Reviews (page 12 of 15)
It's a funny one, this is. It's got a real mixture of 'edgy Blur' mixed with rap, then the absolute bangers they released as singles, Clint Eastwood and 19-2000. Clint Eastwood is a sick tune and always will be. My 4 star rating is based on the bangers rather than the more missable album filter tracks. Plus I liked the gimmick of them being an 'animated' band when they first came out!
Not sure if I just wasn’t in the mood. Clint Eastwood sounded better than I ever remembered it though.
This was fun and objectively good. I just found it quite disruptive to listen to, I'm not sure it's my cup of tea!
Classic
BL: I have lots of childhood nostalgia associated with Gorillaz, and my dad used to have the Demon Days album on CD which is a pretty good record. Only know “Clint Eastwood” off this record so it’ll be interesting to hear how this record is. AL: this was actually not that great in my opinion. I found the sounds to be rather boring throughout the record, lots of samey stuff. Generally too long for its own good and not enough to sustain itself in my eyes, which is a shame because Demon Days is actually a brilliant record. This one just isn’t in my eyes. I guess this album is on the list more for the precedent it established as the virtual band, this is cool still and for that I understand it’s inclusion on the list. Otherwise I find it to be pretty underwhelming FT: “Clint Eastwood”, “Rock The House”, “Slow Country” 2/5
Veldig gnålete
Sucks
Gorillaz are a bit weird in the fact that the ones you think you know are probably remixes, and not the tracks on the album. I had forgotten this was a product of Dan the Automator who is majorly underrated as a producer. I found myself enjoying it more and more as the album went on. I still prefer Deltron 3030.
Nostalgia
Nothing to see here. Not even the album with “Feel Good Inc” on it. In a genus move, they took the best song, “Clint Eastwood” and remixed it for a second track fans could dig into. Ok, it just wasn’t what I hoped. Left disappointed.
Only 2 songs really worth listening to
In the 2000s you could add “z” to the end of a word instead of “s” and this would instantly make it the coolest thing ever! It was a truly cursed time to be alive
I like a bit of Gorillaz, but haven’t really listened to any full albums, since Demon Days was the most have album of Year 7 though. Enjoyed this, Clint Eastwood and 19-2000 are absolute tooons. Simpsons reference: No. Which is a shame the virtual characters could literally star in an episode.
Wrote this review after listening whilst getting ready in the morning: Clint Eastwood might be one of the best individul songs so far. But that doesn't save the rest of the album, which could well be a collaboration between John Lydon and The Residents. Gave it another listen in the evening, this time whilst as a passenger in the car: It was like listening to a different album, much better than I first thought. Context definitely isn't for losers when judging these. It did start to drag on though. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went in with high hopes, however its just a middle of the road album. Probably won't go back and listen, but wouldn't be against some one playing some of these tunes if we were hanging out
I liked some of the tracks but it didn’t do anything amazing in my opinion. I really like the gorillaz but I don’t love them. The album lost me until Latin Simone got me back on it. Probably won’t listen again. The more I listen to Clint Eastwood the more I like it. No Wonder it’s one of their hits
One of my fav all time. Love everything in this album. Gorillaz are badass
Head bopping deep beats Shoulders popping vulture style Moody dance pop hop
I know and like this album a lot.
A lot of neat, funky-fresh vibes, mixed with a lot of repetitive lyrics and noise. I think the visual presentation of the music videos and accompanying art helps a lot of this move along. Not a bad album, but not one I'd really just sit and listen to for any sort of musical prowess. More instrumental stuff would also help, as the lyrics are more annoying and useless than anything. Fav tracks: Clint Eastwood, Double Bass, Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)
Outside of Clint Eastwood it was a surprisingly dull listen.
Eliminated by choice all songs with explicit content. Of the songs I heard, I'd give the rating a zero if I could. A "1" rating implies there might be hope for this music ... which is not the case. Cannot Realistically Accept Poor (CRAP) music.
There are so many element and themes going on in the album, and they meld together so well
Brings back memories. Good
Few bangers that are still great. Rest of the album wasn’t really my vibe
Really great album. Excellent listen front to back.
joya
the primordial soup to what we know and love as The Gorillaz. you can hear the sketches of their later discography all through the album. The whole thing feels very experimental and lo-fidelity to an extent, not the genre.
They put together some hits, but not everything is great.
Gorilla
Not my thing.
It brings a lot to the table but does not set it. Good but messy.
I've heard the hits but never gave the album a shot. It's too long and tries to be too many things at once. Demon Days (the sophomore album) is what really defined them, so I'm excited for that one. DNF.
It was nostalgic
The album is overly long and overly experimental in places, and suffers for it by being inconsistent. It is well-mixed, some of it sounds very fresh, and Deltron has good features on it. Gorillaz will get better and more refined over time.
Some cool beats and good rhymes. Kind of drones at times
Some good spots, but mostly meh.
Not gorillaz best work, but a solid and ambitious debut project from Damon. 3 stars because he’s sexy
gorilla
Fun!
Cool! “Clint Eastwood” is still a great song!
