Gorillaz

Just such a unique blend of hip hop and grunge and rock and something else intangible. The vocal are great, the beats are fantastic. The concept of this band and album are amazing. 8.8/10 85//1001

Love this shit! One of the better albums by one of my favorite bands.

Slow country, punk, and Clint Eastwood were all standouts, but overall I found this to be a very mid to your album

I was very excited for this album. But I found it painfully boring. The hits are honestly great, but there is a reason they were the singles. The rest of the album is very repetitive. Every time I thought they were going in an interesting direction with the song, they'd just basically stop and go back to the same old repetitive part. Really disappointing. I can't ever see myself voluntarily listening to this entire album again.

Gorillaz first album defintely lays the foundation for the bands sound to come but "Gorillaz" ends up feeling a little bloated inbetween the obvious highlights here 7/10 Favourite: Tommorow Comes Today Least Favourite: M1 A1

Clint Eastwood still bangs but the majority of these songs kinda Blur together

Not my thing at all

Great album

The Monkees better watch their backs

What a curious sound. Urban, but simple, sometimes sounding like kid's music. 3/5

3.75

Chill music, nice to have in background while working

This album is pretty meh besides Clint Eastwood (which, yes, I still somehow know all the words to???)

I love the Gorillaz and this is a great album with some real classics, but far from their best. A couple of clunker songs makes this a 4.

Solid album, though the best tracks are those with Del the Funky Homosapien. Enough tracks that are just fine to keep it from five stars.

4.5 stars. Virtual band that is the creative outworking of Blur front man Damon Albarn but sounds incorporates more trip-hop than straight alt rock. Had heard and loved "Clint Eastwood" but didn't know much else about the rest of the record but loved it all. Varied sound but the lo-fi/chill vibe throughout makes for a very listenable album.

This was an extremely long listen…. The album is very dated and perhaps for its time, it was groundbreaking but now it’s just dated. The idea of a cartoon band was novel and the idea that Blur Fromtman Damon Albert had a creative outlet to let Loose is great but the album gets boring after a while. Best song is probably M1 A1 which sounds like a variation of Pink Floyd.

This one's not as long as the Ella Fitzgerald Songbook, but by the end it kind of felt like it. At no point was it bad - but it just kept going. Might have been a stronger album with a little bit of editing.

My ratings for popular music after 2000 tend to be pretty low. Even though Gorillaz is not a group that is in heavy rotation for me, I appreciate what they are doing in the modern age, the concepts are fun, and I like to check in every now and then to see what they are coming up with next. Crazy this project is 25 years old, but does not sound dated.

A solid debut. Favorites: Re-Hash, Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Punk, 19-2000 Would I listen to it again: Yes

Feels like an important album.

I didn't realize until like 3 years ago that this was the guy from Blur. That kind of made me listen to Gorillaz a little differently. Whether that's good or bad I don't know. But I feel like the idea of creating a virtual band in the late 90s was pretty forward-thinking. I have a feeling this is one of those things that started as sort of a joke between friends but then turned into a real thing that gained traction. Regardless, I have of course heard all the songs I would have heard from Gorillaz without having ever sat down and listened to a whole album, but this is my first time listening all the way through. Clint Eastwood is definitely the standout, that's a fantastic song that still holds up and sounds good today. I like that this record is diverse but at the same time it doesn't sound scattered. This is a fun album to listen to but other than Clint Eastwood, I don't feel like I would play any of it again. However, if I saw it in the record shop, I would probably buy it and play it from time to time. 3/5

Phantastisch. Albarn ist einer der genialsten Köpfe zeitgenössischer Popmusik. Besser kann man Genregrenzen nicht überwinden, und sein Songwriting ist sowie überragend. Dazu ein einzigartiges visuelles Konzept: Musikgeschichte. 5/5

When it hits, it hits hard.

While Demon Days is--in my humble opinion--Gorillaz's best album, the self-titled is easily second best. Gorillaz was fire between 2001-2010.

Quite good, had never really given this a full listen before since I have never been a Clint Eastwood fan (he’s an actor? I just like him for his politics) Really cool and great beats. Classic hip hop album

To me, this doesn’t quite fully sound like a Gorillaz album. I like it and there are some excellent songs on it, but I think Damon was still finding his sound here.

This is not top 1,000. Sounds like an elementary group singing when there was singing.

This is an awful spin off from a band. Go back to Blur (does happen).

These guys probably really like Radiohead.

Snooze. Why is this taking up space on the list?? Oh wait, it’s because it’s Blur frontman’s

I might be cranky but it feels like this album is trying to be annoying. It's plodding, repetitive and nonsensical.

Always forget how fucking fire Clint Eastwood is This album is for groovin and head bopping only

À gem

Blah. Sorry, not sorry. Meh.

Just inexplicably boring and I hate some of the vocals. I’m sure it was seminal and influential in its time, but not something I would choose to listen to. Demon Days is better.

Finally…

24/1001. Hmmm, I might own a library sale cd copy of this? Anyway I hadn't really LISTENED to thw album before...many songs seem groovy, the sound is nice and funky, featuring artists bring a lot in, and the songs have interesting details in the background, but still overall feel is too lazy, like an album which is made stoned. I hope they had continued the virtual only band, they were really pioneering the thing and now you would have so many possibilities with virtual productions, motion detection, Fortnite concerts and what not. But hey, a Jim Henson award for creativity and a guinness world record!

A classic album but not the best

First off, this album contains certified BANGERS. "Clint Eastwood" may be a top 10 all-timer for me. Putting Del in anything elevates it. And yes, this album was groundbreaking, and Damon Albarn & Co. moved the needle for popular music with this album. BUT. A solid one-third of this album feels like good ideas that were never fully developed, which contributes to the "Damon Albarn is too decadent" narrative. Three stars, but throw another in for the sheer presence of Del The Funky Homosapien.

A very three album for me. It's good, but I'm not going to seek it out to listen to again.

This is really good, its biggest problem is it’s not as good as the albums that would come after it.

Another artist I never really paid much attention to. I recall it being a favorite of stoner grad students in the mid-aughts, and now that I hear it, that checks out. A little aloof for me, but that seems like the point.

Lotta good stuff going on

Good not great. I expected more i think

I like the gorillaz hit songs but was not a fan of this album for the most part

This was interesting!

