Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
by Matthew James on March 9th, 2010
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
March 9th, 2010
Virgin
Score: 9.0
When Gorillaz first came on the scene right at the start of the millennium, they claimed to be a reaction and alternative to disposable culture, manufactured fake pop music, and so-called reality-obsessed TV and media. Gorillaz were a cartoon, a fake band that was more than impressive at shooting out memorable blends of pop music and hip-hop, and quickly became a global phenomenon surpassing anything Damon Albarn, the brains of the operation, had accomplished with Blur. With their second release Demon Days, Albarn and his collaborators ventured into the area of concept albums and pulled off one of 2005’s most memorable records, a dark tale of man facing the apocalypse. Now with Plastic Beach, this fake cartoon band have created a work of impressive brilliance that brings everything full circle.
Plastic Beach is another concept record which this time addresses over-population and environmental issues. The Plastic Beach is a place where the world’s waste and rubbish has settled. The Gorillaz and their new friends have settled there and while at first it seems a cool new world, things become less utopian as man’s effects on the world soon become clear. It’s not too late to change things for the better but action is needed fast to avoid another Demon Days-like apocalypse. But fear not, while these ideas are there to be heard if you are willing to fully engage with the music, it’s not rammed down your throat in a preachy change-your-ways-or-else manner. No, Plastic Beach is just as effective as a piece of great genre-defying music full of creativity and life; as fun as it is serious and another reason to consider Damon Albarn one of Britain’s finest songwriters of this or any generation.
Quite often you find that albums with multiple guest collaborators can get rather bogged down and lose any kind of coherency or direction (see: the latest from Massive Attack). Plastic Beach does not fall into this trap as each artist is utilized to great effect; none outstay their welcome or feel the need to try to become the center of attention. Each plays their part, adding their own touch to Albarn’s creative vision. It’s hard to believe an album featuring legends such as Bobby Womack, Mark E. Smith, and Lou Reed along with the likes of Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys could have such a collective voice and togetherness. The fact that it all works is a testament to the arrangements, production, and strength of the songs.
The album begins with two introductory tracks. The first is a short breezy, settling symphony that creates the image of coming onto shore. The second, ‘Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach’ sees Snoop Dogg and a fantastic plastic soul track setting the scene for the album. “The revolution will be televised”, raps Snoop. “Kids gather round I need your focus”, he continues at his G-funk best. The party really gets going on ‘White Flag’ where The National Orchestra For Oriental Arabic Music’s native sounds are met with the sounds of London grime. Brit rappers Bashy and Kano grab the opportunity to be heard across the pond with both hands as they prove there is much talent to be found within the UK rap scene. The blending of the middle eastern strings and rhythms with the grime back beat and electronics work a treat.
On ‘Rhinestone Eyes’, Gorillaz lead singer 2D (Albarn) takes over delivering a sort of solemn spoken word/rap on a track that at times recalls something a little like Blondie’s ‘Rapture’. It segues into Plastic Beach’s strongest moments ‘Stylo’, ‘Superfast Jellyfish’, and ‘Empire Ants’. ‘Stylo’ possesses a driving bass groove and some scary albeit brilliant soulful rantings from a possessed Bobby Womack. It’s like a futuristic disco soul record that comes with a warning about over-population (“overload, overload, overload” sings Albarn in the background). Mos Def makes his first appearance here too on the track that certainly rivals ‘Clint Eastwood’ and ‘Feel Good Inc.’ as the best Gorillaz rap moment.
Slated as the second single to be lifted from Plastic Beach, don’t be surprised if ‘Superfast Jellyfish’ is one of the soundtracks to the upcoming summer months. De La Soul and Gruff Rhys come up with the album’s catchiest chorus and most accessible track. Behind the pop brilliance is an observation of fast food culture along with the waste and over-abundance of throwaway plastic toys and packaging that lead to the environmental problems we face today. The message is there but so is the urge to sing along with the perfectly cast Rhys. ‘Empire Ants’ should come with the 3D glasses equivalent for your ears. A massive song with so much going on, it begins with a melancholic Albarn singing behind some dreamy sounds before the song launches into a synth-filled space disco with vocals provided by Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano.
Further highlights include the Albarn solo ‘On Melancholy Hill’, Mos Def’s return on the brass-filled ’Sweepstakes’ which goes from minimal to huge in five minutes, and the title track ‘Plastic Beach’ featuring Paul Simonen and Mick Jones from The Clash. Sounding a bit like Blur’s ‘Trailerpark’ from 13, it’s a great meeting of minds from three of London’s most iconic musicians. Mark E. Smith (The Fall) gives Plastic Beach its Shaun Ryder moment on the bombastic ‘Glitter Freeze’ which is like the Dr. Who theme met with Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State Of Consciousness’. It’s as mental as it sounds and once again unquestionably superb.
From the cool spots of London to the valleys of Wales, the working class grit of Manchester, the gangsta hustle of Compton, the street smarts of Brooklyn, and the cultural offerings of Africa and the Middle East, Plastic Beach is a record that resonates with the whole world. It’s almost as if the previous Gorillaz albums were building up to this moment, taking all the best parts of those two albums and adding an even greater focus and conviction to form an album that deserves recognition as one of Damon Albarn’s greatest triumphs. This is wide-eyed, intelligent, silly, poetic, carefree, and engaging. This is chill music, dance music, pop music, and rap music. Better put: this IS music and that’s the best praise I can think of to sum up this hour of wonderful imagination and accomplishment.
Matthew James
Menomena