Everyone talked about this album when it first came out, and I never really got the hype. Overly long electronica/trip-hop with mostly inane lyrics. Would they have been nearly as big if they hadn't done the mysterious avatar schtick? Good tracks: New Genius (Brother); 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)—the remix is the vastly superior version; Double Bass; Rock the House—great throwback to old school rap; Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) Incredibly annoying tracks: Man Research (Clapper); M1A1 The rest is ... fine to ok. Like with most of the British electronica albums on this list so far, there are way too many songs and it goes on forever. 3/5 — and 19-2000 (remix) is doing a lot of the work.
Freaky and nice
not for me
soo boring. \"oh dope beat, I wonder where this song will go?\" Nowhere. The song will go nowhere. it's all style over substance; built to sell cars.
Knew far less tracks or the album than I thought I would
El tema icónico de este álbum fue hecho con un sonido predefinido de una consola infantil de música. Hermoso. Como no amar a Gorillaz. Todos temones.
Sign of an era.
Was slightly disappointed by this album hearing so many good things about gorillas. Stil decent but had higher expectations. No stand out track but would be good background music.
Really great listen, been years, forgot what a vibe this is. Sucker for anything with a melodica
Pleasant to listen to but devoid of anything noteworthy
This is very okay.
liked a few songs but not a fan of this album. i think theres better gorillaz stuff out there
Gosh, this album was absolutely everywhere wasn't it. You couldn't move without hearing Clint Eastwood and at the time, it felt like something genuinely different and quirky. On reflection, this is dull dull dull - bring back joyful 1991 Leisure Damon please.
I remember loving this album a lot more when it came out. Maybe it was being 24 and wondering if I was going to be out of a job at any moment and feeling the angst and creativity in the songs and the Gorillaz concept. This just doesn’t hold for me 20-some years later.
Honestly probably a 3.5 but ill give it the benefit of the doubt.
It’s a great album, a dub and hip-hop classic that introduced me and a lot of the indie crowd to this kind of music through Damon Albarn’s connection. Really enjoyed having another listen. Although there are one or two odd experimental tracks that prevent it from being a perfect 5, it’s a very comfortable 4 and a half.
Quirky album but not for me
Didn’t love this album when it came out. Don’t love it now but it’s solid.
Not for me
Not really my music. Liked a couple of song but in my opinion a very ordinary album with no big highlights.
very quirky, i like some of it. not quirky in the way i like. every song is lacking any layer or color or texture, i want more layers.
It's good. reminds me of the years after high school
1/16/24
Definitely not for me.
not something I would listen to regularly
First time actually listening to Gorillaz. Didn't expect to enjoy this, but I did. Great variety of styles. I like the atmosphere and the method of blending the sound wall. The vocals are great. Will listen to other albums.
nisam fan gorillaza :( al bilo je 3 dobre
🐒
Boring
like!
Es bárbaro, punk, emo, todo, pero escucharlo hoy no es lo mismo que a los 15 años. Los quiero mucho pero ya está.
I felt sleepy when listening :D
Not bad
Damn I love Gorillaz and this album is a major reason why. All the songs are great not just Clint Eastwood.
Bon, c'est mal parti : 1ere chanson boring : dire plus de 30 fois \"it's the money or stop\", ça me gonfle. 2eme chanson, encore des répétitions (mais pas autant) Même sur Clint Eastwood il y en a. Sound Check aussi. La chanson (presque) sans paroles "Double Base" est aussi répétitive.
No me gustó para nada. Parecían gatos llorando! .
More chillers than I remembered.
Fun!
Increible que este fuese el primero que me tocó.
Incledible album, one off the best of 2000s
duplicate
I'm familiar with a few Gorillaz songs, but I've never listened to one of their whole albums before. I seem to remember that Plastic Beach was on a lot of best of lists in 2010, and I know the band has a pretty solid following, so I had pretty high hopes for this album. Unfortunately, this album wasn't really my speed. It wasn't terrible to listen to, but it was just kind of boring. Only a few songs stood out from the rest of the album ("Clint Eastwood," "Rock the House," "Slow Country," and "M1 A1"), and even those songs weren't super interesting, they mostly stood out because they were a little change of pace from the rest of the album. I can understand why this album is on this list though. It was a groundbreaking concept to have a band made up of fictional members, and it still feels relevant, as AI and the debate about AI art has been heating up in the last year or so. Hopefully, Gorillaz don't become an excuse for people to let AI create 'art.' Gorillaz may not be my cup of tea, but at least they were created by real artists.
Pretty decently listenable to but only the already known hits stayed with me after the 1h mark.
This album was really good! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I only really knew of Feel Good Inc before listening to this so I was surprised at how different it all sounds. Nearly every instrumental is incredibly unique and catchy. I think this has the record for most songs added to the playlist. Will definitely listen again!
Listened to it three times and in the end I had to skip most of the songs because how boring the were. Listen to whole thing for over hour that's not for me unfortunately. Kinda let me down, judging by the reviews I expected something more.
Great!!
Nin
Hallmark milestone in music genre evolution!
Some bangers but some filler for sure. Big fan of Damon Albarn and you've got to respect him for branching out regularly even if it doesn't always hit the mark. 3.5.
Clint Eastwood will still get stuck in my head even now, and I enjoy 5/4, but the rest is not as good as I remember.
I had no idea, so good
Not for me
Amazing album
You can dissect almost every instrument in the beat, each member of the group putting a show altogether that flows into a beautiful masterpiece. Very experimental for its time, jazzy beats and hip hop combined with an interesting alternative rhythm.