Such a cool album! It's Blur, but modernized, electosized, and produced with a mass market in mind. It was also completely creative compared to the corporate garbage that was being pumped out back then. Hence, you hear this stuff in regular rotation still today. I like Demon Days better than this album, but this was the start.

Pretty good but did get a bit monotonous.

It was OK. Probably groundbreaking at the time. Lots of different sounds.

Very good debut, strong songs with some definite standouts and a couple of weaker ones.

Totally forgot how this came out in 2001. I always associated it with a few years later. All solid tracks on the album, even outside of the hits.

How many Damon Albarn records do I need to listen to before I die? Surely I’ve heard enough. Please . . . Pretty Please let this be the last one.

I like the guitar part in 5/4 a lot. Song overall kinda dull. Naming a song after the unusual time signature is a big time dweeb move. Similar dweeb move on Double Bass. The "all of which makes me anxious, at times unbearably so" interlude is funny and cool though. When I was a teen I dug the throw-everything-at-the-wall style of this one. I don't rate versatility as highly these days so more of it falls flat. Hard time with this one - how original was this at the time? Was what was original about it also good? I don't know man. three stars.

The first time I ever independently learned about an upcoming album and then bought that album when it came out, I was about 12 and it was this album. I never really connected with another Gorillaz album. People really like Demon Days but if I remember correctly there’s several years between the self titled and the follow up, and I guess by then I had moved on to other stuff. Anyway I still like this one a lot. Does sort of drag at the end, but the first half is very cool to me.

Great album, it has a very nice early 2000s internet vibe that I love.

Good sounds all around

Interesting vibe but nothing grabbed me

Finally listening to this again after 15 years. Just stuck to a single or two in my playlists, and yeah, I see why. Not that anything other than Tomorrow Comes Today and Clint Eastwood aren't solid, just that the vast majority of this album can't sustain itself with the musical ideas present. Generally those musical ideas are solid (with a few exceptions), they just need some heavy fleshing out, even on good tracks like Latin Simone, 19-2000, and Rock the House (Del can only do so much with the material he was given). The best music is front loaded. Re-Hash and 5/4 are solid tunes even if they aren't completely fleshed out. New Genius (Brother) is Damon trying his best to make a Portishead song and not really accomplishing it, but at least its a good vibe. Man Research (Clapper) though is honestly a nothing song and shoulda been cut, especially with the awful vocals. Punk is a decent Ramones-esque song. And it basically is just that type of stuff going forward. Fine, but mostly just unfinished musical ideas that needed more time in the oven. Honestly would be a 2 if Clint Eastwood and Tomorrow Comes Today weren't absolute bangers. Didn't expect to be this down on the album, but yeah. Finally, there's no reason why Demon Days or Plastic Beach should have been left off the list for the debut. Both are much better and are more fully realized albums. Demon Days has more hits and is their most popular one, even if the back end of the tracklist does fall off a cliff (the last 3 tracks mostly, Dare is fantastic) and Plastic Beach is their most consistent one and them at the peak of their ability.

some real deep cut gems in here

This is a goddamn great album.

Meh

Genre bending pop has become mainstream in the last 25 years, so this will not have quite the same impact to new listeners it had at the time.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Was greatly influential in my music taste from back in middle school.

Very nice! Never heard it before! Thanks.

Great album, a couple slow spots but the pop hits are wonderful. Def a product of its times

Nice album :)

2 out of 5. It's been years since I've listened to this album but it's more lackluster than I remember.

A boring, jumbled, rambling mess. I’ll skip the cartoons too.

Considering it’s their debut album it’s rather impressive, considering it’s not, it still holds up quite well. While ‘Clint Eastwood’ is considered the best track off it, even by me, I still think it’s hilariously awkward how the rap section came in. Album started to drag a bit after the second half. Side note, some tracks actually remind me of Glass animals. Favorites: Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Sound Check (Gravity). Dislikes: Clint Eastwood, Rock the House. 6/10

fav: clint eastwood (1) least fav: 5/4 7/10

I liked it much more than I thought I would

Divertido

This album shows promise of some pretty incredible and innovative stuff yet to come while also delivering some certified classics such as “5/4”, “Tomorrow Comes Today”, “19-2000”, not to mention “Clint Eastwood”. This album is fun and light while also being able to deal with heavier themes. With a runtime nearing an hour, it can start to feel a little bloated towards the end, but otherwise no complaints. Writing, production, and lyrics are all fantastic. I enjoy this album a lot. 4/5

Not my type of music. Really repetitive and nothing to look for.

Just a classic, so easy to listen to and I think pretty conceptual and groundbreaking at the time. Love it!

Highlight Song/s: 5/4 New Genius (Brother) Double Bass The backing track for all of the songs are so colourful and unique. It's like a forest, you can totally lose yourself in it. The backing track also reminds me of Shoegaze and Dream pop, with so many things to discover on one track.

Clint Eastwood carries this album 🙌

Ahead of its time like little old ladies in bonnets. Bully is very influenced by this IMO

This one was hard to rate, because apart from a few absolute bangers, this album was shit.

some exceptional songs on here but too long

Solid overall. Unique sound. Vocals can get a bit strange but they’re not bad.

Messy, couldn’t decide what genre it wanted to be. Clint Eastwood the only standout track.

not one I liked very much

Dang, this is pretty good. For some reason, when I read the phrase "virtual band", my mind immediately went to the Wiggles. I spent the next twenty minutes scrolling through their Wikipedia page (while listening to Gorillaz) and getting lost in a wonderful world of fruit salad, hot potatoes, and cold spaghetti. Honestly, that's not a terrible description of the Gorillaz' sound either. It's pretty experimental, with quite a few musical ideas that aren't really developed into something I would consider a masterpiece. The songs are a bit disjointed from one another, making each Gorillian creation stand out but also making for a slightly confusing/exhausting album experience. But every single track on here is incredibly interesting, if only because musical experimentation is a breath of fresh air in the grimy, overpopulated swamp of punk and Britpop on this list. 5/4, Tomorrow Comes Today, New Genius, Man Research, Double Bass, Slow Country... It's funny, half these songs sound exactly like their title (at least until 5/4 diverges traitorously into a 4/4 time signature). Crazy how that works. Some tracks definitely stand out for all the right reasons. Clint Eastwood has that ridiculously memorable vocal hook ("the future, it's comin' on, it's comin' on, it's comin' on...") and exotic hip-hop backbeat. Rock the House is a fresh, clean, lighthearted track with some carefully edited horns. I would probably prefer the trumpets if they were less edited and sounded more human, but it's still great as is. And... is that a pan flute? Insanity. 19-2000 wasn't initially in my list of key tracks, but the Soulchild Remix version at the end of the record has a significantly cleaner production, and bumps it up to a top-tier track. Man, listen to those drums. That fast tempo, the women meowing for backing vocals. As for Tomorrow Comes Today, I can't really explain why I enjoyed it as much as I did. It sounds a bit like lo-fi, which is of course the best genre of music to emerge from the 90s. These primatez know their stuff! 4/5 Key tracks: Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Rock the House, 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)

