Gorillaz

Gorillaz because the bass makes me go ape-mode

finally. like dude im serious finally something FUN coming in. but holy shit damon this could be even better. and thats why i like pulp, oasis and suede more than you guys. 4/5

I mean it's just a fucking classic. There's a reason this band is so revered! The unique aesthetic and lore of its animated characters is very charming, and the songs themselves run the gamut from moody trip hop to energetic alt-rock to sample-heavy funky rap seamlessly, capturing all kinds of moods and styles. It's that kind of spirit that makes the first few Gorillaz albums all-time classics. No Demon Days on this list is a crime, though.

The fact that this has a global rating of about 3.5 is good because that’s exactly what I’d give it. I feel like most people would rank Demon Days and Plastic Beach over this one, but this is obviously important too. Clint Eastwood deserves all its popularity. I have a soft spot for 19-2000 Soulchild Remix. Double Bass stood out among songs I didn’t already know. The album is a little all over the place, in both good ways and bad. A lot of variety, but also decent amount of stuff that didn’t hit with me. But thank god we at least got someone trying something different and interesting sneaking its way onto this damn 1001 list.

This is such a load-bearing album in my life that it’s impossible to be unbiased about it. It’s not just that it introduced me to the grab bag of different genres Damon experiments with here; Jamie’s visual work for the band has forever been a massive artistic inspiration for myself as well! All of it comes together into a special project that musically succeeds in most of its experimentations and sets a uniquely dark and grimy atmosphere that I’ve never quite seen replicated by anyone else -- not even by the band, which has reinvented itself numerous times over the years since. Nothing short of a classic! Standouts: 5/4 • Tomorrow Comes Today • New Genius (Brother) • Clint Eastwood • Sound Check (Gravity) • Double Bass • Rock the House • 19-2000 • Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) • Starshine • Slow Country • M1 A1 • Left Hand Suzuki Method

This is the album that finally made me appreciate and understand rap as an art form. I would be hard pressed to find another full work that had such an impact on the trajectory of my music listening. I could write a novel about this album. It's so fresh and even 10+ years after my first listen I still eagerly throw it on. I wish they would make another album built around samples like this. Really something special.

Me gustó mucho, me negué a escucharlos cuando era más joven porque según yo eso me hacía sentir cool. Su música es muy diferente a como pensaba que eran.

lovelyt

No es mucho mi estilo, no lo siento muy armonico para mis oidos, no digo que suene mal pero a mi no me termina de cerrar como se escucha.

Clint Eastwood por supuesto un temón. 5/5⭐️ No se que tiene la voz de este loco que es como droga. Gravity 4/5⭐️ Double bass es un temazo para jugar a ser espías. 19-200 me gusta maso pero la conocía 3/5⭐️ pero el remix es un 4/5⭐️ No tenía idea de que existía una canción en español de ellos. No me copo tantísimo. 3/5⭐️

’ve been into the Gorillaz since they began, though I’ll admit that I don’t listen to them much. They’re one of those bands that when a new album comes out, I’ll listen to it for about a month or so, but after that, I may never listen to it again. It’s like I forget how much I enjoy their music. Then I’ll hear it again randomly and think, “Why am I not listening to more of this? This is great.” I have several bands like this, bands that might be my favorite bands ever, but I never listen to. Anyway, Gorillaz is a concept band, and when they debuted, I thought we were heading toward a bunch of bands like this. Gorillaz are essentially a virtual band born out of Blur’s Damon Albarn's and comic artist Jamie Hewlett's minds. Later, Albarn brought in Dan “The Automator” Nakamura to help write the music and add another musician to , Gorillaz is made up of 2-D on vocals, Murdoc on bass, Noodle on guitar and other instruments and Russell on drums. Outside of Albarn, the group collaborated with other artists to make a hybrid of hip-hop, rock, and electronic music. It’s alt-rock, I guess. Gorillaz debuted in 2001 and was nothing like Albarn’s previous music from Blur. You still heard his voice, but the music was more hip-hop or trip-hop, as some might call it. At the time of Gorillaz's debut, I was sensing a dearth of solid rock and roll as all rock bands were trying to sound like the next White Stripes or the next Godsmack, so I was looking for music that sounded different or weird. I then heard the first single off the album, Clint Eastwood, and I thought, “What’s this here?” There was a familiarity to the song, probably the very loose interpretation of the whistled line from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. But it also sounded so weird. Albarn sang the hook, and that hook sank in deep. Such a great song. Del the Funky Homosapien rapped the verses. Plus, the video was amazing. The song works better with the video. This would be one of the first bands, if not the first, whose music was created with the video in mind. At this time, MTV was just starting to slip away and become Ridiculousness TV. So you could still see music videos, and a cartoon band kind of relies on the visual medium to get its message across. I bought the album after I heard Clint Eastwood, and to be honest, I kind of expected all the songs to be Clint Eastwood. I should have known better. The album starts out with Re-Hash, which is closer to a song you might hear from Blur. It’s got hip-hop elements, but an acoustic guitar lays the main riff. Miho Hatori also sings on the song. Track 2 is 5/4 and it's even more like a rock song. It’s got a great riff propelling it forward, with Albarn’s vocals again singing. I love this song. It’s got electronic music as the bed, but it’s a rock song. do Track 3 is Tomorrow Comes Today and it was the fourth single off the album. This song has a meoldica on it, as does many Gorillaz songs. It’s almost a signature instrument for the group, though it’s used sparingly. Albarn plays it. I’ll admit, I have no memory of the video for this song, but after viewing it, it’s not as good as most of their videos. It’s a very chill song with messages about paranoia and how you can be trapped by fame. Fortunately, I’m not in that trap. Track 4, New Genius (Brother), is a slow blues jam of all things. Albarn sings the verses in this high falsetto. The song samples a Bo Diddley song called Hit Or Miss. It’s very different from everything so far on the album, but it isn’t. It fits, as it’s a very chill song. The song warns about trusting strangers. Track 8, Sound Check (Gravity) is what I’d call trip-hop. It’s an “instrumental,” I guess you’d call it. Albarn does sing a hook of sorts. Otherwise, it’s all samples and beats with a cello that really makes things sound ominous. Track 9, Double Bass, is also an instrumental. It has even fewer vocals than New Geniius. It sounds like what I imagine a hipster robot would create in his virtual dorm room at college. Albarn was really smart in the singles they chose, as those songs were clearly the best songs on the album, or at least the most accessible. The third single off the album, Rock the House, and it's almost part 2 of Clint Eastwood as Del the Funky Homosapien is back rapping, and even the music video seems to pick up after the Eastwood video. I never dove (or is it dived?) into the Gorillaz to see if there are other videos for non-singles or a whole other video world beyond what I’ve seen on MTV or YouTube. That might be an interesting deep dive. Track 11 is 19-2000, and I immediately recognize the song. It seems the song is also known as Get the Cool Shoeshine. It is a nice, poppy, happy song. It is definitely an outlier when it comes to the mood of this album. Albarn is singing on the song, but he has help from Hatori and Tina Weymouth on the Get the Cool Shoeshine part. It’s a really fun song. As I finish up the album, I realize this just didn’t hit me the way I thought it would, or had when I heard it in 2001. I’m beginning to wonder if this was the album I was thinking about. Age tends to erase the chalkboard of your mind. I think maybe it was Demon Days that I'm remembering. I can’t keep the albums straight, of which there are nine. Albums two and three are my favorites. I recommend listening to this album, or at least Clint Eastwood and 19-2000. I’d rather you listen to Demon Days or Plastic Beach and circle back to their debut. While this album is a worthwhile listen, Gorillaz get much better from here.

An old fave

A very ok cartoon album

Interestong

Not my cup of tea

I had no idea this was the guy from Blur

If I could give decimals would be like 4.8, good shit

Mostly good vibes; a little too funky at times. Liked Punk and Rock the House.

boring

This was one of those bands people in high school somehow knew about but I never got into them back then. Im familiar with some stuff, but this album feels a little slower to me. There are some bangers on this album. "Punk" is definitely my speed.