Loved it!
This album was nice to work to and I do like the gorillas, it was fun listening to their earliest(?) album
What is there to be said it sounds like demon days unpolished nonconept big brother. Very good
All sounds the same. I was a fan of Blur, but this arty-fatsy shit isn't doing it for me. Clint Eastwood is the only redeeming feature, just like a lot of Clint's films.
Very eclectic album and fun to listen to with some great musicianship and unique sounds
Tomorrow Comes Today - like the harmonica parts. And the iconic Damon Albarn vocals.
Not suited to my taste at all
Liked about half the songs
Amazing Broski its rlly good good songs band named after kinda monkey also helps it
Their songs can really get you into a groove
Some of the best Gorillaz songs are on this album but I think listening to this generator has corrupted my mind because there were a few songs where I only heard “Blur”. So, now I have to lower it by a couple of points because I hated “Blur”. There were a few new songs on here that I haven’t heard before and I really enjoyed because how weird and unusual they were. 8/10
The gorillas are weird. Thankfully so am I. They have such a wide range of musical talents I’m not even sure what genre I’m in. “Clint Eastwood” claps cheeks. Even the mostly instrumental songs like “Sound Check” and “Double Bass” were amongst my favorites of this album. Ran 10 miles to this album. Mmmmmm That’s a 10. Or maybe a 9. It wasn’t perfect. I demand perfection for the music gods. 9/10
Really good but not my top 3 of Gorillaz albums, of course there are really good hits here but also a ton of skippable tracks that aren't bad but forgettable. Bring on the better Gorillaz. 8/10
This guy sounds like the singer from Blur. A unique almost genre defining album which I cannot even tell you what genre this is. I was obsessed with Gorillaz growing up after watching the music video for Feel Good Inc. on TV. The idea of an animated band was so fucking cool and continues to be an extremely unique idea 20 years on. There are some absolute bangers on this album. There are some really weird songs on this album. There are some skippable songs on this album. I’ve always thought of Gorillaz as a singles band where there albums are good but the hits are top tier. The intro to M1A1 genuinely creeped me out as a kid. When we saw them in concert they opened with M1A1 and it was the perfect song to start a concert to. The nostalgia rating is heavy on this one and its basically impossible for me to rate this with without rose tinted glasses. 10/10 Why the fuck is Demon Dayz not on this list?!
Loved a majority of the songs
Decent. 7/10
Not bad but not my style
Fett im Beat Tobi- Stoff, zurückgelehnt, mit Hall, luftig, mittelflott So und ähnlich schon oft gehört
Unique sound for the time but it didn't do much for me now, felt like a lot of filler songs and lacked some of the variety from later Gorillaz albums with the many collabs. 3/10
Listened to it many times!
5/5
Bien.
nicht meine Musik
Ok
Hörbares Album. Die Auskopplung Clint Eastwood ist ok. Weiteres spektakuläre Songs oder Highlight waren Mangelware. Zu wenig Musik und zu viel Rap.
Overrated
Coole Stimme, aber insgesamt zu langsam und einschläfernd
ganz und gar nicht meine Musik. Werde ich nicht mehr hören.
Not my type of music
Childhood classic but doesn’t rlly intrest me today
This is a fantastic album, 5/5!
Bien.
12/19/23. Classic album for me, listened to this countless times! Will never get old for me.
Original with a few great songs and a bunch of decent ones.
Great album. Groundbreaking when it came out. Feel Good Inc and Clint Eastwood are clear standouts. 4/5 only because Demon Days is that much better
Love their style and variety of sounds and genres on this album, all executed perfectly.
ok. some good tunes but not ground breaking
pretty much anything damon albarn has worked on ends up being incredible, gorillaz were so innnovative for their time, love the concept of this band, not all these songs are bangers tho ngl
обожаю гориллаз. великая компания. непередаваемый и неповторимый вайб, ебанутое разнообразие и качество звука, интересные тексты. ну я хз что ещё сказать, это просто охуенно. не демон дэйз, но это тоже идеальный альбом. короче гориллаз люблю пиздец
I cant decide if 4 or 5 stars. Some really iconic songs, some i don’t care for. But solid
I remember this album coming out as a kid and thinking it was amazing. On re-listening as an adult I wasn’t as blown away however the remixes at the album saved it from a lower rating as they elevated the album for me.
Surprised myself that I'd never listened to this entire album. Pretty fun all around, just not something I'd go crazy for either
there is other gorillaz I like more but fundamentally I just love their sound. Clint Eastwood is a longtime fav (a whole star just for that song tbh) but also love sound check, 19-2000
Meh
Not my taste. Rock.
It has its ups and downs, but mostly ups. And great experimental performance and idea.
Very good album. Heard it a few times already, but on this listen, I think it’s not *quite* as good as I remembered. I still really like it though, and found some tracks I totally under appreciated before, like Punk and Sound Check. Plenty of classic songs here, and a couple here and there that are harder to get through. And while it’s not my favourite version, I like the alternate mix of Clint Eastwood at the end. Overall just a really good album. 8/10 Top 5: 1. M1 A1 2. Clint Eastwood 3. Rock the House 4. New Genius (Brother) 5. Starshine
4 Voices and vices combine for a worthwhile album experience. Not gonna love every song, but that’s not the point of this music. Repetitive lyrics and beats taken to some extremes—but both are catchy and reward multiple listens. Simple here means stripped down. In a good to the point way.