There is something a little bit awkward about this music. I know a lot of people LOVE the Gorillaz, but it comes off as cringe to be and doesn't do anything wild to my music radar. I would rather listen to good hip hop OR good rock, not both in a mush. 3/10

Unknown band for me. Not quite the type of R&R I like but listenable. An OK album.

This one was fine, with some parts going up to good. I would not call it great, however. I think it's another album that's harder to evaluate out of context, since this came out at a time when rock music was ruled by nu-metal, boy bands were huge in pop, and rap/hip hop was often still overshadowed by both in the mainstream (though not always true). This was notable as a different effort than what was making up the market at the time. I'm pretty sure that was the point of the band/album, so it succeeded in that sense. The mostly lo-fi music made it an overall easy listen, if somewhat boring at times. There were a few songs that were great with those beats. The almost lyric-less Double Bass was actually one of my favorite tracks on the album. I found the stronger songs were the ones with outside contributors, or that had mixed elements with rap parts and singing parts. It also worked as a whole because of the musical consistency. But again, it was easy to tune it out at times because of how simple/unintrusive it was. I would've liked a bit more diversity; really, Punk was one of the few tracks that did something that stood out as unique compared to the rest of the album. Even that only lasted 98 seconds. Latin Simone was somewhat different (with the Latin influence) but also similar enough to not stand out much. M1A1 had a more interesting feel compared to the rest. Unfortunately, it was track 15 on the album. There wasn't much I actively didn't like, but the worst part of the album for me was Man Research (Clapper). I found it really grating and would probably skip it if I listen again. In sum, I'd say this is an OK album. It is good in parts, and there are very few bad moments. But the majority of it hovers between the two. I wouldn't say there are any truly great parts. It is probably less unique and interesting now than it was in 2001, but it still has a different feel I can appreciate. It's main flaw for me is that it stays low-key for so much of it that it becomes more background music than something to be captivated by. Overall: 3.1/5

I’ve never really enjoyed Gorillaz so didn’t have high expectations for this and it was pretty much what I expected. Background music. Not a very big fan at all. Much prefer Blur. Eh.

Liked this much better than expected. All over the place but overall very cool.

A waste of my time.

This is a much more laid back album than I was anticipating, having been raised on the 2005 follow up. There are some good tracks, Sound Check stood out to me as having a particularly good groove to it. But I could have done with a bit more oomph generally.

Feels like a while since I've had a band that I like but never did a deep dive on. Hello Damon Albarn's Cartoon Band. Extremely Blur in the first couple of songs. This is their debut right? Is it pre big collabs. Love 5/4 that bangs. Clint Eastwood obviously sticks out but it's hard to argue. And it doesn't sound like blur. Man Research is like. If I didn't know gorillaz would I write this off as random background noise. I'd hope not bc it's good just like not my genre. Punk is Very Blur and I love it. Hm the ones ive said are very blur are Very Blur Self Titled specifically which is where On Your Own is so maybe Blur are Very Gorillaz actually. Mentioning every song individually atp but Sound Check?? Ooooh that's nice. And see this is So Gorillaz. So it's not just the very blur ones that I'm liking. Love 19-2000. Afraid I'm tempted to say Latin simone is a bit of a flop mostly bc it doesn't fit it with the rest particularly well. Otherwise a really good time, definitely transitional you could accuse some songs of being rejected blur but those were my favourites on the whole (i really like blur). Good and varied as an album, i think later work with more collaborators will be better but i really enjoyed this. Bias is at play. Tempted to just do a gorillaz deep dive now. The music I mean.. cba with the mental story.

I love this album. I remember the first time I heard Clint Eastwood, it was unlike any other music I was listening to at the time. I've had this on repeat since it showed up on the list.

Not quite perfect but still a goshdarn good album. A good bit of variety to keep it fresh through the 1hr+ runtime and just a lot of fun and interesting beats and vibes. 8/10

I still don’t get it…

Haven’t listened to this in ages!

Absolutely groundbreaking for its time. Their next 2 albums deserve to be on this list as well.

I know this is a 5, one of my favorite Alvin’ albums. Stellar kickoff to a decades long career.

Groundbreaking

The debut Gorillaz album is a fun, genre-blending ride that still feels fresh in its ideas—hip hop, dub, rock, and cartoon madness all mashed together in a way that only Damon Albarn and Dan the Automator could pull off. Tracks like Clint Eastwood and Tomorrow Comes Today became instant classics for a reason, and the album’s laid-back weirdness is part of its charm. That said, it’s a bit looser and less focused than what the band would go on to do with Demon Days. Some tracks feel more like sketches than fully realised songs, and as part of the 1001 albums journey, this doesn’t quite hit the top tier. Still, it’s inventive, playful, and very cool—it just feels like the start of something bigger rather than the main event.

This fell very flat for me. Aside from the well-known songs, I wasn't interested in much else. The spacey feel was fun, though!