It’s a fun and vibey one for sure, even with some down-trodden lyrics here and there. Very experimental and ‘messing around’ kind of album going on here. Standouts are tomorrow comes today and double bass.

Pretty cool album. Gorillaz was one of those bands I've heard good things about but never really listened. Safe to say they are very good. 5/4 and 19-2000 were my favorites. 7.5/10.

Didnt know Clint Eastwood was that good. Rock the House is also a honorable mention.

aguante gorillaz loco

Gorillaz is kinda what life has to be. Fun.

*2001. British alt rock. *Clint Eastwood is the only song I know here. *A lot of the songs sounds pretty similar to Clint Eastwood (not in a bad way), and then there are some that are more electronic and experimental, and then some that are Damon Alburn driven. *Fun, interesting album. Very listenable, but not anything that particularly struck me or made me want to revisit. *Even though Damon Alburn from Blur is one of the lead singers, this sounds nothing like Blur. RATING - 6/10

decent

So far in the project I’ve come across several artists that I was familiar with & interested in & had an idea that I’d like, but I just never got around to. Those are almost entirely before-my-time &/or far off my beaten path. These cats were smack in the middle of my time & all over my path. I liked what I heard but they somehow never reached high enough priority to earn my dedicated attention. Now that I’m around to it, sure enough it’s pretty damn good. Dig. Deep cuts as good or better than the hits. Fo’sta Love Del. Hope to see him some more on this list

Diverse music. Did not touched me at all but it was good to listen to it. Once.

didn't enjoy it

Still dig it

Some bops but sitting through this hours was hard

Me encantó, desde que tengo 16 años que escucho Gorillaz pero nunca le dí la oportunidad a un álbum completo, sin dudas el debut homónimo me sorprendió, tiene una amplia mezcla de géneros que combina junto al trip hop (dominante en el álbum) y genera unas atmósferas que te transportan, sin dudas un tremendo álbum lleno de temones y joyas escondidas que voy a volver a escuchar.

First listen to entire album and apart from singles Clint Eastwood and 19-2000 music was a little above average.

Gorillaz appeared to arrive fully formed, but it was perhaps visually and conceptually rather than musically. While it may have seemed like a leap for Albarn, in reality, this debut is a lot closer to Blur than to what Gorillaz would soon become. The stunning contributions by Del the Funky Homosapien on two of the singles give the impression of musical collaboration that would become a feature of Gorillaz, but elsewhere it's largely the 2-D (Albarn) show vocally. This is not a criticism though; the album is admirably experimental, introduces elements of Jamaican dub, world music and of course hip hop, and refuses to play things safe along the way. Shoutout to Dan the Automator as producer if he is as responsible as it seems for pulling together a coherent work from such disparate ingredients. This debut was improved upon but, as what probably felt like "my next move" to Damon, rather than something he'd still be doing 25 years later, this was a solid start.

Very chill, low key vibe music. Besides Clint Eastwood, Slow Country is the best song on the album. A very early Gorillaz album, you can tell they’re trying to find their groove and are almost there.

Very good i like it 4 stars

The idea alone is kind of genius — a fully realized virtual band that blends music, visuals, and attitude into one cohesive project. Gorillaz pull from trip-hop, hip-hop, dub, and alt-rock with an effortless cool, and the album has a distinctive, slightly hazy atmosphere that sets it apart. Still, for all its creativity, it doesn’t quite land for me. The individual tracks feel more like sketches than fully developed songs, and while the vibe is consistent, it rarely grabs hold in a lasting way. I can admire it more than I actually enjoy it.

Not sure what I was expecting here, but this was an interesting listen. I guess it's sort of a hip-hop project? Not rap, not rock, but somewhere in between. Not bad, though, just had a difficult time getting a pulse for it. Top tracks: Clint Eastwood, Man Research (Clapper), Double Bass, Slow Country

At this point, the project was mostly just Albarn toolin around with some Garage Band presets and working his magic. Still good but really just a proof of concept for Demon Days. Except for of course, Clint Eastwood which might be the first Great Song of the 21st Century

There were a few very good songs on this album and a few very bad songs. The majority of them were pretty middle of the road though, and this album was pretty forgettable.

had to turn it off

Album # 64, Gorillaz, Gorillaz, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I have a soft spot for Gorillaz. I saw them live a few years ago while I was on acid, and even though the memory is a bit foggy, it was one of my favourite concert experiences. One of my earliest musical memories is the release of Clint Eastwood back in 2001 when I was about 9 or 10. As a big gamer at the time, I was fascinated by this computer game band on MTV. It actually took me until the last few years to properly get into them though. I really love how they sound like a bunch of people in a room just messing around and having fun, and that definitely comes across here. It’s a fun album, but it’s a lot more lowkey than I remembered. It leans into that trip-hop style, quite sparse and minimalist at times, and it’s all tied together by Damon Albarn’s vocals and songwriting. You could definitely question why this is on the list ahead of Demon Days or Plastic Beach, which I think are both better records. Maybe it’s because this was the debut and felt more groundbreaking at the time, even if the image was more innovative than the music itself. Still, it’s a great album and one I’ll always have a bit of nostalgia for.

interesting album, only one song I really liked though

This album just kinda hits right, even though I can't specifically say why. It's eclectic, but not too much so. It's just quite enjoyable.

Probably the only Gorillaz album I ever listened to. Didn't like it that much at the time. Clint Eastwood is the standout by a large margin. Pleasant enough but kind of dissapointing. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: No 62/253 (24%) Will I get: No

Formative

if you're gonna do really sparse arrangements then either they have to be compositionally interesting or the individual sounds need to be interesting. this has neither, and it's made worse by out of tune vocals. at least the vocal features provide a break from that.

There's so much about the Gorillaz I don't like, but this album isn't it. There's maybe one song on here I didn't like, and all 3 intro songs are spectacular

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

I'm a fan of Gorillaz, but mostly their later stuff (Plastic Beach and onwards), so other than "Clint Eastwood" this was all new to me. I mostly enjoyed this, but it's a more subdued, down-tempo sound than I expected. New song added to my liked playlist: "Double Bass"

British indie hip hop, interesting fusion and good music by the Blur front man. Not a woo hoo album, but some solid songs.

On comprend l’impact qu’a pu avoir l’album sur la musique. On sent les influences rock anglais mêlées à la culture du sample de hip hop et donc de la musique noire. Le tout donne un son riche, une ambiance joueuse presque espiègle, parfois inquiétante toujours cool kids sans pression. Rock the house, Latin Simone, Slow country.

Legendary hip-hop, alt rock fusion. "Rock the House" is spiritually a Deltron 3030 song.

Para mi gusto personal es un album bastante interesante pero no me mata, si hubieron canciones que me gustaron pero no llegue a sorprenderme. Un album que tranquilamente podría escuchar para hacer multiples cosas en el día. Bastante instrumental y jugando con sonidos bastante buenos. 3/5

Huge fan of the singles here and Gorillaz later work but the album itself I was less impressed with. Feels very dated and sparse, straightforward tracks with not much to them. Clint Eastwood and Del pushed them forward 100%

I really like this album a lot. There are songs that I love and listen to frequently to this day and I appreciate the experimental nature of many of the tracks and the concept of the band in general. That said, this is not a no skip album so it clocks in at a 4.

This album hits hardest when it leans into rawness, groove, and controlled chaos—and that’s exactly where tracks like Punk, M1 A1, and New Genius (Brother) shine. They don’t feel overproduced or polished; they feel alive, like fragments of late-night ideas stitched together into something strangely cohesive. Clint Eastwood stands as the centerpiece—minimal, hypnotic, and effortlessly cool. The beat is simple, but that’s the strength: it leaves space for mood, letting Del the Funky Homosapien bring personality without breaking the detached atmosphere. It’s one of those tracks where less really becomes more. Then there’s 19-2000, which flips the tone completely—playful, bouncy, almost cartoonish. It shows how flexible Gorillaz are, moving from dark and hazy into something bright without losing identity. The production by Dan the Automator ties it all together with a dusty, lo-fi texture—hip-hop drums, dub influences, and rough edges that make the album feel intentionally unfinished. That imperfection is the aesthetic. Not every track lands; some feel more like sketches than full ideas. But that’s part of the charm. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about vibe, texture, and experimentation. Overall: a genre-blending, slightly chaotic debut that thrives on mood over structure. When it hits, it really hits.

nunca había escuchado a los gorillaz a propósito y la verdad es que no lo volveré a hacer. vaya coñazo de album

I never got into Gorillaz. Which is kind of weird, cause I like Blur and Damon Albarn. I like Del the Funky Homosapien. But never really connected with anything Gorillaz did. But, I was willing to give the whole record a shot, figuring there was something I missed in 2001, cause this record was kind of a big deal at the time. Eh, I still don’t really connect to this. It’s mostly pretty boring. I appreciate what they were trying to do with the accompanying animation/virtual band and what not, but this record is not really my speed, I guess. 6/10

Klassiker!