When this came out, what I really wanted was a new Blur album. Re-listening, I realize it’s better than I remember.
Really surprising that this is the album that made it to the list and not Demon Days or Plastic Beach. It is an alright album with a few bangers in there. I forgot how many instrumental tracks Gorillaz used to do. It's not bad, but it is nowhere near their best work. Felling a strong 3 maybe a light 4 on a good day
A little too long and experimental for me. Good background music when doing something else.
Managed to be ahead of its time, which is no easy feat past the year 2000. Some classic songs on here but is a bit unpolished. Damon was still finding his feet with this project at the time, and you can pick up on this when comparing to later albums
Much better than I anticipated (and I may even own this album). I really don't like Clint Eastwood...super overrated imo, but the rest of the album "filler" was surprisingly engaging. 3/5
Some pretty good tracks but not particularly sold on the whole album. The best of the Gorillaz was yet to come.
Nice to listen to again, should listen through more to take me back
Not sure how to feel about this one going in. Obviously a well known band and I knew a couple singles but never checked out the album. It could have gone either way. This is... Not great. Even the singles are more languid and poorly realised than I remember or their later works. Disappointing, experimental, and messy.
5/15, 33%
Good album! I love a lot of the songs on it, and Damon does a good job as 2-D.
BEST ALBUM EVER
It's OK-not my favorite, but I do appreciate the unique sound they have.
4.3 - going into to this I thought it was going to drag and grate on me. I was very wrong, I actually found it so much more refreshing. Definitely deserves its place on the list
I was really surprised by this album. i assumed it would not be something i would be in to. however, i ended up adding it to my library and will definitely be listening to it again. It is an album that i’m sure was very different in its time. I feel as though i could throw it on and listen easy or do something else while it plays and enjoy either way. Very cool beats through out.
A few hits. Other than that it is the 2000s equivalent of a synthesizer. Dated, aged quickly and not interesting anymore.
Re-hash
It's ok
Gorillaz are one of the most overrated bands of the 21st century in my view. This album I think gets a lot of credit for concept over content. Most tracks feel like half-baked ideas, genre-mashes that don't cohere into compelling songs. It's long too. The best tracks are basically just Del the Funky Homosapien rapping over: 1. a preset keyboard riff on Clint Eastwood; 2. John Dankworth's Theme from Modesty Blaise on Rock the House. Upon reflection I feel quite generous giving it a 3. I also listened again to the 2 remixes of the singles, and they both are just better than the originals without changing too much, which I feel is vindication for my viewpoint that this album is a lot of half-baked ideas. Fave tracks: Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Rock the House, Slow Country 2.7/5
winton
I listened to the whole thing for the first time. I would say it was alllllllright. Like, fine. Okay. I really liked the couple of singles I mentioned and there were a couple of tunes in the middle I quite liked too but overall seemed like background / coffee shop music. It was tolerable but didn’t make me want to listen again apart from Clint Eastwood and the other one.
First ever listen to this. Some good ideas, and interesting styles. I only recognised one tube, the one about a bag. Only got about half way through. It's quite a long album, right? Some sounds seem a bit dated, which is funny, cos I think of this band as being quite recent. Time flies, doesn't it?
Great genre hopping debut from Gorillaz.
gorillaz was really big when i was in middle school (showing my age) and for better or worse, gorillaz reminds me of middle school. i think it's a fun evolution of rock music that combines elements of hip hop. is it mind blowing at this point in time? not really. but is it fun? yeah kinda!
It's not actually that good
amei todas
Came out in the sweet spot between me being old enough to buy CDs and moving onto mp3, I actually had a physical copy so it's some sweet nostalgia. I remember it being a big creative and quirky story at the time - the guy from Blur is now behind a cartoon virtual band! I think it's in this list because of the intrigue of taking the Sgt Pepper concept to a new level but it is still enjoyable. I think I prefer Demon Days and Plastic Beach for the actual music, where Gorillaz carved out more of a sound. I like this too though so will go down the middle
Nicely spaced out filler between the singles
I forgot Gorillaz even existed... Definitely listened to this in my youth, and I honestly don't know what I think of it now. It feels very dated, but in kind of a good way?
Great album. Big swing, interesting, good vibes. Single version of 19-2000 is better than the album version. Good though 4/5
Favorite Songs: Clint Eastwood Even tho Clint Eastwood ist the only Song from the Album that really catched me, it is overall a fun and interesting listen. Really surprisingly complex.
Had a buddy in high school who despised Gorilllaz. Couldn't figure out why. I only heard their hits, and they were fun bops. After hearing this album, I understand his hate. Anti-music post grunge SLOP. Clint Eastwood is the only thing saving this from a 1.
sounds way more like blur than what i was expecting, specifically in the first half. overall pretty good but i feel like it’s not that special
Caught up in a conflict between the brain and the tail.
it's the music that we choose
My childhood album
1 good hit song. The rest is instantly forgettable.
Obvious passion project, but I thought it went on a little too long. Hope to see the other albums on this list, though.
