourself out of it once it has began because you will miss just how subtle the progression is and how complex their music is.
I felt that this one was a rather up-lifting tune from the band and one that moves it along for them quite a bit as we see that they power themselves right way from where they were seen to be with the track prior to this one. However, I have to say that really this one wasn’t as impressive for me and seeing them bring out a little Reggae into the mix may not have hurt things, but didn’t really add much at all.
**Three Stars**
15. “M1 A1”
The album ends on this one as they bring out a tune that appears to get back in with the Alternative Rock feel of things. I felt that it was a good way to end the album for them as they perform a tune that gets them bringing out a tune that throws in some energetic Rock to give them the chance to leave things on a high, and one that has them pulling together styles that are almost guaranteed to excite listeners.
**Four Stars**
This was a strong debut for the band and one that enabled them to dive right into things in the way that they clearly wanted to, without any sort of pressure from contemporary trends that may have influenced how they came out with such an album that brings in so much. It seemed to take a while for the big ones to come in, but once they do, you can’t really get over just how complex the thing is.
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Never been a massive fan of Gorillaz but nicely reviewed : ) Eleanor x
jedimastergray73 17.10.2009 17:41
As ever ... a top notch review but I think you've captured the essence of this album perfectly >>> Gorilaz well and truly nailed !!! A big E from me !!!
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