The Good, The Bad & The Queen

Again, super confused by the idea that this is one of the 1001 albums I need to hear before I die because it feels like a minor footnote in a career of someone who has made a lot of other albums that should be on a list of 1001 albums a person should hear before they die.

3,5 stars

Why does Damon Albarn need so many bands? Who keeps letting this happen?

it’s pretty good. as much of the clash told it, paul simonon is who introduced jamaican music to the band. it’s great to his dub-informed playing here

If you were hanging out at someone's house and they were playing this, you would notice music playing, but have no engagement with it.

I like Damon Albarn so I’ll tune into whatever nonsense that funky little boy is up to

Never heard of this, sounds like the singer from Gorillaz

Stand-out tracks: History Song, Northern Whale, Herculean, Behind The Sun, Nature Springs, Green Fields, The Good, The Bad And The Queen

It’s a good, technically sound album, something about it though makes me feel like something is missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it

Can't really place this one that easily. There's an slow, dark atmosphere to these tracks and for the most part I think they're pretty cool. I like the role the bass guitar plays in giving a subtle groove to the ambient sounds created underneath them. However, I'm not really sure why Damon Albern made this record. Maybe he got bored? It doesn't feel like it has that strong an identity and the tracks get lost as the album progresses. He could have taken the best bits from this album and retrofit them into Blur or Gorillaz albums. A decent listen but quite meandering & boring by the end.

Worst """"supergroup"""" ever?

For an amazing collab group, this album was fine - rock but nothing that stood out

I listened to this indie pop/rock album on a car ride (twice, both to and from the destination). There were some unique sound effects and whistling, but also an overall feeling of urgency and dark tones (probably caused by eerie-sounding acoustic guitar and bass). I particularly enjoyed the sound of the first track, "History Song", and "Green Fields". I enjoyed it, mostly.

Broadly speaking, I don't think "supergroups" make good music (boygenius excluded). This album did not change my opinion. Meh at best; entirely unmemorable.

No memorable songs, but it was a decent listen. The gorillaz, the clash, and the verve are better. Maybe not a 100% necessary collab.

Surprisingly enjoyable. Thought it would be tedious because Albarn is a pretentious twat.

Skipped it, not a fan.

⭐️Herculean

An interesting group of songs. Good lyricism and fine musicianship. They call it a super band but I'm not familiar with them.

For a group of very talented musicians I found myself a little bored and I barely noticed when it started again. It was pleasant enough but not memorable Playlist add: “Nature Springs”

I’ve recently come to dislike Damon Albarn as a person (justice for Uncle Acid!) but this album is pretty cool, primarily thanks to the production and rhythm section.

Yet another sun-par UK band with no good reason for being on this list. An utterly forgettable album.

Definitely better on a second listen. Parts of this were tremendous and other parts were grating. I feel good at 3 stars but depending on my mood I can see anywhere 2-4

Melodic sounds. Enjoyed listening to this.

I don't know if it would have made a difference, when I first listened to this album in 2007, to know it was a sort of concept album about Olde London. It certainly didn't make a difference now. I admire Albarn's desire to do things, even if they don't always sound like new things. On Monkey or Dr. Dee, the hallmarks of Albarn's songwriting are all over what he does, as they are here. Certainly in this part of his career. It takes a great band of collaborators, like his colleagues in Blur or Gorillaz, to find the energy in what is often dreary, melancholic latterday output. One would expect the supergroup here present to be up to the challenge, but they are overwhelmed by Albarn's presence. Tony Allen is barely detectable. He's going all out on Three Changes, but still is subsumed by everything going on around him. Maybe it isn't Albarn's fault as much as Dangermouse's. I've never liked his production. Let's say it's him. 2 I am finding it difficult to focus my thoughts on any question here aside from why this album is included in the list. It’s a good album, surely, but is it significant in some way that I’ve overlooked? 21st Century Damon Albarn is always making decent, slightly gloomy records full of solid melodic ideas and keyboard hooks and interesting beats. See: Gorillaz‘ Demon Days, Blur‘s Think Tank and Ballad of Darren, Damon‘s two ‚solo‘ albums. Is this plateful of Damon Albarn’s Bread and Butter ‚better‘ than those other records which aren’t on this list? Maybe. Is that why it’s here? 2/5