Best song - Clint Eastwood
Some debuts are the best thing the band ever do, some are - appropriately enough for a cartoon band - a sketch of what they will go on to grow into. This is a latter, with Demon Days as a 1000% leap forwards. Is it just my imagination or was the Clint Eastwood single version way beefier than this, or has time flattened my memory?
This album was mid all the way through. While there were some standout tracks such as "Clint Eastwood" and "Rock the House" the rest of the songs feel like needless fluff. While this album allowed the Gorillaz to develop into superstars their later work, such as Demon Days, completely outclass this album. In short Gorillaz walked so Demon Days could run. 2.7/5
Top notch Brit trip dub hop
Gorillaz have a handful of amazing singles that fuse hip-hop, pop and alt-rock. The whole album is a mixed bag though. Everything sounds cool and it’s well-produced but there’s a high quotient of songs where you check to see how much time is left. Maybe I’m doing the music a disservice by listening closely. Some of these songs would make great mood music. But they’re not quite complete songs in a pop sense. But man the great songs are so much fun. “Clint Eastwood” is a classic. It’s got a unique sound and style. And the sample in the beat of “Rock the House” is so joyful. Del the Funky Homosapien is obviously a big part of what makes both songs great. Maybe this album needs more rap features? The chorus of “19-2000” is summer in a bottle. Irresistible. The highlights are fantastic and personal favorites. But there’s too much aimless experimentation on the rest of the album.
Modern classic. Gorillaz rule and this album is no exception. Just a fun, weird, and at times hard to describe mix of hip hop, and indie alt rock. "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000", "Rock the House" are all great tracks. I somehow find myself in the same rating predicament as yesterday's album; where there are a few standout tracks that are yelling to me to rate this album a 4, but the rest of the album doesn't do enough to maintain that 4. Gorillaz are known for their amazing timeless singles. Between me and my wife I've listened to their hits thousands of times and I am always happy to hear one of their songs come on out of the blue. But the rest of the album doesn't match the greatness of the big tracks. There's just too much of a gap. It's a 3!
Clint Eastwood is a good song that's been consistently played for over 20 years. The rest of the tracks are horrific. Honestly, it doesn't even sound like the same artist. More like 1.5 stars, but I'll go with 2 for Clint Eastwood.
An awesomely fun record. Light and breezy and solid pop tunes. A quirk of this record is one of the few ever good albums that have a slow start but then escalate to a mouth fizz bomb of pleasure by the end of it.
It still boggles the mind that Gorillaz is Damon Alburn’s claim to fame in America (well, that and Song 2), and that what seems like a one-off side project would turn into a long running series of albums under the Gorillaz moniker. In 2001 my music buddy Jeremy and I bonded over this album— it hit that sweet spot in the middle where his hip hop interests and my indie rock obsession met. To him it was a new album produced by Automator (and even featured his Deltron 3030 collaborator on two tracks), and to me it was a new project by the guy from Blur. (Did we both already like Cibbo Matto at that point? I think so? That was another bonding point.) Anyway, as Jeremy convinced me that rap is awesome and provided me with an important education in hip hop, this album helped ease me into a world of discovery. Thank you, Gorillaz and Jeremy. These days we don’t see much of each other, but you made a big impact on my life and there will always be a special place for you in my heart.
I haven't listened to this one as much as Demon Days. The highlights are every track with Del.
I’ve always loved Clint Eastwood and liked 19-2000 but never fully listened to this album so I was excited to get it. It’s not music I would really listen to a lot on my own but would still enjoy if I happened to hear a song here or there, if that makes sense. 5/4 and tomorrow comes today were pretty good but overall I didn’t come out of this with new tracks I enjoyed in the same way I enjoy Clint Eastwood.
-OH not only do i know this band, i have listened to them a lot -funny enough i haven’t listened to this album, so i’m excited -this feels so CHILL compared to the later gorillaz stuff i know -which makes sense because this is their early stuff -some of these songs sound and feel DULL -even clint eastwood although that is the best of them so far -like the funny sounds in double bass -also love that theres a spanish song on here -left hand suzuki method is really interesting -like specifically the background instrumentals -like the japanese is SO COOL! -overall is this their best album? no. would i listen to it again? probably no. was it bad? no! -therefore, another three star rating
Although I knew the hits, this is the first time I've listened to the LP beginning to end. Quite a variety of fun jams. And Latin Simone was unexpected and great.
Its okaaay
I’m happy feelin glad
Gorillaz is mostly a jumble of lifeless hip hop beats, a guitar once in a while and some strange but signature sync sounds. Clint Eastwood is by far the best song on the album, it has what very few songs on the album have, life and energy… actual rapping. It’s not awful but it’s also very overrated. 5.7/10
The Gorillaz: Giants of cartoon music, a band of many faces and many hits, anchored by Albarn's never-stale songwriting chops and blueprinted well by their self-titled debut. Looking closer at that first point, however, reveals that specificity isn't found in itself. The record splits the difference of Britpop, hip-hop, and 90s electronic music and is unable to counteract the prolixity of any of it. Doesn't work in album form; The white background gives it away.
oh no, that was just noise & not even good noise
Not quite as good as I remember, though there are some tunes in there
Still sounding good!
Solid album. Clint Eastwood, Sound Check (Gravity), and Latin Simone are my faves. I do think I like Plastic Beach better than this album though. 4/5
already loved clint eastwood and i thought the rest of the album would go harder but its kinda mid only a few other songs that stood out to me
Brilliant!
Gibberish lyrics, shitty casios and loops, songs that might count as filler, an absolute capsule of the early 2000s. You can't beat it
I love this artist, but I don’t like this album that much 2/5
Decent, nothing to write home about though
More instrumental than I expected. Funky electro harmonica sound is unique.
Found a new band to listen to. Lots of fun.
Gorillaz are a band I always meant to explore more beyond the hits, so I was glad to receive this one. However, I found myself disappointed in much larger portions of this album than I expected. Some parts I really vibe to quite a bit, but there's a pretty uncomfortable amount of time where it just feels like I'm listening to background beats rather than holistic music. I would say that I like the album overall, but it's certainly not what I was expecting.
Can’t say I love the sounds in this album. Too alt for me - coming from a guy that listened to arctic monkeys and the xx I got to the second half of the album and actually found a few songs I liked (19-200, rock the house, Latin Simone) Quite a tonal shift from the first half to the second half
Not a Fan of it. Might have been the headache I had going into it, but did not make it fully through a single song. Stopped about 7 songs in
Found it crazy that this album was so popular whilst being so inventive/genre bending. I even bought Clint Eastwood on CD - maybe my first CD single?? Maybe I have to give it a 3 because I really like the B-side, Dracula.
Gorillaz are an interesting fusion of genres. There are elements of pop, electro, latin, hip hop, and rock. They've got some good songs and they've got some real snoozers. I like most of their work but this isn't my favorite album. Clint Eastwood is good but the rest is pretty forgettable.
The seminal work by Gorillaz took me somewhat by suprise.in a lot of musical choices. Songs with pan flutes with wrapping over them and very modest melodic songs as well. Prior listens to Gorillaz was entirely singles and songs on FIFA games. Based on them I think the 2nd album would be better for me but I enjoyed this well enough. Might add this or some songs to my rotation.
This is an album from a band that I enjoy and come back to at times, so going into it I knew I was going to decide between a 4 or 5. While it certainly has quite a few bangers, and a couple of really good songs, it also has, unfortunately, some filler songs. It’s also a bit weird to see Gorillaz labeled as “rock”
I remember hearing "Clint Eastwood" on the radio and thinking at the time that the band would be a one-hit wonder. Adding rap to alternative, the little cartoon characters. It all just seemed so gimmicky. Gorillaz (aka, Damon Albarn from Blur) is pretty solid, though. Not my favorite band, but I often come back to Demon Days and Plastic Beach. This is my least favorite album of the three.
My first intentional experience with Gorillaz. Outside of some average beats, I find zero value in this music. I would like to apologize to Clint Eastwood on behalf of non-Gorillaz-enjoying humanity. .45
Not my style but Clint Eastwood is a banger
Fav new discoveries: Latin Simone, Slow Country it‘s alright, not an album I‘d listen to every day bc the songs are too depressing without the energy to compensate for it
The rap based tracks are decent but too much of the album is Damon Albarn being annoying
Holds up better than I expected. Enjoyed listening, good nostalgia factor.
Man, I don't feel this has aged well. Sounds pretty dreary. Extra star for Del the Funky Homosapien on Clint Eastwood. Won't be returning to it.
2nd album out of… 20? that features non-white people. this list needs to do better
3.5 - rock the house beste trur jeg
Surprisingly decent
You know what? I realised during this listen that I have never listened to a Gorillaz album before. I know loads of songs and sing along quite easily, but an album, nah, never. I also remembered that Del was in this group. Hell's yeah. Loving it. This is a moment in time. E Enjoyable to say the least.
This is definitely kooky and ground breaking and fun. Thing is, most of it isn't my kind of music.
Enjoyed the rest of this album outside of Clint Eastwood a lot less than I would have guessed. Just ok for me.
some legendary beats with a surprising amount of duds. a bit disappointed with this one. first tracks are unusually weak IMO
A good vibe overall. I wish there were more artists like this
great!
makes me feel cool when walking down the sidewalk lazy singing isn't necessarily bad but I'm not in love with it rn
Interesting album with a few good tracks, but not up there with the best of its era.
I do love me some Gorillaz but man this album feels like a debut. It does have a slight charm, but I think the immaturity doesn't really fit the album too well. I do love 5/4, Clint Eastwood, and 19-2000. Most of the other songs just feel kinda bland; like they just simply exist.
Clearly still getting the hang of things. Lot of stinkers but some bangers Favorite song: Clint Eastwood
Didn’t do much for me. Most of the songs felt clunky. Clearly they were still getting their footing on their debut album. Fav song: Clint Eastwood
3.7/5 - Need to revisit again, and probably six times after that. Even 20someting years later the Gorillaz seem like such a breath of fresh air. Theyre making music i dont know how to label, and damn theyre good at it. theyre self-titled is one of many bangers, but a few duds. It comes across as them still finding a sound for themselves. Which I am so so so glad they did. Such a fun album that subtly underlines the absurdity of the sounds of the 90s as they come into the 21st century of music.
As someone who grew up on classic radio, I shrugged off this cartoon band as a consequence of my childhood generation for people who had no real taste in music. It was pretentious but I lumped them in with the likes of Linkin Park. It wasn't until a couple years ago when I explored Britpop and was blown away by Damon Albarn's work in Blur, experimental and witty. And from there, I decided to give Gorillaz a fair chance, and it's one of the times where my expectations were far beyond met to an unimaginable degree. It's a modern art pop record that blends so many accessible genres, and each one nails what it aimed to do. I don't care whether it's hip hop, disco, Latin, or punk, he does it all in his own creative way. In every Blur album, there's always a few inaccessible tracks that require a certain taste in music or other understanding to appreciate, but here those tracks have cleaner production and smoother sound that can attract all forms of listeners. Compare "Miss America" to "New Genius" or "Sound Check." No matter who you are, you're guaranteed to find something here for you. It's an album that could sound just as fresh today as it did in 2001. The synths sound natural (in an alien-sorta-way), and the bass hits hard. On very few occasions did I find it too abrasive or clustered. Just like an Aphex Twin record, there were some synths subtlety hidden in the background that purely added atmosphere, while some come front and center and go just as quickly, and this is what I mean by it sounding natural. The number one example is "Man Research." With how the songs all sound different, it makes a very exciting record to play on my sound system. I know I am speaking a bit vague about the tracks, but with how different they all are, it's hard to get into the specifics without talking about the generic characteristics of what they share in common. You have your hits of course, but I found something interesting to like about each and every track. Which is especially surprising considering how much I hate records that span longer than an hour. The virtual band aesthetic adds so much more creative freedom not just in feeling invested into the band, but it also serves to immerse the audience into the world Albarn creates and the characters that populate it. He plays different vocal roles that truly does feel like multiple singers are contributing to the harmony. This is one of those albums that can change how you interpret music. I know this will sound a bit silly to compare, but this is how I see it: When Bob Dylan wrote "Like a Rolling Stones", you had no idea music could sound so confrontational and assertive. Prog rock bands came around and told tales and legends in epic formats. Rave music like techno then dragged you into what sound can be capable of with the worlds they create. And here, Albarn transports you into this cartoon universe with characters and settings that have their own personalities, vaguely familiar to our own forms of pop and rock, but so much more colorful and expressive, feeling like a more imaginative form of music. Except it's real, in our reality, and I appreciate that.
In my youth I was tormented by the omnipresence of the song Clint Eastwood. The video was a big misleading as well. Now, listening to the whole album, I discovered a lot more. It is a decent listen but the 2nd half feels rather dull. Ironically enough, it's also the part with more and more dub elements which is a genre of the reputation to be a bit meandering.
this album made my brother quit his job
Almost TOO chill?
It’s fine. Kinda dated.
Lovee some Gorillaz. Not their best album, but still great.
It's ok, not as strong as follow up
Banger
nice piece of work
After the first third of this album, I was marvelling at how overlooked it is. However, then there is a real lull of mediocre songs between Clint Eastwood and 19-2000. Overall its a very inventive project, especially due to the genre fusion and "virtual band" idea. It's somewhere between an 3 and a 4 for me, overshadowed by Demon Days (rightly so). I'll say a 4 based on the strength and impact of the singles.
Some interesting stuff
Welp, it took me 22 years to realize that the guy from Gorillaz is the same gut from Blur. Mind you, this 1001 project helped better introduce me to Blur. Anyways, this album has some peaks and valleys. I like the more vibing hip hop over some of the looping experimental stuff. But Gorillaz has this unique cool factor about them.
Like the sound but a little long for me
Interesting album. Definitely different with some good tunes other than the famous Clint Eastwood song. Damon Albarn is a great songwriter.
Nice start into the 1001 album tour! Very experimental but also very boring like an endless loop
75/100
Classic gorillaz! Clint Eastwood has always been one of my favorite songs of theirs. Obvious this is a 5/5 for me!
Finally something to listen to. To be honest when the a gorillaz song is good it’s real go but when it’s mid it’s real mid and this is their first album and you can kind of feel them goes thought so growing pains but it’s still pretty good, 3rd best out of everything they made Best: Clint Eastwood Worst: Clint Eastwood (with Ed case) (3.5/5)
This was the most RAW gorillaz album you can listen to. Super experimental lots of great bangers. Not their best album but most definitely a bop. It was super fun to listen to their first album and then listening to their newer stuff and seeing how they have evolved over time
Initial Thoughts: Oh. This is probably gonna be the group's highest rated album. Gonna be honest ya'll, looking at the track list I've only listened to Clint Eastwood. So I'm about to see what the hype is all about. Final Thoughts: Uh... Definitely not what I expected. It was good, but you can definitely tell this was like the beginning of Damon experimenting with Gorillaz. It really felt like he was still being too safe and it isn't the Gorillaz for who we know. This album does have a few bangers, but all in all an okay album. 3.5.
There is something about the whimsy of this album that’s so appealing—the collage of styles, at times humorous, at times dark, at times poppy, at times heavy. Compressed drums loops, dirty guitar strings, dub basses. Yet, when I compare it to Demon Days, this album feels like it contains less songwriting—more like “idea-splattering.” Nonetheless, it is certainly fun and listenable, but feels more like a premonition of what was to come than anything.
