A fan of the Gorillaz can only hope that, after 5 years, the band’s new album will not be a disappointment. Suffice to say, the group proves that 5 years is just what they needed to make sure their new album, Plastic Beach, a sure success.
The album is a whopping 16 tracks, each song a little bit more interesting than the last and featuring some pretty big-name artists like Mos Def. In fact, every song on the album contains the voice styling of different artists as well as orchestras. The first track “Orchestral Intro” is a mere instrumental intro, but the second two tracks don’t waste time bringing in the special guests the album features.
Snoop Dogg rules the second track, “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach”, his voice mixing with the smooth bass. The third track, “White Flag”, features English rappers Bashy and Kano and picks up the tempo from the first two songs. Starting off with bongos and flutes, the song suddenly turns into a Jamaican-esque jam that’s fun to listen to.
It isn’t until the fourth track that we really hear the voice of fictional, animated singer for Gorillaz, 2D who is voiced by co-founder of the band, Damon Albarn. The fifth song, “Rhinestone Eyes”, is very reminiscent of songs from the earlier works of the group, but it falls in well with the rest of the tracks on the album and is a good lead in to the first single off the album “Stylo (feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack)”. The song’s got soul while not being too soulful and is one of the best tracks off the album.
A definite gem on the album would be the song “Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul”. The first few seconds of it sound like a commercial jingle before transforming itself into beat thumping rap song. It still manages to sound like a jingle though during the chorus when 2D sings “superfast superfast / I come in last / but just in time for breakfast”. It’s almost like listening to a much more catchy commercial and it comes without the anticipation of your favorite TV or radio show returning.
The rest of the album is a coalition of brilliant songs with brilliant people in them. Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground stops by for the song “Some Kind of Nature” and Mos Def returns again in the song “Sweepstakes”. With all the extra talent added into the album, one might think that Gorillaz were trying to make up for a lack of something, but in no place is the album lacking, not even during the instrumental songs.
The album is a masterpiece full of songs that are just as appealing as they are interesting. There is never a boring point in any of the songs and once the album winds down on the last track, “Pirate Jet”, you’re ready to start the album over again. If anyone doubted that the Gorillaz could make an album as good as the ones they have in the past, this puts all doubts to rest.