Alla låtar är inte favoriter, men variationen och hela känslan har alltid varit det starka med Gorillaz för mig och jag älskar det hela som bara ett kreativt utlopp.

Kul att det är tackvare ett leksakskeyboard som det här albumet ens är med här. Med tanke på att det här är ett av mina favoritalbum från barndomen så är det svårt att avgöra hur mycket av mina känslor som är nostalgi och inte. Men håller gör det!

Det finns 2-3 låtar som ger den en 4:a. Men resten är så där.

Koolaste aporna sedan Donkey Kong.

Solo destaqué una canción. En general bien

This album is more my jam, but still didn't necessarily stand out. Clint Eastwood and Double Bass went on my keepers playlist. 19-2000 is unlistenable if you grew up hearing the soulchild remix and Latin Simone was not good. Jon called this album lo-fi beats to study to, and, well, he's not wrong.

Boring. Inoffensive. Only a step or two higher, aesthetically, than that Lo-Fi Beats To Relax/Study To stuff. Best track: “Clint Eastwood”

I got this album back when it came out. But sure I listened to much other than 19-2000. It’s pretty good

Qué puedo llegar a agregar yo de una álbum tan conocido? Tiene himnos re mil conocidos como "Clint Eastwood" y "19-2000", canciones muy buenas como "punk" o "M1 A1", es extraordinario y muy característico de la banda. Igual Damon Albarn sos un bigilante por bardear al grunge con Blur.

Liked: Tomorrow Comes Today, New Genius (Brother), Clint Eastwood, Sound Check (Gravity), 19-2000, Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo), M1 A1, Added: Tomorrow Comes Today, New Genius (Brother), Clint Eastwood, Sound Check (Gravity), 19-2000, Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo), M1 A1,

I liked the bass line in a lot of this. I would give it three stars. It's a fun album. Admittedly, I did not pay attention to the lyrics, so hopefully, they are not super offensive. Three stars

Classic album! Very good my again not my type of music.

One kind of frustrating thing about Gorillaz is that I don't know what genre to classify them as. They just do their own thing I guess and this album is kind of a cool start. There is some very good songs - straight from the two first songs you can hear that the sound is a lot less polished and kinda more lo-fi than their other stuff but I kind of vibe with that, both songs are really good. Tomorrow comes today has very hypnotic production with those chunky trip hop bits and a great atmosphere in general. Clint Eastwood is a massive classic, the beat is so menacing and perfect for Del's lyrical acrobatics. Unfortunately with the exception of 19-200 the rest of the album is not nearly as good. Every song seems to have a problem, be that annoying vocals like on Man Research, trashy production like on Punk or a lack of interesting progression like on Starshine. The album is kind of a mess and I wouldnt rate it among their best but it has great ideas and glimpses of genius.

good mix of genres

muy tranqui, de chill. Bueno pero nada emocionante.

6/10

Surprised I liked this so much

Wiem, że płyta jest dobra, kiedy nawet instrumentalne utwory nie wybijają mnie z rytmu. Jest swag, jest charyzma, jest pełno ciekawych, odważnych kompozycji no i przede wszystkim jest klimat. 8.5/10 równane w dół.

A great first attempt with memorable tracks that are nostalgic for me but maybe a bit too experimental, knowing how the future albums sound.

Some good parts, but ultimately quite hit or miss. Demon days and plastic beach are just much better.

Es Gorillaz por ende iba a ser bueno pero asi y todo siento que se nota mucho que era un debut. Es un clásico pero me gustan mucho más Demon Days o Plastic Beach. Obviamente Clint Eastwood es histórico

This listen really reinforced my belief that this album is mostly held up by the banger singles. Without them, the rest of the songs sound like filler demos that haven't been tweaked enough. And they actively bring down the listening experience.

Quirky. I can see Anna loving this

Subestime a los malditos changos! Cada vez se ponía mejor el pinche álbum. Iconico clint eastwood pero Alm latín Simón!! 3/5

gran disco debut, si bien se valora mucho la experimentacion y que demuestre otras capacidades de damon, por momentos se siente como si no hubiese una direccion concreta. pero bueno es un poco la gracia de gorillaz, ser un proyecto sin ataduras

I enjoyed it much more than when I was a teen when it came out

Love this one

Im confused

Honk shoe

If I dislike one band with Damon Albarn and like another band with him, does that average out to a neutral opinion of Damon Albarn? Is he the artist who appears on this list the most?

I can very clearly remember listening to this record when it first came out, and loving how weird and different and exciting it was. And then having Del on tracks was like a bonus prize.

Thunk thunk, who this its the genre destroyer

Nunca entendí el hype con Gorillaz. Cierto que a Damon Albarn hay que agradecerle que no quisiera hacer de la banda una prolongación de Blur y que apostara por el eclecticismo y por la fusión de estilos. Un álbum con protagonismo de los medios tiempos donde igual te hago un hip hop que te canto un bolero. Hay que agradecer que, por lo menos, tuvieran el propósito de ofrecer algo nuevo y fresco, que nos vendieron con lo de la banda virtual con personajes de cómic, cosa que ha acabado por resultar intrascendente. Curiosamente, mi tema preferido del álbum es el remix de "19-2000" de Soulchild, algo más bailable y animado que el resto del albúm que, a veces, hasta aburre.

Should absolutely not be tearing up listening to Clint Eastwood like those lyrics are profound but its 2026, leave me alone. 3.5

blur should not have been enough to launch a multimedia weird lil guy career for damon albarn, and the output shouldn't have been enough to sustain it.

Fun for driving!

The coolest of pop albums. Musically it contains everything from Beck to the Specials to the Modern Lovers via hip hop, trip hop, dub reggae, garage rock…and much more. Despite the range of sounds, the dominant MO throughout is boomy heavy bass and sharp danceable percussion. The insanely catchy Clint Eastwood is the best known song but the Cuban-rhythmed and sung Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) towards the end is the biggest thrill on the album. This is pop music as Lingua Franca - lyrically and stylistically multi-lingual and multicultured. I got to know it through on-repeat listenings while driving my kids around in the car in the early 2000s. It strikes me now that with its moreish catchy tunes, wide range of sounds and genres, it probably had mind-broadening effects for lots of people, providing a gateway into styles of music and artists they weren’t previously familiar with.

The Gorrillaz weren't what I was expecting (Heavy Metal). It's surprising how much you can incorrectly read into a band name. Having adjusted my expectations I found the album OK. The more of the 1001 albums I listen to, the more I realise how much value I place on good vocals. This was another album that was a bit mixed in that department. Musically pretty interesting and varied. The vocals were also varied but too many were too bland for me.

Never heard the whole album before. Probably had some aversion because "Clint Eastwood" was so overplayed. I was wrong. This is one of the most entertaining things I've heard in a long time. This has a ton of stylistic variety, it's mostly uptempo with that low-key British hip hop vibe, a bit weird but still accessible. Well deserved place on this list.

Not my style

Even though I knew two songs from this album, I didn't really know what to expect. There was some interesting sounds throughout and some sounds that weren't for me. Overall a solid listen. I'd prefer to rate this a 3.5, but I'm okay with a 4.