I Got Sunshine In A Bag 1001 Albums Generator 30 (05/14/2025) Gorillaz is the debut album by virtual band/art project of Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett of the same name. Albarn and Hewlett met during the former's days with Blur and the idea of Gorillaz as a band made of four fictional members came to them as a commentary on what they felt like were "manufactured bands" pushed by MTV during the boy band craze of the 90's. Although the band was created in the late 90's, their first album did not release until 2001. A quite eclectic album (similar to what Blur did on their self-titled), Gorillaz features influences from trip hop, hip hop, alt rock, and psychedelia. Do these influences come together in a cohesive way throughout this relatively lengthy album? Well, I need to be honest. I feel like I'm missing something with this one. It seems to be well loved but to me it feels as though many of these songs are completely forgettable. Of course, in such a long album, there are bound to be some great moments. The two biggest hits, Clint Eastwood and 19-2000, are both popular for a reason, especially Clint Eastwood. Del The Funky Homosapien from legendary abstract hip hop group Deltron 3030 does the verses here and they are fantastic. This song also features its iconic chorus and almost cabaret-like piano beat, which extends out instrumentally for the last minute or so. It is really great. I thought 19-2000 was a little annoying the first time I heard it with its silly little synthline, but it's grown on me. Unfortunately, these are pretty much the two best songs here. Other light highlights include the Afro-Cuban jazz inspired Latin Simone (which got me really in the mood to listen to Dizzy Gillespie's Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods (which should totally be on the list btw, it's a perfect album)). Anyway, Latin Simone features Spanish lyrics and a cool droning background instrumental with jazz stuff happening on top of it. Sound Check (Gravity) has a pretty heavy, psychedelic trip hop beat that has some interesting production, although at times it feels like it's all form and no substance. This may honestly be an accurate criticism of the album as a whole. Besides the few songs that I've brought up, a lot of these songs, even with their eclectic styles and production, go in one ear and out the other, or worse. Man Research (Clapper) is really annoying with its consistent whining vocals and Punk could be seen as an interesting change of pace, but to me, it feels extremely out of place. Songs like Double Bass, Starshine, and Slow Country, while all quite different from one another, do not have any aspects that stuck with me on any level deeper than the occassional "oh that was an interesting sound". Favs: Clint Eastwood 19-2000 Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) Least Fav: Man Research (Clapper)

Re-hash 5/10 5/4 7/10 Tomorrow comes today 5/10 New genious 4/10 Clint eastwood 9/10 Man research 3/10 Punk 2/10 7/10

honestly? this should've been demon days! 😭 I still enjoyed this album, but not as much as I was hoping. it was a little scattered. but demon days 🤌🤌🤌🤌 that's the ticket!!! still a worthy inclusion that I'm glad I listened to.

i was never really a gorillaz fan but i definitely get the appeal. this album has some solid tunes, but for every good track there are two that feel unfinished, uninteresting, or otherwise miss the mark for me. i like the genre exploration and "virtual band"/multimedia aspect beyond just the music, but the juice isn't necessarily worth the squeeze. the harmonica is cool, but the rest of the instrumentation sounds hollow and kinda late-90s-default-DAW-sound-library. the genre fusion that is clint eastwood is awesome, while the generic rap songs that don't go anywhere and go on forever really weigh this down. and a song called 5/4 that's actually in 4/4? you're killin me damon. in short... it's complicated. 3.5 stars? rounding up to 4 for del the funky homosapien favorites: re-hash, 5/4, tomorrow comes today, clint eastwood, rock the house, 19-2000

First half sounds like a Blur album, which was disappointing for me. Second half is much better in my opinion. Much prefer Demon Days, though.

Meh, Plastic Beach and Demon Days are better. The only decent song on this album is Clint Eastwood

Not as amazing as their later albums, but it is still pretty solid.

4.3/finally an artist i love lol. there is definitely a reason why gorillaz succeeded with this album, it's so interesting and all over the place

Iconic and very varied with some clear bangers.

It's quite good. 19-2000 Soulchild Remix is the best track, and has been a regular listen since I played Fifa 2002. One of the band sounds like Will Smith on tranquilisers though, so those bits were pants compared to the rest.

Love the idea of Gorillaz, love the singles they’ve put out their entire career, and the albums are generally pretty darn good, too.

Been a fan of gorillaz a long time. Have not given this album a listen in over 15 years. Great album, better than I remember. I like the later gorillaz with more song based songs and less instrumental but still the albums production is still great today and inspiring.

I mean this is an awesome album, I already had a couple of the playlist; 19-2000 and Clint Eastwood but most of these are crazy good. I especially liked Rock the House

Alright I have to admit that I already love this album. I had this baby on repeat all through college and the days beyond. I'm going to take a more critical listen here, but Gorillaz holds a special place in my heart. The vibes are immaculate. I dont know how to describe it well, the music is so chill but attention grabbing; rocky, distorted, chugging at times and slow, clear, and melodical at others. The lyrics overlay the music perfectly. It's a fuzzy engineered lo-fi dream. I legitimately love every song on here, but for the sake of picking favorites, lets go with: "5/4" "Clint Eastwood" - it's freaking iconic - "Sound Check (Gravity)" "M1-A1" and "Left Hand Suzuki Method" Yeah, this holds up so well for me. I think it would do just as well if it was released today. If I had to criticize something, I do think a couple songs could have been cut to shorten the track list a bit ("Man Research," "Punk," "Dracula"), but I like them all anyway. Also the lyrics are kind of slurred or hard to understand at times, but eh, didn't bother me. Easy 5 stars, and I'll probably listen to this album dozens more times before I die.

2.5/5.0: Mixed

i had heard clint eastwood before but i've never listened to anything else off of this album. an eclectic mix of genres but overall works pretty well.

Capital C - "Consistency". The sound of the album is an interesting time capsule; it's both an in-depth view of the 2000s indie/alt scene at the time of release and an early look at the shift in the music industry that occurred throughout the early 2000s that's still resonating to this day. Gorillaz as a brand, in my honest opinion, is one of the most interesting depictions of art in music. The fusion of different music genres and styles of production works in conjunction with an artstyle that combines several aspects of counter-culture, late 20th century animation, punk visuals, underground comics, and many more other inspirations.

fav songs: clint eastwood punk 19-200

Classic full of bangers

I think there is a version of this album that I would give a 5/5 to - drop a couple of songs, make 19-2000 the Soulchild remix - but I don't think Damon Albarn ever could have made that album. As I alluded to in my comments for Blur's self-titled, he was clearly overflowing with ideas that were largely too weird for Blur. Lots of them turned into this album, and the accompanying "G Sides". There's something like 25-30 songs from the Gorillaz sessions, and nearly all of them are interesting, and most of them are good. Can't really blame Albarn for doing a little too much, all things considered.

Wanted to give four stars. I acknowledge the cool factor. And I like it. I just don’t love it. I’m glad 19-2000 got reintroduced to my life.

Loved Double Bass & Clint

Feels like Gorillaz weren't fully dialed in yet but the highs are so high they drown out the lows

Love Gorillaz but this wasn't as cohesive as some other albums

This is one of those albums that hit at seemingly just the right time. I think I like Demon Days better, but this is great.

Great songs were great, average songs were good.

Vibey. Good for a chill night's listen.

kinda felt unfinished, mixed up. few songs were actually good, but most were bleh. Not bad, just I didn't really like the sound yet I could see what they were trying to do. 7.73/10

Favorite track: Clint Eastwood. Overall score: 3.6/10

Gorillaz are awesome. Cool record, good debut

Catchy and nostalgic. Really enjoyed listening to this again.

Clint Eastwood has been one of my favourite songs since I found it on Big Shiny Tunes 6, but for some reason I’ve never actually checked out the rest of the album. It's a pretty unique mix of electronica, rock, and hip hop that feels a bit disjointed at times. Overall, I enjoyed listening to it, but don’t have any real desire to listen again. Favourite tracks: Tomorrow Comes Today, New Genius (Brother), Clint Eastwood

I love the gorrilaz

Some really good songs. As an album I’m unsure. Maybe a shorter album with less filler would be good, but then it would be less atmospheric. Maybe some parts just aren’t for me. But a lot of it is very listenable.

I really like this. Good beats, lots of different styles, laid back but interesting

HEEEELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So far, first two songs most definitely pretty repetitive but the third was good. I need to finish the slbum so I'll come back to rate more. I know the popular songs are good and I'm sure there are other really good ones

Classic, production on point

I never really "got" Gorillaz. Still don't. Most of the songs just sound like throwaway demos to me, aside from a couple catchy singles. Also way too damn long.

Absolutely perfect album to wake up to on a Friday. Zero flaws. 5 stars.

a lot better than i thought it would be. most of the trip hop stuff is great and the dub stuff is good too. it gets a little weaker towards the end but that’s bound to happen with such a long tracklist

I was pleasantly surprised by this album... something from/with Damon Albarn that I can stand, who would have thought. His vocals are much less annoying than on, say, Blur albums (I know, a personal thing). This album is very varied, it has Latin, jazz, dance and more in it. It works and it sounds alright. Still not my thing but it's a big fat 3 from me.

I was really looking forward to this one. Ended up quite disappointed. Clint Eastwood is one of my favorite rap songs of all time. Great beat, great rap, love it. The rest of the album really fell flat. Most of the songs were either boring with the same thing repeated over and over, or just hard to understand what they were saying. Rock The House had some good rap too, and Latin Simone had great music. The rest of the tracks were all duds. I want to rate this album higher just because of Clint Eastwood, but the rest of it was a slog. Best song: Clint Eastwood

95/1089 - A Top 5 album for me. Very creative and catchy instrumentals, lots of different vocals from Damon Albarn and others (even the ones that sound bad/out of tune like "Gravity" fit the context of the song) and a definitive Y2K sound and message.

Nice

This is truly horrible. I cannot understand how this has made the list, it really sounds like nothing, and no, that's not a compliment. It's just ridiculous, talentless would-be music. Bweuh.

A few highlights. Loved that the album was experimental and didn't play it safe, but many tracks felt a bit forgettable or just blended in. Some of their later work felt more mature and fleshed out

Pretty decent, a couple of bops but more semi boring songs. I liked the experimental bits but it seemed like too much of the album was made up of this and what felt like interludes. Probably would not listen to the whole album again, just the few bops. 2 stars

I love this album. I love the concept. I can listen all the way through, and it feels like a journey through the world of these cartoon characters.

Un clásico que no escucho hace 23 años. Me sorprendió la cantidad de data que me perdí. No puedo ponerle mala nota a ningún tema. Quizá Double Bass es muy larga y el remix de Clint sobra. Nota: 4.5

Damn, I was so skeptical of M1 A1 at first, but it just started rocking SO HARD, oh my gosh. This album has been super back and forth for me so far. I really, really liked Slow Country. A couple songs that I wasn’t a big fan of when they came on. Maybe not the best album to listen to front-to-back, feels like one you just pick a few songs from that you like, but it’s not necessarily one collective storyline or style. Definitely a LOT of variety, which I think Gorillaz is known for. The Spanish song also caught me by surprise but was super cool! And then I chided myself for being surprised because this is Gorillaz hahhahaha. The Suzuki Method song was pretty cool, too, I guess. Excited for this last Clint Eastwood. Alrighty so looking back on it, Re-Hash was really good—I think it’s a spoof on Song 2, right? But of course even better. I don’t know, overall quite a bit of fun, but also some drags. Probably a 2 out of 5 as of right now. It does feel as though it might grow on me, however. :))

Debut by the virtual band. Excellent, playful 2000s rock. Very varied and quirky, a lot of bangers.

I only liked 3-4 songs, the rest were boring. Wasnt really my cup of tea but was decent

Interesting

LOVE IT! Amazing album.

No change up No curveball Nothing but straight GAS

Was decent but I like the other Gorillaz a lot better

It's all over the place but the average is pretty good but too varied to rate higher. Bold to stick the singles so far down. Sound Check the best non single.

Thought I would enjoy this one more than I did. I appreciate them pushing the envelope on what made a group and the genres they wanted to touch on, but aside from the hits, there really wasnt much standout. Not a bad album, but I feel like they sti hadent solidified what Gorillaz was going to be

🎧Cool, vibey. Cartoon band so that was/is pretty novel. Favorite tracks: Double Bass, Slow Country

This blew my mind when it came out, but I haven't heard most of it since then (except the singles). This was ok. 5/4 was in 4/4. M1 A1 annoyed the crap out of me. Highlights: 19-2000, clint eastwood

I'm not super familiar with this album other than the Del track. Being more of a Del fan than a Blur fan, I kind of gravitate towards that side of things. Interesting that this album came to be in part due to Deltron 3030--a truly epic album I hope is on this list. And in some ways you can draw a direct line from Kool Keith's Dr. Octagon album to this project. There are definitely a lot of hiphop sensibilities beyond just the tracks with Del rapping on them here. Anyway, all that being said, I've never really been a huge fan. Relistening doesn't really change my opinion on that. 3/5

Not as good as I remember

Solid debut album!

Gorillaz have always had such a unique and fun way of presenting music, and this record illustrates that. The songs are motivating and upbeat, keeping my attention. They offer an experimental, yet structured approach to the songs they deliver. Enjoyed this one, and always have.

