Modern rock isn’t the same as two decades ago, when it was in its prime at the top of the charts. 2001 brought on historical debuts and great music, but many of my peers haven’t heard of these bands. In Rock Redux, I’ll be highlighting four of 2001’s best rock albums. 

Gorillaz by Gorillaz

Released: March 26, 2001

While spending time together as flatmates, Blur lead vocalist Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewllett came together after boring themselves of too much MTV to create their debut album. Gorillaz is a genre-blending masterpiece of alternative rock, hip-hop and elements of dub.   

The band consists of four fictional band members: 2D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle. 2D is voiced by Alabrn and leads the majority of vocals on the album. “Re-Hash” begins the album with a drum fill layered with acoustic guitar. It hooks the listener’s interest, allowing them to be drawn into the next track through Gorillaz’s ever-fluctuating sound.

In “5/4,” crunchy, heavy guitar riffs overpower the track then falling into the dreary simplicity of “Tomorrow Comes Today.” As a melodica whines across the song, Albarn speaks of feeling trapped. A beautiful song of self reflection, Albarn’s nasally voice paired with soft piano creates one of Gorillaz’s most introspective tracks.

Track 5 gives us a legendary debut single, “Clint Eastwood.” Del the Funky Homosapien’s iconic lines clash with Alabarn’s typical easygoing lyricism.  “Panoramic view, look, I’ll make it all manageable / Pick and choose, sit and lose, all you different crews / Chicks and dudes, who you think is really kickin’ tunes?” Horn line and recorder samples in “Rock the House” compose an odd beat, but Del’s rhymes create undeniable fun. 

The final track, “M1A1,” begins eerily with cries of help from a man, sampled from the horror film Day of the Dead. As the background track slowly rises over his voice, the simple chords progress, louder and louder, teasing the listener’s ear as they wait for more and more. 

Drums crash against crude chords, Albarn howling out the song’s title. “M1A1” may be an off-putting end to the album, alienating some listeners, but the punk and heavy rock sound makes this song a personal favorite.

Overall, most albums fall short of the variation and melting pot of genres in Gorillaz’s self-titled album. 

Click on the Adobe Spark at the top of the page to read the rest of the article, including reviews for White Blood Cells, Is This It and Morning View.

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