Coming into this, I hated Gorillaz. They seemed to represent the worst bits of Blur, the most soulless bits of modern pop music, all wrapped up in a white guy's hip hop and anime obsession with a veneer of a fake band. But if i'm going to do this, I need listen as objectively as I can. I was surprised at the first few tracks. They aren't quite blur, but they're much closer than to the sound I have heard. I didn't like the first two, but they put the conception that I would hate this out of my head. There was hope. And honestly, some of this album is OK. Latin Simone benefits from sounding more like an Ibrahim Ferrer project than the rest of the album. But then we get to the singles, and I sincerely do not know what people fell in love with. "Clint Eastwood" bores me to tears, which is in part, I am sure, because Damon sounds like he is struggling to stay awake. It plods in a very different, more ploddy way than the other tracks. On the other hand, 19-2000 is an asinine nightmare despite contributions from absolute legends Miho Hatori and Tina Weymouth. It's at least not the acid chipmunk fever dream of the single. I couldn't do 15 tracks of that. But it somehow is even more uncool as a clunky slow word salad. The stuff between those songs aren't great either. There's a lot of Albarn's more yowling bits. There's the tin flute that sounds like it was just learned yesterday on Rock the House, giving the same vibes as albarn's singing. Overall not good, but for very different reasons than expected. 2*, top track Tomorrow Comes Today

Just like later Blur album this flips between brilliant and nonsense which overall makes for a terrible album.

This hasnt aged well in my opinion. Aside from a couple of catchy tunes its pretty repetitive sounding.

Was way better when I was younger

Ok first of all, there is no way this came out in 2001, that's not possible. This was OK, I'm surprised I didn't get into it at the time. It ran out of ideas towards the end though

C'était bizarre, et pas dans le bon sens du terme. D'un côté, on voit que le groupe tente beaucoup de choses et fait pas mal de choses différentes, de l'autre, c'est souvent totalement barbant. Y'a des titres assez énergiques, mais y'a aussi énormément de morceaux qui ne vont nulle part. Y'a des moments, je me suis dit que c'était un peu trop travaillé pour mettre 2/5 mais y'a vraiment d'autres où je me disais que franchement, je m'ennuie bien trop pour mettre 3/5. Et en vrai, vu qu'en plus l'album se permet de durer plus d'une heure, je penche plutôt vers le 2. On verra si j'ai changé d'avis quand je pourrai mettre ma note. Et oui, c'est vrai que le côté groupe "fictif" était plutôt intelligent à l'époque et que l'imagerie du groupe est cool est marquante. Mais musicalement... c'est autre chose.

Pretry good

I seriously enjoyed this, but could expect at least a bit of that with the known involvement of Damon Albarn. Also obvious was the guest spots of Del tha Funky Homosapien, but I didn't realize his collaborator Dan the Automator was the producer. Great beats throughout, and nice variety.

I remember this being all over Cartoon Network when it was new. Interesting concept for sure. I don't find it offensive. I wouldn't turn it off if someone else put it on. I even find parts of it to be pretty fun, but overall it's just nothing I get too excited about. Feels like novelty music.

Exactly what I'd expected. Arty, fun, and completely nonsensical. Love the lore and the videos, but the music just doesn't really do anything for me...

Very solid.

First true experience with Gorillaz and damn, I've been missing out. Will definitely be checking more of their work out. Each track has its own flair and both stand out as individual pieces but works in great cohesion, too. Favorite track: Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)

one of the easiest ratings ever. hard ass album

Very interesting to learn about the connection between Gorillaz and Blur. I wouldn't have guessed. I found this music more interesting than Blur's.

Other than Clint Eastwood, not sure I know much of this. I’m sure there’s a few other songs I’ll recognize as they were huge when Clint Eastwood came out. This is fun and different. Feels very different than the Blur album I’ve listened to for this. Definitely not that Britpop sound. The album sucks you in with the first four songs, all solid and giving off a vibe and teasing all the subtle hip hop influences then hits you with the banger that is Clint Eastwood, a full blown alt rock/hip hop jam. Great start to an album. It slows down for a few songs after that but definitely stick with that vibe. Comes back strong when Rock the House comes on, followed by 19-2000, both solid tracks. I think this is a solid 4. Loses some momentum in the middle but has a great unique quality to it.

The first half was kinda bland outside of the hits. But the second half picked it up.

Can't believe I missed this album. Never realized how many bangers are on this. Punk is by far my new favorite, but it is hard to pick. Not a fan of the remixes on the album.

Decent with a few bangers

I wanted to like this more, I enjoy a lot of Blur, but nothing that I really loved on here. Some interesting stuff but nothing I found mindblowing. Low/mid 3

Sounds enjoyably nonsensical

Damon Albarn may have been the most talented musician of the Britpop scene.

Gorillaz was an art project that ended up being so commercially successful that it carried forward into one of most influential acts of the 2000's, with staying power in the decades that followed. It's not hard to see the appeal, if you're at all a fan of cartoons, Deltron 3030, Blur, concept artists, etc. There's so much to enjoy here, even if several songs simply don't make sense or mean anything. It's just good music for the vibe of it!

Interesting!! I was obsessed with Clint Eastwood when I was like 10 and I would’ve never thought the rest of the songs on the album would’ve sounded the way they did. I wasn’t a huge fan which is surprising to me. I honestly thought this would be a 5 star album. I guess it’s too punky/alt for me. I like Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) so much though I am so glad to have found that song. I was going to give 3 stars but because of that song I’m giving it 4.

I'm not the biggest Gorillaz fan, but I enjoy some of their songs. They have some really solid hits and Clint Eastwood is always good. First time listening to this album and I'd say I liked it overall, but it didn't convert me to fan.

I'm a fan of Damon Albarn, so of course I'm a Gorillaz fan. That said, this was the first attempt but they didn't quite get there on this record. Clint Eastwood is one of the great tracks of the Aughts, and 19-2000 is another gem. The rest is a bit scattered, if interesting and at times very good but often just messy. It all came together on album #2, but that one wasn't selected

Mid. Sorry.

I've listened to this album probably a hundred complete times. It was just good background music at my stereo shop. Tune in periodically and sing along. It's a really great album with good variance and pacing.

3.5

that sunshine is really in the bag

SHEE

Me hizo doler la cabeza.

mid to lowkey ass - sound slop

Un muy buen comienzo para una banda como Gorillaz, trip hop y rock alternativo, un álbum que a mí parecer está algo cargado hacia adelante, pero que la segunda mitad tampoco es una mierda, está bastante bien 8/10

I wish I liked this more, but I just cannot physically make myself enjoy it all that much.

Surprise about how similar most of the songs are. Not bad, but not the Gorillaz that people know and love today.

I always thought Gorillaz fans were weird growing up. Still do but this project is far better than Blur.

banger

How funny is it that the first album that comes up for this challenge is one that changed my perspective on art forever? I was 14 when I got into Gorillaz, and the self-titled stands out because this was still when Damon Albarn was trying to maintain some anonymity away from Blur. This also explains some of the musical limitations in the album itself, with lots of electronic and trip-hop influences in the songs. For the feelings behind the songs, Albarn and the other musicians behind the project stayed in-character for the Gorillaz crew. This was back when they were attempting to venture into multimedia with a book and tie-in movie that never came. It really sounds like a fully realized *cartoon* band making a soundtrack for a series that doesn't exist. I still love this band dearly, and all the musicians involved in their recent albums still make it special and unique in the modern industry (seriously, "The Mountain" kicks ass). Yet, the simplistic and almost desolate instrumentals behind this album give me a perfect sense of nostalgia for those rainy morning bus rides to school. Favorite track: Tomorrow Comes Today

DNF - Honestly kinda annoying

Stuck somewhere between late Blur and really bad hip hop. It’s not clever, it is Albarn’s half-arsedness trying to be Goldfrapp.

I like Gorillaz. I like Clint Eastwood. I like 19-2000 and I really like M1A1. But I’m stuck on 3 stars because I just don’t like the rest of this too long album enough.

Love the Gorillaz and I’m so exited to see them this year!!

ciekawe, ale 2 raz bym nie słuchał

When this came out, it was immediately catchy and borrowed right on in, yet sounded like nothing else. Listened to it so much that my toddler sang it before he could talk.

The songs with Del are ok.

Fine

1/17 bekannt 7/10 Beste Songs: Clint Eastwood, 19-2000 (soulchild remix), re-hash

I admit to the fact that I am totally incapable of being objective on Gorillaz. Their self-titled debut album isn't the one I think any fan would pick for the list (that title would have to go to Demon Days or Plastic Beach) but as is often the case with music here from the late 90s/early 2000s, composed near where the original book was written, there's a (reasonable enough) lack of symmetry. Right out of the gate Gorillaz, as a project, is bleeding with cool. it's an interesting experiment: a dirty lab-grown supergroup of eternally-youthful rockstars eschewing the bubblegum-pop stylings of its MTV-era contemporaries and being unapologetically ugly-ish. Their influence on the proceeding generations is probably hard to chart, but it's certain that the landscape wouldn't be the same without it. This album isn't their most refined - that would come four years later with their groundbreakingly ubiquitous sophomore album Demon Days - but it's oozing with their signature confidence. While obviously not Damon Albarn's first foray into music, the more hip-hop inspired beats on this record are a breath of fresh air in an already impressive discography. Taking inspiration from Deltron, DJ Shadow, Portishead and other cool trip-hop artists of the era pays off in spades with a tracklist peppered with interesting hits. Admittedly, it's not always a winning formula - between timeless classics like the Omnichord-'inspired' Clint Eastwood and the cool-as-ice 19-2000 are enough forgettables to make this a clear runner-up in the Gorillaz discography. Its eclectic sources of inspiration are as much a blessing as an albatross around its neck: Spanish-speaking rap in Latin Simone works a treat, but the discount Fatboy Slim-esque opening track of 'Re-Hash' is like broiled broccoli. Gorillaz is an impressive melange of sound that barely works, yet hits like a camouflage Jeep when it does. That variety of style certainly gives it this weird temporal timelessness, like you can tell exactly what era it's produced in while also feeling fresh today. It's got that kind of je ne sais quoi that's missing from most of their post-Plastic Beach works, unfortunately, but it's refreshing to come back and hear where it all came from. Gorillaz is as much a project of visual aesthetic as much as its voice, which I think has given it a somewhat tarred reputation to purists. The cartoon stylings and (partially as a result of that) its popularity with the Zoomer generation has always been a point of insult. But it reminds me of that quote from Q Magazine: " He [Albarn] wasn't discouraged when Albarn's bete noire Liam Gallagher sneeringly dismissed Gorillaz as "fucking kids music". "I remember thinking, 'Yeah, it's for kids because those kids are going to be adults in 10 years' time, so let's give them something decent to inspire them." " As that kid at the time, it definitely inspired me. Fav tracks: Clint Eastwood, 19-2000, Latin Simone, Tomorrow Comes Today, M1 A1

Didn't ever feel a connection to this album, it was just fine.

yuhhhh

Genuinely so overrated. Can’t believe they have this album over Demon Days to listen to.

So good!!

A few good songs. Lots of guests and I like the mix of genres

Concept is cool, each song is too long and very similar to the next.

There’s something here, I just can’t quite find it. There’s cool grooves and catchy lyrics throughout. I really like both singles “Clint Eastwood” and “19-2000” and I didn’t even know the latter was the Gorillaz. May grow on me.

Not sure Gorillaz are meant to be whole album doods. I've always liked them, but it's been based on the singles. Never heard a whole album by them before and it turns out that's fine. The singles are great, really great. "Clint Eastwood" and "19-2000" are wonderful tunes that don't really sound like anything else. Musically, it's always fun. The guests that play on the various albums and tunes are usually high quality. Hell, you've got Talking Heads on here. Good enough singing, Del has some good raps, and the lyrics are funky, different, interesting usually. Sometimes a bit repetitive, and that always drives me nuts. But I just don't find the whole album enjoyable. The non-singles are a step down in quality. It's palpable. I think "Re-Hash" is a bad choice as the lead song. It's prolly ok to be on here, but it's just average and it doesn't lead you to believe the rest of the album is going to be a treat. Bad lead in. Signing on "Punk" and "Sound Check" are Damon's worst. It's s shame because the music is pretty good. Not too much to say about it, really. Id definitely by the Gorillaz greatest hits before listening to their whole albums again. Feels weird for me to give this a 4 when more than half of it is so mid. But the singles are So Good!

I hated everything about this. The very premise, the music, the name, the artwork, the “characters”, Damon Albarn… Some collaborators on this have substance, but it ends there. It was fucking difficult to get through this.

Shit

I can kinda relate to this - if I can get into a Happy Mondays kinda vibe. (And suspend critical faculties: song '5/4' starts with a 5/4 guitar riff, but then puts 4/4 drums against that?) Small bonus point though for use of a melodica on a "dub-ish" album, yay! (Ersatz dub for pop people?) I find instrumental arrangements/production is often quite engaging, but the singing is generally a let-down. (Particularly when the singer tries to be serious, oh dear...) Overall, I'll say it's Good and Bad, 5/10. Also, I want to say, even though it doesn't exactly pertain to the original album: the idea that there is a "20th Anniversary super deluxe vinyl boxset" containing EIGHT different LPs is quite shocking to me. One cheeky, casual party album, gets turned into a bloated cash cow stretched over EIGHT discs? Emblematic that we can't have nice things / can't have a natural world any more / fall of Western civilisation - right there.

Fuck yeah, this is destiny, wore my gorillaz tshirt today

Masse bra, masse fillers

They sounds like blur j/

3.5⭐️/5 03.11.2026

To be honest. I expected a more compelling album. Clint Eastwood was such a massive hit that I absolutely love and other Gorillaz offerings from later albums I have also enjoyed. Most of this was just fine but nothing noteworthy.

These are really good, clean, well-produced beats, but they don't do a lot for me. There are moments I really enjoy, but a lot of it just kind of goes in one ear and out the other. I don't think I'm the target demographic, but I can see why the folks it's aimed at would enjoy it.

This had a little bit of everything

Approaching what truly makes Gorillaz such a great project but the vision isnt truly realized until Demon Days. Still wildly creative and fun with too many standouts to ignore.

3.5

ok

Solid album. Not really sure how to define these guys, but it’s a fun listen. 3.5⭐️ for 🦍🦍🦍

Hate to be that guy after they were on SNL and are touring again and shit, but I found everything outside of the singles pretty damn boring. Were the anime personas better than the overall product?

Nice listenable pop

Clint Eastwood stays goated

My co-worker wouldn't stop talking after two weeks of working from home, so I couldn't fully focus on this album. Not sure if I liked it, but for Clint Eastwood alone, I give it 3 stars.

I'm not usually a dance music dude or an electronica dude. This album is a lot of that, and a lot of other things too, and the synthesis of them adds up to something unique and pretty great. This and Demon Days are both excellent albums. There's a weird alchemy to what Albarn does with his collaborators that just hits. The few places where he make little pop-punk ditties ("Punk" "M1 A1") are bops. The rap-rock stuff with Del works for me, probably mainly because Del has the same weird cool as the entire project. And there's a lot of the rest of it that is just a great, mellow groove. Music to listen to while out on a walk, bobbing your head just a teeny-tiny bit.

ke desirte que no te haya dicho antes 🥹🩷

Gorillaz

Like the texture of the record. Cool use of melodica.

8/10

Ach, it’s fine. I’m on a run of decent early-2000s albums right now and I’m getting a bit tired. This album is fine. The singles are fun and the production is good throughout. They have better albums than this.

Banger.

Album is great but always so different what I remember it being. They should’ve done a full collab album with Del imo

basically the Duck Rock of the 2000s

I've always thought that the Gorillaz were overrated and overhyped. My favourite track is "Clint Eastwood".

I remember when this first came out and didn't really get the hype. But I was 13. But, nah still not for me. I like the idea of the blend of genre that they do but just doesn't work for me

When I was younger I only liked Clint Eastwood but now I really dig this album.

I have such nostalgia for this album and some of the songs from this are some of my favourites ever. With that being said, Gorillaz made much better music after this. However I still enjoy this album a lot and as a debut it showed a lot of promise. The characters this album is able to convey is so cool and I love the band and there designs. It is so weird looking back at this as it has a very dark, grungy tone which nowadays is so far from what they’re doing. As a start for their career, this was great.