Some standout tracks, never been my fav, good listen

After this hits, kind of weak. Little disappointed.

Ok I think I get the gorillaz now. Double Bass was my fav

didn't listen but know sorry busy weekend.

Wow Gorillaz self-titled debut? Is it even fair to rate or comment on an album I've been revisiting and enjoying for nearly 25 years? It's in my bones, it's in my blood. But yeah, great. So much of it holds up. Crazy and inventive Damon Albarn side project produced with Dan the Automator?? Every song still as cool and good as the last time I listened to it. How do you come up with an idea as silly as "Let's make a virtual cartoon band" and it all works this well? And it's enough of a hit that they just kept doing it? Slow Country is the track I revisit the most for whatever reason and holding off on jumping to that track and just experiencing the album from front to back again was neat. 19-2000 > Slow Country > Tomorrow Comes Today > Starshine > Double Bass > Re-Hash > Sound Check > 5/4 > Clint Eastwood > Latin Simone > Rock the House > M1 A1 > New Genius > Punk > Man Research Hahah it feels kinda crazy to give this a 5 but I don't know what else to do. It's a 5!

This was an album that I, for some reason, avoided as a child/teen. I think they were “popular” and I liked “real music” (70s musicians with drug issues). Listening to it now, it’s wild how many of these songs were baked into the recesses of my mind despite my avoidance. Robby tried to tell me about the Gorillaz lore. I looked it up on Wikipedia. It’s a very creative idea! I’m glad I listened to it. Ultimately it’s not for me, but I appreciate its existence.

DEBIJAS ALBUMS WOW! Labs klausāmais materiāls nakts stundām, darba stundām un nakts darba stundām. Atkārtojošie elementi ieved tādā meditatīvā, hipnotizējošā stāvoklī. Liekas vienveidīgi (pozitīvā ziņā) - kaut gan Punk mazliet izjauca šo ritmu. Slow Country ļoti forša dziesma. Saprotu, kāpēc Clint Eastwood ir viszināmākā no albuma, atbilstošs nepārvērtējums. Nebiju dzirdējusi pārējos singlus. Rock the House atgādina Dusmīgos bebrus(????), un 19-2000 ir kaut kādos memes/tiktokos, ne? (but soooo funky!) Es īstenībā asociēju Gorillaz ar mazliet citāda tipa skaņu, un šī pieredze izmainīja manus līdzšinējos uzskatus - iespējams atgriezīšos iepriekšminētajos apstākļos! ;)

Good vibes top to bottom

Are they the greatest British band since The Style Council?

Does nothing for me

Tomorrow Comes Today Clint Eastwood 19/2000

Didn't need to listen as I've listen to it numerous times.

5/5 amazing.

I always liked this band.

One of my fav bands of all time. I recall being blown away by this album—totally original. I can see how it’s so influential.

Great album. Top 5 shows I've ever been to. I was not aware the women from Chiba motto were on the album until yesterdays listen!

Good shit. But I think Demon Days is the better album.

I really liked the start of this album and probably would have liked any given track, but I didn't find that it justified its runtime.

I am quite familiar with this album, it’s one my wife owns. It’s fine, probably not something I would have purchased, but I don’t mind when it’s played at home, pretty standard 3 stars.

I only knew this because of the song, "Clint Eastwood." No idea what was going on, except it was made by Damon Albarn and that I was super tired of that track as a single. Also, this was a time when I was way out of touch with music, so I had no idea it was a made-up band and was only in cartoon form. Hearing the rest of the album, it feels like an uneasy mix of hiphop tracks and dub reggae. The melodica, echo effects, etc. Seeing that Dan the Automator was a part of this makes a lot more sense. Way less hip hop that Handsome Boy Modeling School, but definitely in Dan's wheelhouse. It's fine - I don't think it's completely successful, but it isn't as bad as Hail To the Thief. I'd love to hear DJ Format or Pete Rock remix “Rock The House” That was the best song on the album in my opinion. And it reminded me that I should listen to more King Tubby and other dub reggae artists. So two stars for the two Del tracks and Dan the Automator

The other day I commented to myself that whatever was playing on the radio may have been the worst song I'd ever heard. Turned out it was a solo Damon Albarn tune. Anyway, Gorillaz are pretty cool. Got me into Deltron 3030 who are even cooler. Demon Days is better than this one and they've mostly been pretty lame since then imo.

Damon Albarn is one of the most prolific musicians of the modern era. More than a pop star, he’s a student, composer, overachiever. Real quality to his work. Gorillaz has been a brilliant collaborative collective of artists, that just gets more and more ambitious. I don’t love every song, but I adore the project as a whole.

I've not really been sure how I feel about Gorillaz despite the all-star names behind them. I think, perhaps, I'm expecting them to be one thing when they're another, so I listened a second time taking them for what they are, and I liked them more. Sorry for the cryptic comment, it's more for myself. Rating: 4

This album was a good start but not their best work.

I write it down a whole essay on how much I love this album, and how upon the first hearing it help me to get through tough period of my life and me becoming, who I am now. But just saying, pretty good album.

Already listened, solid, not a huge gorillaz fan tho tbh

A good introduction to the band, but a bit rough around the edges.

Was pretty good, very chill

A fantastic start for me, since I'm already familiar with at least a couple of the songs and know I enjoy their sound.

Frustrating listen since there’s sooo many nothing songs that just go in through one ear and out the other. Clint Eastwood is a great song though.

Saved by the Del…from 1 Star. Maybe innovative at the time but bored me nearly to death 24 years later.

3.5

This album is so overrated. From Wikipedia: "...the album incorporates an eclectic mix of stylistic influences, including trip hop, dub, Latin and punk rock." I can make a casserole out of hot dogs, chocolate chips, sour cream, ranch dressing, green peas, and ice cream, but that doesn't mean that I should or that it'll be good. 2 stars only because of Del Tha Funky Homosapien on "Clint Eastwood."

This album meanders around a lot. It sounds like what it is, a couple of musicians fucking around. If that's not your thing, you probably won't enjoy this. However, if you're under 30, try and recognize how different the world was 20 years ago. The late 90s/early 00's were marrying rock and hip-hop everywhere. A lot of people were super upset about it. Gorillaz was always about making the music that these creators wanted to hear in the world. So many collaborators, lending to the albums eclectic sound. Gorillaz will always be the act that got me to seriously listen and consider hip-hop. Del's diction, flow and charisma won me over with Rock the House. Such a laid back and fun little jam. It goes without saying that Clint Eastwood had radio stations (and MTV/Fuse) in a vice grip for a while after it's release. It might not be the best album by Gorillaz, but their self-titled album is undeniably culturally pervasive.

Some of it I dug, some of it I snubbed. Cool concept overall though with the virtual band thing. Reckon I’m more of a Blur bloke!

Good but not great

Could have been a 4 based on some individual songs, but overall gets a 3 as it had some mid entries that kind of put of a lull in between.

I'd give this one star but it had Clint Eastwood. 1.5/5. Rounding up to 2.

- artstylen er amaze - litt kjedelig musikk. Beatsa og lyrikken treffer ikke godt.

Self indulgent. I bet Damon listens back to the WhatsApp voice notes he sends people and nods and agrees with himself. Like an idiot. You hear me Damon. LIKE AN IDIOT. YOU HEAR ME!?

Look, the first two CDs I ever bought were Gorillaz and Demon Dayz, so I will never hear slander or write libel. It's not the best album but it brings me the joy of my "edgy" tween years and is a good background album for putting up shelves

Very hit or miss. The good ones are great, the others made my workout more painful than it had to be.

This first album is a right Hodge podge, Clint Eastwood is good, 19-2000 is tremendous, but it feels very experimental. I think they found their feet in demon days.

Great Dub album with alternative flourishes. Classic Gorillaz. One of Damon Albarn's best works

Never particularly understood the whole Damon Albarn brand of alt music, be it Blur or Gorillaz. This was a difficult listen and I didn't actually manage to make it through the album. It's definitely not what I would consider good music, but that's just my personal preference. I can appreciate Gorillaz for their cultural impact and all, just don't make me listen to them again.

This is a fun and uneven album. It feels like an art project by your gifted friend. Technically, it is very good and fun, but you're not quite sure your friend is really committed to it. It is almost like an affectation or distraction rather than a logical progressive step by an accomplished artist.

NE

4.25

Mainly dull

Great debut from Gorillaz. I own the CD, so a no brainer!

8/10 The Gorillaz are fun and I enjoy listening to them. This is my least favorite album but I still like it quite a bit 4-7-2025

muy triphopsito. No es el mejor de Gorillaz, pero es un inicio. Todavía tiene bastante de la fiereza de Blur. Quizá es un poco disperso. Ya escuchado de antes también.

I accidentally listened to this on shuffle first and enjoyed it way more than when I played it properly through. Apart from the classics I thought it was a real slog

Possibly the first CD I bought myself, some real highs with Clint Eastwood, Rock the house, 19-2000 (the remix is the real MVP), Rehash. That said they dropped the ball not including Demon Days instead of this, which is far better.

Undoubtedly got couple of bangers but largely throughout found myself getting bored

not my fave gorillaz album

Very hip hoppy and some amazing tunes. Some samples I recognised not sure if it’s them originally or someone else

Clint Eastwood is very memorable and there are some catchy tunes in the rest but not a lot there.

Ten out ten, no notes. Damon Albarn really can do it all, from paid back stripped away melancholy to upbeat and hostile punk. A great debut with lots of new and interesting ideas post blur. Only surpassed by it's follow up.

Favorite Track: 3 way tie between 19-2000, Clint Eastwood, and Rock The House

Clint Eastwood // Sound Check // Rock the House // 19-2000 // 3.5/5

I'd forgotten how bad this album was.

мало времени но кажется нейтрально - давно не слышала, поэтому не бесит, но не расслушала, поэтому нового не почерпнула

Back to back "not their best but has some good songs and is interesting as a historical document"

There might, MIGHT be 3 good songs here. The animation was cool but this doesn’t feel like a cool supergroup. It feels like wankery for no good reason.

well that sucked a lot harder than i remember, at least we're safe until a blur album inevitably appears

That`s not my thing!

....

Clint Eastwood is the only decent song

Most interesting sound and collaborative effort of the 2000's.

Good but overshadowed by their next 2 records

Songs: 19-2000

Would listen to some of it again - this is an interesting experiment, sometimes misses the mark, sometimes really really hits - Clint eastwood, 19-2000. Low three?

Nicht meins. Ein Lied mit Sternchen ist ganz nett.

was surprised at how good this was. super eclectic mix of genres, eg the random latin song was a stand-out. whole album was bursting with creativity but still felt coherent

Yawn. A visual gimmick does not equate to good listening.

Nice and chilled. I like it.

Not bad

Rap, 2001 -> 2

Først og fremst irriterande

With exception of 19-2000 (and to my surprise, I must confess!), I found this album quite boring :-( Giving it a 2, because boring is not the same as bad, IMHO, and there were a few good ideas here, we can tell

Kind of just souless which makes sense I guess. This is a musical project that produced some moments, but as far as album strength their pretty weak.

Fine Album! Clint Eastwood alone is worth 3 of the 4 points.

Overall: 9/10 It's my birthday today and I almost cried from happiness when I saw this one pop up. I've been a huge Gorillaz fan since Plastic Beach came out (15 years ago!). I'm gonna mostly focus on Damon Albarn here because to me, he IS Gorillaz. I know that Jamie Hewlett is also incredibly important from a visual standpoint but this is Damon's baby. This is what happens when an artist is unchained and free to do whatever the hell they want. The genre hopping on this thing is crazy, with elements of hip hop, punk, ambient, electronica, etc. There's so many interesting sounds going on, and while it tends to be inconsistent in places, it's never boring. The guest artists add a lot to the album and that trend would continue with further Gorillaz releases. This isn't the best Gorillaz album but it's probably the most important album in their (his?) discography. The idea of a fully animated band was completely original at the time and we've had other completely animated musical artists since. Plus, it showed just how great of a musical mind Damon Albarn has. (Also coincidentally my second "perfect" rated album in a row to feature Tina Weymouth lol) Fav Song: 19-2000 Least Fav Song: Man Research (Clapper)

Lots of variety, and Clint Eastwood didn't disappoint. I'm a big fan of the instrumentals on this album, and I like the overall vibe that the album has when it's played back to front. Not so much individual songs. Also like all the record scratch sound effects, really cool.

The impressive thing about it is that it sits well together, despite the assortment of influences. I want to say that it’s the overarching sense of anarchy, but I don’t know that I would have necessarily thought that if I hadn’t seen the avatars. Three stars only because Demon Days is one of my favourite albums, and this isn’t that (if that makes sense.)

The filler tracks are utterly skippable, but Clint Eastwood, Slow Country and M1A1 are worth two extra stars on their own.

Non fa per me, a parte Clint Eastwood

TripHop Feeling all over the place but Not condistently good or Bad. Most well known song for me "Clint Eastwood".

The first album of one of the best known virtual bands ever. There are some pretty good songs and hits on here, but ultimately the album feels mid. Not bad, not that special, but damn fun to listen to most of the time. Clint Eastwood is phenomenal though. I listened to this album when I was younger and I didn't know back then that the guest rapper on Clint, and Rock the House, is Del The Funkee Homosapien. The guy has a pretty nice flow and vocal color, the two songs which feature him are my two favorites from the album. If the band somehow managed to create at least 3-4 more songs of the same caliber, the album would be better. They did, I believe, manage to do this on the next album. Sonically this is a mix of several genres, the grooves and the melodies are nice, but not refined. The vocals and the lyrical themes are usually simple, with a few exceptions. Solid album and a start for the guys, some songs definitely stand out compared to the rest.

2 good tracks.

Quite close to being good. I'll have to listen to more of their stuff

Unfortunately slow start to the album, tracks 9-17 are a solid run. Hot take, not a fan of Clint Eastwood.

Love the Gorillaz. This album has a lot of bangers 5/4 is kinda garbage, but everything else is pretty great.

It was pretty good.

I thought I was going to like this more 'cause I love some of their other stuff, but this was a real mixed bag for me. Clint Eastwood, Rock the house, Tomorrow comes today and New genious are all phenomenal, but then we get tracks like Man research, M1 A1 or Sound Check that are borderline unlistenable to me. The rest of the album is just a bunch of mediocre stuff. 3 stars

I loved this when it came out, but honestly it hasn't aged well. The hits are still bangers, but most of the appeal was the novelty of the sound, and the whole "virtual band" vibe. That has faded away over the years, and the remains are honestly slightly boring.

A couple of great tracks (remixes are even better) but average at best

Pretty much the most early-2000s thing ever.

Not terrible I guess, 3

5/4 is a good song. Tomorrow Comes Today is cool too. Clint Eastwood is a classic. Sound Check (Gravity) is cool. Starshine is interesting. The album has some pretty good music but also some pretty boring or annoying with the same lyric repeated over and over filler like re-hash, slow country, m1 a1, etc. I hadn't heard this album before and wanted to like it but it but as a whole, didn't quite happen.

Love this album

The singles were everywhere in 2001, so much so that I refused to listen to this album then. And I guess that was a valid proposition. A lot of the tracks feel like filler working out ideas that would probably be better done in future Gorillaz tracks.

such a playful, strong album. so much interesting stuff happening stylistically and definitely expanded the horizons for its time. a really fun listen

Pour moi, le meilleur mariage alternatif-hip hop. Le son a son identité propre tout en demeurant profondément américain, funky mais graveleux

A game changer and so original when it came out. I still revisit this album often. Demon Days gotta be on this list too!

So groundbreaking, but the last third feels kinda unfinished and falls apart

Glad I listened, enjoyed some, felt other songs were too weird

For as much as I hated them growing up this very much reminds me of adolescence

3.5 out of 10.

Ok but a bit blah so you have to be in the mood

14/03/25 A classic and unique album. This is the first time I've listened to it.

Not my favorite Gorillaz album, but it's Gorillaz, so I love it.

It was experimental, slow, and almost just background music. There were two or three good songs on there. 5 out of 10.

Not the best but equally not the worst. Musically better than lyrically as Damon’s vocals were a bit grating at times.

Despite making a big impact when it was released, I think they have gone on to better albums. Cline Eastwood really carries this album although there are other notable tracks. Hadn’t listened to this in ages but was pleasantly surprised.

Haven’t listened to this in a long time probably as i was originally disappointed that not everything sounded like the excellent Clint Eastwood. On revisit I thought it was a really fun listen. Kinda reminded me of the vibe of a Beastie Boys album insofar as it had lots of styles (I particularly like the dub), experimentation and tongue firmly in cheek throughout. I didn’t find it too long given the variation, in fact the length probably helped spread out the bits where they’re maybe titting about too much. One to stick back on the rotation list.

A very boring album to begin with but has some very good songs dispersed through it

there's a fine between chill and boring

This one and 'Demon Days' are peak Gorillaz. Listen to 'G-Sides' right after for the full experience.

Es el hijo del think tank de Blur! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🤘🏻👌🏻

Really fun!

19-2000 is a fav of mine, these are some clever monkeys

While not their best album (That honor is reserved for Demon Days), this is still a solid, heavy hitting album that introduced the world to the Gorillaz.

It was fine but not as good as I felt like it should be. Maybe if I listen to it more. Or maybe I'm more of a Demon Days person. But I like blur!

very catchy and surprisingly chill enough to be used a studying music. some of the vocals are a bit too obnoxious but the rest of the songs make up for it.

Mostly harmless.

The debut album might feel a tad plain and self-indulgent at point but it is honestly still a classic album. It is foundational, tapping into something new that defined their later work. What I enjoy about this particular LP is the blend between a quirky alternative rock which is laden with trip-hop beats. It has a distinct aesthetic with its hip-hop production that still incorporates pop and rock elements to create something unique. You may not like Damon Albarns vocal delivery but I believe that it elevates a lot of these songs. He can be quirky, serious or melancholic and it suits all the landscapes that each song creates. The instrumentation is really strong with cool arrangements and samples such as the melodica of "Tomorrow Comes Today" or the horns in "Rock the House". The flow of Del is unmatched and "Clint Eastwood" is just an overall excellent song. After simping so much, I have to say that the latter half of the album is weak with tracks that feel unfinished. However, there are so many bangers on here that the album still shines.

I think the marketing and universe created around this is much more interesting than the actual music.

One long album. One good song.

Throwback

Hell yeah

Haven't listed to this album for many years. I remember it being really good but was disappointed with this revisit. There are still 3 or 4 good songs on there but a lot of fillers. I don't think it has aged particularly well.