The Good, The Bad & The Queen

So every time Damon Albarn has a jam session with someone, is it gonna show up on the list?

Pretty good, but for the life of me, I will not remember this.

Rancid. Has to be one of the worst 'supergroup' experiments that ever came to light. Damon Albarn has the most grey, most boring, most featureless singing voice imaginable.

10/10 I FCUKING LOVE DAMON ALBARN

That was a delightful surprise. Exceptional musicianship, great performances, and out-of-this-world production. The only reason this doesn't get a full-5 score is because several of the songs feel like they're... stuck. They build tension and feel like they're heading to a climactic bridge or something... but never quite get anywhere. They just fizzle and stop. They're great songs. But they don't go anywhere. I really did enjoy the hell out of this. I just wish the band hadn't been content to just let these songs circle the hole without ever sinking the putt.

Man this album is boring. I forgot I was even listening to it at one point, I had to double check it was still playing because my brain had tuned it out as white noise. I only 'came to' because of how shit The Bunting Song is. There's really not much to say about this, it's not offensive or bad necessarily, it's just boring as fuck. I constantly kept looking at the track list hoping I was close to the end. Go listen to the Gorillaz instead.

I had never heard of this band so as soon as I heard Damon albarns voice I guessed that it was another one of his projects just like the gorillaz or blur or something but apparently it’s the 2000s art rock version of blues traveler, which is pretty cool. I had the same reaction to this as I normally do to Frank Sinatra/big band stuff in that I thought it was totally fun and pleasant all around even though nothing really stuck out to me. The first track and Herculean were my favs.

English super group, huh? Feels less than that. Certainly something from 2007. It didn’t really stick with me kinda in one ear out the other. Cool cover though!

Damon Albarn is extremely overrated. 4/10

If this wasn’t made by a supergroup of legends who play better on their worst days than 99% of the global population, no one would say this album is well made, memorable, or noteworthy. Too British and too bland for me to care.

Amazing album. I love Blur, the Clash and other associated acts. Only makes sense i would love this album. Going in regular ritation

Didn't have to listen to this to give it a 5. Probably one of Damon Albarn's top 3 albums of any of his projects. I love this! The atmosphere; the British 80's come to life. The instrumentations (the bass playing by Simonon), the song writing, lyrics and melodies and the production are great!

I would call this psychedelic prog folk dub. Too psychedelic for my taste, but it's good (if you can stand Damon Albarn's singing). Favorite song: Herculean

Coming off from one of his most commercially and critically successful albums, Gorillaz’s Demon Days, it’s surprising that Damon Albarn would go in a more Baroque-esque direction on his next album but it ends up working remarkably well Favourite tracks: History Song, Northern Whale, Kingdom of Doom, Herculean, Nature Springs, Three Changes

This was a lot of fun. I marked it for further listening later on. Did they call the queen ugly? Feels like they called the queen ugly. Best track: Kingdom of Doom

If you like artists that wear their influences on their sleeves, but have zero interest in exploring their influences at all, Damon Albarn might be the guy for you.

This is fascinating, it sounds equally like it could have come out yesterday and as if it couldn’t have come out any time other than 2007. It’s the echoes of Burial’s Untrue that really sell it for me, but there’s an element of folkiness that I also really enjoy. It’s a mix that I don’t think should work, but it’s just kinda fun, mostly because I think Damon Albarn sounds like he’s having fun, experimenting with stuff that he couldn’t get away with in either Blur or Gorillaz. I think I might have to give this a five. The excellent closing track is clinching it for me

I actually loved this album. The sound of this group kind of reminds me of other bands I listen to so it was very enjoyable.

Absolutely amazing album, one of my favorites. I remember listening to this album while traveling around the UK. Will forever be a 5/5 for me.

Amazing lineup of musicians but I found it boring until the last tune, which I liked a lot. Should have been a single instead of an album.

Fuck England. Your music is too highly represented on this website.

This album is full of stupid songs, which tracks with the past productions of the lead singer of Blur. whinge whinge whinge

Just posted phenomenal. These songs are moody and interesting. Of course, it’s all anchored by an all time rhythm section.

Reminiscent of the trippy '60s psych rock and the inventive '70s art rock. This album is a melancholic, dreamy, modern rock masterpiece.

The Good, The Good & The Good

how is this so good 9/10

better than Gorillaz

Dunno how I originally stumbled across this but I've been a fan for like 15+ years now. Love hearing the Gorrilaz guy do something a bit different.

Really like this album, and it is holding up well. Each member of the band brings something special to the ensemble, and there's a pleasing amount of space in the mix where you can hear and appreciate each individual part as well as the whole. I first hear this when it came out, was already a fan of Damon Albarn & Danger Mouse, who produced it, and it led me to becoming a big fan especially of Tony Allen as well - his drumming really stands out and is a defining feature of their sound.

Gorillaz DNA present for sure

Better than Blur for being quieter, moodier, less reaching after cleverness, and considerably less impressed with itself. And for DA's obvious decision to make a Radiohead record. Musically it's interesting, vocally pretty flat, and not especially dynamic, with a vaguely ominous feel throughout (hello Danger Mouse). Feels decidedly non-AfroBeat-y given the drummer. Glad to have heard. Not especially likely to hear again though wouldn't rule it out completely.

Really liked this, it's going into my regular playlist.

Reading back through my Damon Albarn related reviews: - I dislike Blur, finding them mostly unremarkable. - Gorrilaz was better, but still lacked something special. - He laughably thought grunge was a passing fad. So my expectations were low coming into this album. Thankfully I’m committed to the process because this album is something special. The music is really good and I like his voice a lot.

2/6. Am I in a doctor's office? No. Because what they play is more interesting than this schlock. I hadn’t heard of this album until it came up in the project. Maybe there is a reason. There's nothing super about this Supergroup. As it played, I kept waiting for the moment that would justify its spot on the 1001 list. It’s not bad, exactly. It’s just…inert? Boring? Understimulating? Trying waaay too hard? There’s atmosphere, sure, but it all feels too mannered, too self-consciously moody to leave any real impression. The band is made up of heavy hitters, but instead of alchemy, we get polite, meandering songs with clink-clink piano and vague muttering about British decay. Nothing grabs or challenges or sticks. Some of the electronic soundscapes feel like they’re trying way too hard to be eerie or innovative, but just end up feeling forced and empty. I found myself waiting impatiently for the moment I could turn it off. I could name five other British albums off the top of my head that do this sort of thing better. I’m still waiting for the banger. I don’t even know what Blur sings, but evidently it wasn’t that memorable either.

I don't like Blur. I don't like Gorillaz. I certainly don't like this boring junk. No Damon Alburn for me, thank you.

Ainda me lembro de quando achei este álbum aleatoriamente durante minha adolescência, através de uma recomendação no YouTube. Eu estava em uma fase de obsessão ao redor de tudo que tinha a mão do Damon Albarn. Hoje, essa fase obsessora já passou, mas uns resquícios permanecem. O amor por este disco é um desses resquícios. Instrumentalmente é um álbum fantástico. O talento de todos os músicos transparece brilhantemente nestas canções, especialmente na percussão de Tony Allen. A estética sonora desse álbum me agrada muito, gosto do som viscoso, bem 2007iano. Os vocais do Damon são meus favoritos de qualquer álbum dele. O liricismo melancólico a respeito do mundo Briton. Perfeito para um jovem diletante que habita o noroeste paulista!! XD Não vejo defeitos nesse álbum. Vejo nele um valor de replay praticamente infinito.