After the album, Spotify played: The Cure - Boys Don't Cry MF Doom - Rap Snitch Knishes White Stripes- Fell in Love with a Girl The Smiths - This Charming Man The Strokes - Someday
Gorillaz one of my favorite bands and Demon Days one of my favorites albums. This one is good but not quite as good as DD
Cool album art that looks like a cross between gorillas and zombies driving a jeep. Moody song. Although it's calm with some lo-fi elements, it keeps me feeling anxious and on edge. Clint Eastwood = favourite Okay after 7 songs I decided this album wasn't for me. I ended on Sound Check, which actually sounded a little like someone was just vocal warming up, but with their tongue out of their mouth, and it also gave the call to prayer vibes. Anyways, moving onto the Strokes now. Bye.
chill mais bizarre en même temps
moknkey
I’ve never listened to the album. Pretty good but not one I’d put on very often. Fun to hear Damon experimenting
très long, très varié, très expé... pas très intéressant pour moi 2/5
Creative and interesting. I didn't love every song. Lots of cool sounds
Demon Days > Plastic Beach > Gorillaz > The Fall TIL Gorillaz har lavet 4 studiealbums siden 2017???
Damn, I remember when this came out it was such a big deal. The guy from Blur started a band of cartoon characters with the guy that made Tank Girl. I thought that was a cool concept, and the music was great. I remember playing a little flash game where you ran across a graveyard as Noodle! It was so modern and fresh! Introduced me to Del’s intelligent style of rapping and Deltron3030 which I still love. Opening track is so unassuming. Chill, lazy song. 5/4 getting a little more Blur. Tomorrow Comes Today is a really good one, opens like a good Beck song! Again those lazy vocals that were a whole vibe. Clint Eastwood was fucking huge. That’s obviously how I heard about them, a friend described the video and opening verse lyrics; I was intrigued. Something very new! Man Research isn’t much. Punk is kind of fun for variety and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Sound Check is a surprise. Dig the baseline, sampling and strings! Like the vocals too. Almost a dub / trip hop vibe. Double Bass reminds me of a Tortoise song almost. Pretty slick interlude. Del’s back on Rock the House which is a bit of a throwback hip hop song. Dig it. 19-2000 was one of my favorites! Fun, catchy chill jam. Great album.
A bit meh, other than the single (Clint Eastwood), very little is memorable
One of my favorite albums already, but it was good listening through again.
A great album but less engaging than I remembered. It’s likely that I was excited by the concept at the time. Clint Eastwood is a stupidly good song. Like, so frickin good. Otherwise it was all ok.
Like I've said on other reviews here Gorillaz are one of those bands where if I was able to make a greatest hits I'd probably be able to give it a 5 star rating. However, while doing many great things this self titled has just a bit too much "filler" for me to rate it so highly. Don't misunderstand me though there are some great songs on here. Tomorrow Comes Today has managed to find its way onto many playlists of mine over the years. I don't usually seek this album out but I'll definitely be returning to it at some point or another.
Got sunshine in a bag. Brilliantly bonkers. Love Damon.
Awesome vibes, classic album.
Not a huge fan of this honestly, cool album with like zero relisten potential, not my genre
Several melodic repetitive songs sprinkled with a few hits.
I didn't feel the need to stop listening is as much positivity as I can muster. It wasn't awful but equally, it wasn't memorable or inspiring. Even the well-known tracks weren't versions I was familiar with. It left me somewhat apprehensive of what other albums have made it on to this list.
I am not that big of a Gorillaz fan. My favorite thing about them is they remind me of my brother!
I thought I liked the gorillaz, it must be only there popular stuff cause I didn’t like most of this album
Gode minder, 40 år siden jeg har hørt den sidst. Pissefed, men måske også lidt for lang.
“That’s The Second Album I Ever Bought!”
Love the coolness of the keyboard accompanied by the unconventional vocals. Ace of an album.
Bloated and pretty meh
Not really my thing but it had some good bits. I like Blur but sometimes this can leave me a little cold
I'm happy, feeling glad
Not their best album, but great album nonetheless!
Bunch of noise. Not really enjoyable
Couple of gems but most of it is just Blur over a hiphop beat.
It's ok
I will always like the Gorillaz, but this album does not contain my favourite songs
Defintely among my favourite bands. This album has some great songs but also a lot of dull moments.
Wasn't as good as I remembered but still worth a listen.
Yes. Incredible.
I heard this album years ago, but I didn't know it _that_ well. On the whole it feels more like a bunch of songs than an album -- they don't all have a consistent sound. For example, "Punk", while being pretty catchy, sounds nothing like the rest of the album. The songs with Del are probably the best. I also really like Gravity. But I don't think I'll be returning to this album much.
Thought it wouldn't hold up. But still really enjoyed it. That said, not sure if I enjoy it because it's great, or just because it was so formative for me.
Shockingly dated with a couple of gems - 'Rock the House' in particular is still good.
repetitive, and uninspired with a few highlights that keep this album away from a zero.
stand out track - Rock the House
I loved this album when it came out. Probably one of the last dozen or so CDs I ever bought before going totally digital. Would have given it a solid 4 or 5 back in the day. A lot of the songs still rank high but don't have the same appeal anymore. This is like a 3.5 rounded up.
fuck yes