There was a little bit of filler on here in my opinion that could’ve been trimmed out, but the bangers on this album hit hard so it didn’t really matter.

Amazing, just wonderful. Creative, super interesting sounds and arrangements, funky but never stupid and also being a bit stupid sometimes, i loved it. Particularly good Latin Simone and Rock the House

A "virtual band" hey? Kind of dates this one I suppose. There's some good tracks on here and not as overplayed as Demon Days.

Less brit-poppy and more trip-hoppy version of Blur. Which isn’t a bad thing (plus there’s a melancholic harmonica!)

I remember this from a while ago there’s like three good songs and the rest are just all over the place. it doesn’t know what genre it wants to be it’s just weird. I’ll give it 2

4/5

bangers, m1 a1 an underrated deep cut

A new kind of Brit Rock for a new millennium. I remember how fresh “Clint Eastwood” and the music video were when it came out… Not that I had the language to describe what I was hearing back then. As a teenager, this was alt enough that it didn’t feel weird to like it, but popular enough that people would know who you were talking about.

Some of the album felt a bit like an audio scrapbook, as if Albarn was trying out ideas in the studio and just threw things onto the record with working titles like “5/4,” “Double Bass,” and “Punk” (although that last track was a favorite of mine). But then I take a step back and try to reconcile that slapdash impression with the fact that this is a really clever concept album. The idea of a virtual band is really refreshing, even listening today, and I love how Del the Funky Homosapien name-checks his “collaborators.” The play with artifice reminds me of the complex distance between product and producer, recalling everything from The Monkees to Sgt Pepper to the Spiders from Mars or Tame Impala. I also have to commend the impeccable selection of real life collaborators, and the features with Del and Miho Hatori were some of the biggest highlights for me.

I'm very attached to this album. When I first heard it (I listened to Demon Days first) I was mesmerized by the production. Variety of vocal styles, "trip-hop" stoner music, and fictional band members made this a favorite band for a midnight middle school toker. Relistening to this all this time later I still find myself thoroughly enjoying just about every track. The concept of Gorillaz is 5 stars. The album is 4. It's close to a 5 for me, but like the person I was when I first listened to this album some of the tracks are just to hazy.

Clint Eastwood is phenomenal but the album as a whole doesn't do much for me.

Favorite tracks: Clint Eastwood, Tomorrow Comes Today, Sound Check (Gravity) This was exactly what I would expect as the debut album of an experimental band. Definitely interesting, but doesn't feel quite put together. Clint Eastwood still holds up remarkably well, but a lot of the other songs sound like Damon Albarn messing around with sounds in his basement studio

DONT EVEN NEED TO listen to this album. It's engraved in my head, I have this on CD. #thebest

Definitely a great debut. And it only got better from here.

They get better

Loved this for years. It's not a hugely consistent album, but I quite like the eclecticism.

Only liked the songs with Del. 1/5

damen okay so funny I have just now been getting into the gorillaz, like slow cooking, but excited

este es el album de mi infancia

The concept of Gorillaz as a group is very interesting to me. Makes me feel a little bit like a boomer lol. Lots of genre bending and blending. A lot of the tracks start off very cool and I’m into it, but most drag on to a point that I’m annoyed and ready to skip to the next.

Had some ok tunes but a bit repetitive, felt some of the songs needed another element or two

Would've made a fantastic EP - as if this gets the nod over Demon Days?!?

Le daría un 3.5 jeje, pero más cerca del 3

Wtf que aburrida es clint eastwood y este disco en general, pero escucharlo en la primaria te hacía sentir cool y hacerte notar Me gusta el concepto la verdad pero podría ser un ep, amo rock the house y este diseño de los personajes siempre será mi favorito Los grititos chistosos de Damon suenan a Toad con neumonia lol

Cuatro por los hits que son tremendos, pero algunas rolas suenan más a experimentos que pues… rolas. Posdata, ya escucharon The Mountain. Es tan fucking bueno

Otra banda que no entiendo porqué es tan popular. Rolas aburridas. Una que otra que suelen poner por ahí, pero poco memorable el disco.

The last time I liked a band for their show more than their music was probably my first love, Alice Cooper, but Gorillaz got me, on second listen I'd probably have given this a 3 and moved on if the cartoon band and fictional mythology weren't so much fun all in itself. The mid-tempo almost lo-fi sound plus Damon's super-processed old radio in a culvert vocals always put me off on the front half of the album, but then the energy picks up from Double Bass on and I'm pulled back in. It's starting to feel more familiar after a couple weeks. Plus The Mountain 25 years later marks an artist on a big journey, I'm intrigued to hear the trail of albums from there to here, and then Jamie on visuals and story refusing to stay still as well, so much to dip into here. A dozen listens and three albums in, still intrigued.

Never noticed before that "Clint Eastwood" has a bit of a boom-bap meets dub vibe with the melodica à la Augustus Pablo. Lots to say about this album, but I don't have the time to write a long review. I really enjoyed most of the tracks, and I think that if I listened to this album more, I would enjoy all of them.

I think there's potential for me to like other Gorillaz albums more, but this one was just okay for me. For their debut album, it is solid though. There are elements that I appreciate throughout, but something is missing for me (and idk what is it). Some tracks that stood out were Clint Eastwood, Rock The House, and Latin Simone. I think the concept of Gorillaz being a virtual band with cartoon members is very cool and I'd like to check out some of their other albums. I really like Feel Good Inc, so maybe I should start with that one.

Huge Gorrilaz fan over here! The fact they created a virtual comic book band just to break away from the mold of the music industry. Allowing them to create something entirely different than what their fans or colleagues would have wanted. This album is loaded with nostalgia for me, with songs like Clint Eastwood being popular when one of my childhood friends first started smoking weed singing “Sunshine in a bag”. The line in sound check “Gravity will never let me down” sticks in my head often too. Overall I’ve listened to this album countless times and still enjoy it every time. It’s made it into my road trip music rotations. So chances are anyone who has sat in a car with me for many hours on a climbing trip has listened too. Callie was bopping along to it this morning and Ben tried to grow more skin while listening to a few of the first tracks.

Been waiting for this one. Gorillaz are a all time favorite of mine. So many hits on this one, 5/4, 19-2000, Clint Eastwood, Re-Hash, Tommorow comes today. Have always admired the lore abd the creativr direction from Jamie Hewlet, artist of the characters and creative director for the look of the art. Have always admired his style and get inspiration from an art book of his that I own! He draws this comic called Tank Girl which is super dope. Check it out, you will see parallels between the arts types of both separate projects. Id say Demon days, and Plastic beach are just as good as this one if not better (probably better imo). A few other favorites are The Now now and their brand new album The Mountain, all different flavours but all so good, so groovy, and so fresh. As you can probably tell, Ive listened through their discography haha and this album ranks near the top. (Top 5 of atleast) 9/10 for me, easy 5 star. Will always be a big fan of the stuff they put out.

Never went deeper than the hits with the Gorillaz, so everything other than ‘Clint Eastwood’ was a new listen for me. This album is all over the place. Around half the songs are ethereal, goofy hip hop, but the other half range from electronica, stoner rock (think Sublime), and punk rock, to lo-fi instrumental tracks, and even one Latin-inspired song entirely in Spanish. There were more misses than hits for me, including a couple genuinely bad songs, but there were a few gems. Feels like a 3/5, just too unfocused for me to give it more than that

Good stuff, haven't listened to this in a very long time. Very good record, altough I only know 2 songs here, still probably almost 4 stars, rated 3.5 on RYM, I expect the other record of theirs on this list to be even better

It was good. Definitely different for early 2000s.

Middle school bangers

Met uitzondering van Clint Eastwood, niet mijn ding

The hits are good but demon days is better.

INCREÍBLE. Obviamente conocía los hitazos Clint Eastwood y 19-2000, pero qué absolutamente espectacular es también el resto del disco. Tremendas canciones que no paran, que prenden muchísimo y que hacen que uno quiera escuchar mil veces este disco y todo lo que tenga Gorillaz.

Let's bo honest, this album has Clint Eastwood so of course (OF COURSE) it's already a 10/10 to me. Also I think that I love the musical fluity of this record so I don't care I'm gonna play favorites 10/10

Some songs on this album are just not my cup of tea, for now.. However, this album also contains classics and very interesting sounds. I think if i go back to this in a different time in my life i might love it

I love Gorilaz💃

hits only thank you

Had no idea that chorus line comes from this album. "Happy, feeling glad, sunshine in a bag" etc. Very good "doing work" album. Solid vibe but not incredibly alluring.

So good

This is a really cool album. I'm familiar with a lot of Gorillaz songs, but never sat down and listened to an entire album. It's such a consistent sound and fully realized listening experience. They know their sound and style and stick to it, while still being experimental. Great one! Top Songs: Tomorrow Comes Today, Re-Hash, Clint Eastwood, Double Bass, 19-2000, Slow Country

no lo escuchaba desde los 13

One of my favorites. It still blows me away with the wide range of genre this album goes through. It's definitely a trip!

Pure nostalgia.

Gorillaz are a massive part of the 2000s, and it's kind of crazy that the group stayed relevant for so long. I enjoyed a lot of the hits and they were a group that everyone explored at some point. It's kind of shocking that the debut album is on here and not demon days. It makes it seem like the group was just unique when they came out, not a critical and commercial success. Feel Good Inc is one of the biggest hit songs of the 2000s. The debut is great though. Not something I listen to all the time but solid.

I listened to this quite a bit when it came out, so I'm familiar with it. The real good part of this for me was always moving trip hop style beats out of lounges and clubs and on to mainstream radio. Damon Alban's goofiness with blur comes through as well, and really makes the group what it is. It was all really fresh in 2001, even though it spawned a ton of imitators and it all sounds a bit old now. There's still plenty of genre variation within the album and nearly all of it really works, the only track I find a bit annoying is Latin Simone, but that's just me. The visual aesthetic accompanying the band is also a big part of it especially considering they don't really "exist" in the real world. It was a cool idea at the time that wouldn't really fly now because we have actual "AI" performers that are entirely made up and generated instead of artfully created. Anyway, I like this album and I like Gorillaz in general, even if the staying power hasn't aged as well as I had hoped. It's lost a tiny bit of the shine simply by being the first ones to really get popular in the mixed electronic/alt rock style.

I've never listened to this! Obviously, I've heard Clint Eastwood enough to run through the entire song in my head. I wasn't surprised by the variety on the album due to the differences between the Gorillaz singles throughout the years, and the variance was enough to keep me on my toes but not so much as to be frenetic. Great stuff, guy from Blur.

The timing of this assignment couldn’t be more perfect, seeing as the next Gorillaz album is slated to drop less than four days from now – I’ve got just enough time to binge a few of their other acclaimed albums before The Mountain is out, if I so desire. Side tangent, but the album is going to have SIX different tracks featuring Anoushka Shankar. She’s not only related to Ravi and Ananda Shankar, but is also apparently the half-sister of Norah Jones (each of whom have an album included here). Talk about a musically-inclined family, holy smokes! Anyway, I’ll admit that I’ve always liked “Feel Good Inc.” I mean, how could I not? That bass line is generational. At the same time, I can’t say I enjoyed it so much that I ever felt the need to dig any further into the band’s discography. I think the most curious I ever got was around the release of Humanz, but I don’t think I listened to more than one song from that campaign (knowing myself, it was probably the track with Vince Staples). Truth be told, I didn’t even realize they put out three albums in between that one and The Mountain. All that said, I was pretty excited to finally run through the band’s fabled self-titled album! I had never actually listened to “Clint Eastwood” before today and I kind of regret sleeping on that one because it’s definitely an earworm. Am I kicking myself for not checking out the full album sooner? Ehhh, not really. There are certainly seeds of something special here, but this first crack at the bat is so boring and overstuffed that I was left scratching my head a bit – was the virtual band gimmick so novel that people were hyping up music this mid in 2001 (and beyond)? Was it kind of cool hearing Damon Albarn’s take on trip hop here? Sure. Am I ever going to come back to those cuts when Mezzanine by Massive Attack is right there? Absolutely not. Will I end up revisiting any of my first-listen highlights (outside of “Clint Eastwood”)? Jury’s still out, I guess. While I didn’t expect this album to fall on the “disliked” side of the spectrum for me, I’m actually quite hopeful going forward – the band-aid has been ripped off and now there’s nothing stopping me from checking out Demon Days or skimming through any number of other Gorillaz albums. Maybe I’ll appreciate the debut more in hindsight, who knows? Highlights: Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Double Bass, 19-2000, M1 A1

Sounded okay, I'm sure 1001 will love it. I have heard some of these tracks before. 2

meh

I struggled a bit to get through this and skipped through the ends of a few of the songs.

Get the cool shoeshine :D

First time listening to this all the way through and not just the one hit. Has some interesting stuff, but I found myself enjoying the hip-hop and stripped down songs the most. Overall, just too many songs. Trim this down to 10 good tracks and it gets a higher rating.

Fake cartoon band? Blur with extra steps? No graham coxon? This was so much better when Damon wasn’t singing or trying his sleepy flow. 1.5⭐️

I love that i have no clue what genre this is. I have never heard a more creative expression of music that never takes itself so seriously. Only one track I didn’t care and it is just because it wasn’t as creative as the rest, but still objectively good.

It can't be understated the impact this release had on the UK music scene. It's a weird experiment from the frontman of Blur, different from his previous stuff and very varied, but it paid off. Not all bangers but a lot to like in here.

Not quite as good as Demon Days. But solid.

muy bueno, no mi estilo, pero muy bueno

Can be enjoyable for a while but good lord this did not have to be an hour long. I got extremely worn out by this a little over halfway through.

Genuinely, not my vibe. Got some good beats but to be fr 5/10

Incredible

Before I jump into this album, I need to note how big of a Gorillaz fan I am. I fell in love with the band around eight-ish years ago, and have listened to all of their albums front to back multiple times. As of listening to this album, The Mountain only came out two days ago, and I was listening to it earlier this morning (and love what I heard). Gorillaz's debut is a masterpiece, and I'm not even sure if it would land in my top three of their albums (D-Sides, Demon Days and Plastic Beach would likely take those spots). This album sounds nothing like any of their other work (besides G-Sides, obviously) and I always love listening to it, so I'm very excited to get into it here. This will be a long one. • Re-Hash kicks the album off with a great burst of energy. The simple guitar line works really well, and would be a staple of the guitar parts throughout the album. I love the layering on the vocals, with 2D's higher vocals and much lower, less energetic vocals underneath, as well as Noodle providing backup vocals. Off the bat, this song makes me forget all about the real people behind the music, and I can just imagine the fictional characters. • I love the polymeter in 5/4. The guitar and bass are in 5/8 (ironically) and the drums are just in 2/4 (and the vocals are in 4/4), until the chorus where every instrument comes together in 4/4. It never feels confusing at any point, and it gives the song such a unique feel. I also love how loud the bass gets in this song. • Tomorrow Comes Today is such a fun song. The first single released by the band, you immediately know the vibe of the band (at least for these early days). This song has the first use of the melodica that would become one of the most iconic parts of the band's sound, and the melody it plays is really great. I love the different layers of vocals in the chorus and post-chorus. • New Genious (Spotify has it spelled as Genius now?) is such a dingy sounding song. It's the first time 2D's falsetto really takes the lead in a song, and it's so emblematic of the early Gorillaz sound. Live versions that use the backing vocals for the chorus don't really capture the same vibe 2D's voice does in this recording. • And then we have Clint Eastwood. There's so much about this song that was never replicated. 2D sounds different on this song, and I love his voice here, I wish he sounded like this on a couple more tracks. Del's rap is perfect for the song, there's a reason it became the default, even after years of other performers putting their own spin on it. It's so energetic, he sounds like he's having fun recording it. And then the long outro after the last chorus is such a perfect ending. I love every version of this song, like Phi-Life Cypher's original version (which might even be better instrumentally) and De La Soul and Bootie Brown's Demon Days era take, but nothing compares to the album version. • Clapper is a really different song on the album. 2D's falsetto is back in force, and the chorus is one of the least conventionable parts of the album. • Punk is a great interlude track. As Damon Albarn said when performing it, it doesn't really have lyrics, so you can just sign whatever. Perfect for expelling any energy you have • Gravity might be one of my favourite songs on the album, as soon as it kicks in it becomes one of the catchiest songs on the tracklist. • Double Bass is awesome. Gorillaz have a few instrumentals across their discography, and while this isn't my favourite it does stand out from the rest. It's another song that couldn't have come from any other era of the band. • The second (and for a long time, final) Gorillaz song to have Del tha Funky Homosapien, Rock the House is another banger. Del's raps fit into the Gorillaz style so cleanly. It's a shame it took until Cracker Island for him to be on another of their songs. • 19-2000 is another contender for my favourite song from the album. It's so Gorillaz, with 2D and Noodle both taking lead vocals at parts. 2D's vocals are among the best on the album, and the instrumentation is really pleasant. • Latin Simone is such a unique song among Gorillaz's discography. If I remember right, they wouldn't feature another language this prominently until Tormenta with Bad Bunny, over 20 years later. I also really like the English version of the song, and the two versions compliment each other nicely. I wish the English version was on Spotify in my region, but the best option I have is to listen to the Gorillaz Radio and deal with Murdoc talking over the end. • Starshine was a song that took a couple of listens to click with me, but I really appreciate it now. I like the guitar/synth line and the bassline is great throughout the song. 2D's vocals are probably my least favourite on the album, but it's still a good song. • Slow Country is maybe the most underrated song on the album. I know some people find the wind effect throughout the song annoying, but it doesn't distract me too much. I absolutely love the chorus, and the main piano hook is so nice. • M1A1 is an insane closer to the album, because it feels like a perfect opener. Gorillaz seem to agree too, because almost every live performance in recent years (including when they played this album in full) has begun with this song. Ending the album with such a burst of energy is a great choice, and really leaves you wanting more. I've written a lot already, so I'll try keep the outro brief. I clearly love this album, and this band. Self-titled is a vibe Gorillaz only hit this one time, and it's truly unique. It's an album that I believe is 99% deserving of its place on this list, and the only thing stopping it from being at 100% is because Demon Days somehow isn't. No matter how much I love this album, Demon Days is on another level, both in terms of its impact and its quality, and it somehow being excluded from this list is criminal. I'm not sure how to pick a favourite song from this album, because there are so many absolutely perfect tracks on it. It feels almost arbitrary to pick, so while I'm going to give it to 19-2000, just know that it could've easily gone to so many others. I'm going to listen to G-Sides now and keep this train rolling. Favourite song: 19-2000

Not a fan of Blur, but this is a little different I really like Clint Eastwood, but the rest of the album is either filler or throwing stuff out there to see what sticks, giving a very uneven feel Ultimately, I just dont get it

I know this album so well, I played it endlessly when it was released. Eclectic, varied, irrepressibly creative, and utterly deranged. Just wonderful.

Great record that is eclipsed by 2 of its successors. The singles are all classics and even more experimental moments like double bass are great. Unfortunately the last few tracks aren’t as good to me, but the excellent closer saves it from being a boring ending.

An interesting concept with a couple of clear singles which bought them time to continue their experiment. This album leans a bit too much into dub, which limits the variety and experimentation the project was meant to provide. Later albums are better but may not appear due to them not having the novelty.

As a band, much prefer it as an audio-visual concept rather than just the music. None of it is bad (I remember ‘Clint Eastwood’ being the hot new thing on release, particularly the more garage version), but it doesn’t have the variety of some of their later releases and a bit one dimensional and plodding as a result.

Absolutely loved every second

Not my type of music

I enjoyed this albums rap inspired songs. The instrumental focused ones didn’t really impact me much, but they were still good. This is my first time listening to this album from start to finish.

Some cool beats. Also some rap.

Havent had the inclination to listen to the Gorillaz ouvre. I now know why. This wont happen again.

Aaeeeeehhhhh really don't like it!

I was familiar with one song. I really liked double bass and 19-2000. Some of the songs were a little too experimental sounding for me. Some had a bit of a Beck vibe.

Clint Eastwood will forever be a classic.

I love Gorillaz but I imagine their first album is not the best of their work, I wish that some of their other albums were on it. Still, this was very good and I enjoyed it. I think that this is an album that I would listen to again, especially since there are a lot of songs and they sort of blended together at points. Clint Eastwood is of course great but I also really liked Re-Hash and Tomorrow Comes Today. Overall, it's interesting, it's funky, and it's fun.

I thought I would like this more than I did. I only knew Clint Eastwood and 19-2000 going in and they are both bangers. The other song with Del on it - Rock the House - is really enjoyable. I liked Starshine a lot. Beyond that I found the rest of the songs anywhere from okay to good. It's a solid album, just not one of my favorites (which I was kind of expecting).

Honestly, I get that it's a cool album, but it really wasn't my vibe. "Clint Eastwood" is the best song, and the seemingly only famous one from the album.

This does little for me compared to their later work. The gorillaz do have some bangers but they are not on this- it's largely just the more boring parts of rock and rap together, whcih is a shame because when it is greater than the sum of its parts it slaps. Has moments of brightness but they get better later on at refining these out of the genre fusion.

An extremely stoned album. I enjoyed some of the more upbeat tunes and think the final track is probably the best, but some of the more dubbed out chillers got a little boring and Albarn's falsetto is extremely grating. Clint Eastwood is an all timer of a track. What was I talking about?

Top notch, aside from every time Damon Albarn opens his gob

Très bel album qui donne envie de découvrir Gorillaz

Har en god del filler, men de gode låtene gjør opp for det. Hadde glemt hvor kul 19-2000 er. Sterk 3

banger

Know the singles, don't mind them. The rest is kinda just meh though. Post triphop/Brit pop? Ultimately the Gorillaz project was more than the music, BUT this project (1001 albums) is about albums. The next 2 Gorillaz album are improvement on this. I don't hate it, but I doubt I'd actively listen to it again.

Classic, start of something huge

Kom bara en del igenom det, men var generellt skönt. Kände dock att jag inte lyssnade tillräckligt aktivt så blev mer ett brus av gungiga trummor och melodier i bakgrunden

Primera escucha: Todo bastante meh. La versión bonus de Clint Eastwood tiene un pase. Quizá habría que darle otra oportunidad. Por el momento, un 2/5.

Wrong day for me to listen to it. Just sounded outdated

did not expect to see this.

this album is just boring. it brings some interesting production into the mix (which I enjoyed at times!) but ultimately falls flat (especially their singing voices, dear lord). yeah, I expected more, I like their later albums more. its just not hitting at my desk on this monday morning... 3/10

Just a bop, just a fuckin buncha bops.

very good first album. Gorillaz is just nice :)

funky chill lowfi ❤️

3.5 - good album

Disappointed I didn't like this more but I just don't think I get Damon Albarn

So bomb. Psychedelic beats but done in a way that feels fresh, hypnotic drum loops and suuuuuch good sampling. Easy 5.

I remember this not really being my favorite but it really hit this time. I think listening through the entire album does it justice, tons of great songs that I never really payed attention to and of course some classics

Gets a 4 because they’re good but they can’t all be as good as Clint Eastwood.

I haven’t listened to the Gorillaz much. Really good album. Put some songs in my rotation

opening spotify at work while Rock the House was playing was a terrible idea

Great album overall, so many songs I hadn’t heard before. My favorite imaginary band

Clint Eastwood will always be one of the most epic songs ever also just found out Del the Funky Homosapien is Ice Cube’s cousin

Not a bad album by any means but I've never been super impressed by any song of theirs. Also was so long that I got bored and was really antsy to skip songs.

Not their best album but still pretty stinking awesome!

I liked this album a lot back in the day, and it really holds up for me. Damon Albarn might put his soul into Blur, but his whole body goes into Gorillaz here. Millennium Funkadelic

Wystarczająco energiczna. Jak na mój gust za mało tekstu, który można od razu zrozumieć. Świetna muzyka do puszczenia w tle. 4/5