Gorillaz – Plastic Beach is the third studio album from the English virtual band created in 1998 by Damon Albarn of Blur, and Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl. The band is composed of four animated band members: 2D (lead vocals, keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (lead guitar and occasional vocals) and Russel (drums and percussion) and many guest appearances over their tracks.
Plastic Beach is a contempt album based around a island of industrial garbage floating in the South Pacific. This theme of waste and making something out of nothing is throughout the album from the opening track “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach” featuring Snoop Dogg with its warm wash of oceanic strings to the last track Pirate Jet. The album has a list of A Grade collaborations including; Snoop Dogg, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Kano, Bashy, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul, Little Dragon, Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, sinfonia ViVA and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.
And with two other very successful studio albums you would think that, once again Damon Albarn has produced a big hit; I have to agree it will be hit. But I don’t think that this concept album is anywhere as good as their other two studio albums, it moves away from a lot of the sounds the first two albums with less dance based tracks and had a lot more pop then the others. Damon Albarn has even stated its more pop then their other albums stating: “I’m making this one the most pop record I’ve ever made in many ways, but with all my experience to try and at least present something that has got depth.”. So if you’re a fan of the Gorillaz give this album a listen but you have be warned.
Check out the first single “Stylo” featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def below: