339) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Gorillaz are where Damon Albarn can basically do what he wants, it’s a clever concept and has certainly been effective, Gorillaz have sold more than records than Blur. I can’t really be bothered with the cartoons, but I’ll usually have a listen and there is usually something to connect with.

These reviews are meant to be brief so I cannot go into all sixteen tracks and at an hour long a couple of tracks may have been best left on the studio floor (Sweepstakes I found particularly annoying) but no need to be petty as there are some excellent tracks on this record.

Plastic Beach was the band’s third record and was only released fifteen years ago but sadly Bobby Womack, Lou Reed, and Mark E Smith, each one a legend to many a person are no longer with us but make worthwhile contributions here.

They are not the only guests with Snoop Dog leading us in on the laid back opener Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon reuniting on record for the first time since Combat Rock for the title track and not surprising their guitar and bass is excellent over a constant recurring synth as Albarn raps/sings over the top.

Superfast Jellyfish the chorus we have Super Furry’s Gruff Rhys elevating the song as De La Soul help us out with the verses.

Back to our departed friends, Stylo we have Albarn and Mos Def working the lyrics between them before Mr Womack decides to blow everyone away dragging his vocal from the souls of his feet, raw and emotional which he decides to do again on Cloud of Unknowing.

Glitter Freeze just let Mr Mark E Smith shout briefly when you need him and play lots of dance music in the background, let him have a sinister laugh and then let it go straight into Lou Reed over a simple piano and beats. Reed delivers perfectly and Albarn’s voice fits perfectly over the chorus as they then trade the odd line, it works, their voices work well together, a real highlight.

The guests certainly offer the variety but On Melancholy Hill and Rhinestone Eyes Damon delivers both tracks on his own the former simply perfect pop and  the later where Damon shows he can step up with the best of them, love the synths and the backings vocals.

Albarn has been accused of being a bit of a smartarse, maybe he is but then he can produce songs on this record that many can only dream of, and he is still doing it, how I wish I were a smartarse.

7/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: On Melancholy Hill