You can put up all new buildings you like, and the 00’s saw a lot of changes to the way London looked (the London Eye, the Millennium Bridge, the Gherkin, the new Hungerford Bridge etc.), but London remains a marshy, boggy place under the surface (all those underground rivers). The psychogeography of Peter Ackroyd (London: The Biography, 2000) and Iain Sinclair (Lights Out For The Territory, 1997), explored the spirit of place, and this album is explicitly influenced by them. There’s the risk of flooding: ‘In the flood you’ll be washed away’ from Kingdom of Doom, which evokes London Calling, another song about being submerged. The Thames barrier, protecting London from flooding, was built in between times, but the psychogeography of the place means that the idea of flooding never really goes away, and it recurs through the album. Another theme is escape. Whales have always been trapped in the Thames, they swim into the estuary and keep going, they don’t turn back. ‘Northern Whale’ is based on one of them, it happens every few years, there are references to them going back to the 17th century. ‘Move to the country, the town has told its tale, you’ll be forgotten’ (The Bunting Song) is very Ackroydian, London has its own agenda, mainly chewing people up and spitting them out again. One flaw with the album is there isn’t a big London song here to really nail things down, something like London Calling or Waterloo Sunset. The title is great for a state of the nation album, but not this one. The first half is stronger than the second. Some of the reviews here say Albarn’s voice is weak, but it perfectly matches the watery melancholy of London. As does the sub-aquatic dub sound.

Lovely and fun. Damon Albarn is fantastic.

Damon Albarn is easily one of the most important musical figures of this generation. He seems capable of doing just about whatever he wants to, while still letting everyone else have their place in the spotlight. The Good, The Bad & The Queen is the perfect example of supergroups not having to be flashy and showing off individual skills. No one stands out in particular and that’s really part of what makes this album so good; it’s just excellent musicians creating incredible music.

Purchased this when first came out and listened to it on repeat for ages and then completely forgot about it until now. Have been listening to it a a lot of past 3 days - really like the atmosphere and musicianship and blending of rock/indie/dub/folk. Only negative is Damon's vocals which lack emotional heft for me. On cusp of 4/5 but think will just nudge it to 5. Fav song The Bunting Song.

Yes i love this album :)

I think it's hard not to like Damon Albarn's album, doesn't matter what's the band. The Good, The Bad and The Queen seems like a transitioning pieve between Blur and Gorillaz, although much closer in the style to the former, with a lot of chiller and melancholic melodies. Great album, love it, excellent songwriting skills.

Really like the vibes and the songs Fav song - The Good, The Bad And The Queen 5/5

This to me sounds like an alternate route the Clash could have taken after Sandinista, an anachronistic mix of dub and folk. It’s a distinct and cohesive piece throughout, loose but complex. It aged well, perhaps because we still don’t have anything else that sounds like this, perhaps because it manages to add a beauty to a dreary malaise. (I love the production, which gives an almost tactile feeling to the instruments.) Favorite tracks were ‘History Song’ and ‘Three Changes’.

I really enjoyed this one and the rest of their catalogue. Nice vibe.

Damon Albarn is a very under rated songwriter and performer. Easy five stars for this wee gem.

Damon Albarn i högform. Bästa tipset hittills

10/10

Good.

Damon Alban with a Clash bassline, what could go wrong!

I had never heard of this before, it was AWESOME!!!

Solid album. The rhythm section is tight. This album sounds like some highly skilled musicians having fun. No bite of the commercial apple has been taken. Another good discovery from the generator.

Well, I wouldn't have known that this is a super group, didn't recognize the names of any of the musicians and although I do know their bands, I don't think any of those bands are amazing (although they do all have a couple of good tracks). Nonetheless, this was a good album. Musicianship was great, songwriting was tight and effective. Not even much more to say about it. Just a good album at the top of its genre's game. Enjoyed this one a lot.

Catchy, fun, and unique. You can hear the similarities to the members’ other bands, but they come together to create their own new thing. If I had to explain them briefly I would say an analog version of the Gorillaz.

Damon alborn again baby

Top Three Songs: 1) Three Changes 2) Kingdom of Doom 3) Behind the Sun Bottom Three Songs: 1) ‘80s Life 2) Herculean 3) Nature Springs

9/10. Very unique sounds while keeping a steady rhythm on each track, made for a very interesting listen through. Added History Song, 80s Life, Kingdom of Doom, Behind the Sun, Nature Springs and the title track to the playlist.

I remember reading a long time ago that Damon Albarn had another band as well as Blur and Gorillaz, but for some reason I just never got around to listening to The Good, The Bad & The Queen until now. It sounds closer to the slower Gorillaz songs to my ear that it does to Blur. I wish I could have a Damon on standby to sing to me - his voice is just so delightfully imperfect and human. This album as a whole was exactly what I wanted it to be. It’s hard to find anything I didn’t live about it.

How could it not be great? The king of drummers, a bass player with attitude and riffs aplenty, a guitarist happy to play his part without overstepping, and a vocalist and lyricist who barely writes a duffer. Oh, and one of the great producers of the era! One of the defining supergroups - such a shame they shone so briefly.

Gorrilaz singer chill vibes

great!

Loved it.

Ya decía yo que la voz me sonaba ...

Vraiment une belle surprise, dans sa subtilité et ses thèmes, des arrangements mélodieux sans être trop doux.

obviously

2007 - Similar to Gorillaz - Art Rock; Alternative Rock

If there is one excellent side effect of the BritPop fetish this list has, it is more exposure to this excellent album. I've loved it for so many years. It is so hypnotic between the keys and the amazing rhythm section (RIP Tony Allen). Very happy to have listened to it once again this morning.

It is a good music.

Ya decía yo que la voz me sonaba ...

Very cool!

Brilliant album. Another masterpiece by Damon

God, this is good. Damon was in his “between things” era — Blur on pause, Gorillaz riding high — but The Good, The Bad & The Queen doesn’t feel like a side project. It feels like a mood. Floating, reflective, faintly haunted. A little punk, a little dubby, a little London ghost story. Backed by an actual supergroup and produced by Danger Mouse, it could’ve been a Gorillaz record… but it isn’t. It’s something slower, sadder, and deeper. Quietly brilliant.

How did I miss this group?

Damon albarn can’t keep getting away with it!!!!!!

I like Damon Albarn Gorillaz man :)

Started great, later turned into something backgroundish, still good

Any Damon Albarn project is going to be a fun listen. This was such. 7/10

I'm not sure how this escaped my notice when it came out. I wish it wouldn't have. This album is going into my collection today. I'm only halfway through listening, and I'm rating it at least ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is possibly the best "never heard of this band" album I have had on this list so far (270/1,001) 4.5

Great alt Damon Albarn album

3.5 rounded up

New to me and I like it!

I already had a song from this album, I didn’t know the rest was good too

Favorite Track: Kingdom of Doom

Not really sure why this is on here instead of Demon Days but it’s alright.

Fand’s iwie voll nice

Ok, not bad

Damon Albarn is the Bowie of his generation, and his apparent ability to make great music with just about anyone is impressive. I personally prefer the follow up Merrie Land - perhaps due to the poignant Brexit lyrics - but this self-titled debut is still great. 'History Song', 'Kingdom of Doom', 'Herculean', and the eponymous closing track are all highlights.

Damon Albarnilta löytyy vaan lisää projekteja. Varsin hyvä levy!

Didn't think Damon Albarn was chill like that. This was a good surprise. Have to listen again.

a solid record

I enjoyed!!!

There's a lot of Gorillaz sound in there, but you can definitely hear other influences like The Beatles and some Dylan.

The first song, their most popular song on the album, I wasn't a fan of. The final 30 seconds of it delved into just noise and I was worried that the rest of the album would go that way. However, as it progressed, it started to give me a vibe of The Flaming Lips mixed with Neutral Milk Hotel, two bands that I am a fan of. Overall I enjoyed it.

Not bad. Not particularly memorable, but I enjoyed the listen. Fun instrumentals and fitting vocal work.

Quite liked it.

I had never heard of this group. Pretty good! Enjoyed that one from start to finish. Solid 3.5, will round up.

Decent

Damon Albarn goat

Solid tracks.

Can’t believe I missed this somehow in ‘07. Damon Albarn is a genius and I love everything he touches. Gorillaz are one of my favorite bands and while this is not as good of a venture, I greatly enjoyed.