I didn’t mind that, I really liked some of the string arrangements, they were very pretty and the drumming was nice too. Tbh it was really just his voice and a couple of electronic elements that put me off. His voice was super mundane and wasn’t really something I liked. His tone barely changed either. I think I would listen again just once to see if my opinion changes on his voice but other than that it’s not really something I would return to. Not a bad listen tho, 3.124/5

Reading some of the background material on this group, it seems to have some star members, but the album was forgettable.

It certainly is Albarny.

Favourite Songs: Three Changes The Good, The Bad And The Queen

Some decent songs in there

Some pretty good stuff and some pretty bad vocals too

One of the albums that has ever been made, that’s for sure. Not terrible or anything, but it’s definitely not for me.

This is nice and generally smooth. Maybe a little to smooth. Gets a bit repetitive. Almost 4, but lands a 3.

Was ok but dreary on occasions

65

Helt grei. Har ingenting å gjøre på lista. Knapt en fotnote i Albarns diskografi.

Snill 3 er. Skjønner egt ikke hvorfor denne er på lista. Kunne vell heller vert et til Gorillaz album?

Dette prosjektet har gått meg hus forbi. Artig samling mennesker, ikke like bra samling låter.

Très sympa, je pense qu'il me faut plusieurs écoute pour savoir si j'aime vraiment beaucoup mais comme ça rien ne m'a marqué donc 3

Même si l’album est incroyable ça sera un big un parce que groupe album et son du même nom faut aller se faire

This had moments I liked, but it didn't draw me in and hold me much. Damon's singing did hook me in a little, but it was only because I kept thinking of the Gorillaz.

I'm still not sure how I feel about Damon Albarn(okay, he was a founder of Gorillaz, so he's a legend). Gorillaz are my favorite band of all time, so one reason I've been excited about this journey is because of the classic Blur albums I get to discover. As it turns out, Blur has been hit, or miss for me. If I'm being honest, they have been quite the disappointment overall. Back in 2007, I was fully aware of Damon Albarn being the lead singer of this supergroup. For whatever reason, I never listened to their music(I suppose I was too obsessed with Eminem, System Of A Down, and Gorillaz to actually buy an album from a new band). Now that I've listened to the debut album from this "new band", it definitely sounds more like Gorillaz than Blur. With better production, and perhaps a little more variety, it would be a complete masterpiece. Favorite Track: "The Good, The Bad And The Queen".

Just not for me.

In one ear and out the other indie slop.

Some decent songs, got bored towards the end

Enjoyable, I liked 80s Life best. Also a whale song :3

Damon albarn jumpscare. For sure didnt think that was what we were getting into. But it sure is. The best way I can describe it is thats its like futuristic frontier music. Not like a can of beans on the fire type frontier but more likr independence Missouri type. Likr Blackwater in red dead. A place with some culture but not a ton. Just enough. Not super engaged with this tracklist but its ok. Just fine enough to have the classic albarn singing over some more country ish music. Neat that hes out there doing something differnt than blur or the gorillaz. Tho I think I prefer both. Ok stuff

very folky mix with alternative rock........can't really find the direction

Three and a half? Maybe.

Как будто собрали все самые скучные песни Blur и Gorillaz в одном альбоме. Хотя музыка неплохая

On paper, bringing together Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, Tony Allen, and Danger Mouse sounds like lightning in a bottle, but the actual record feels frustratingly lesser than the sum of its parts. It’s a bit of a letdown, honestly. Don't get me wrong, it’s not a train wreck; there’s some moody, atmospheric stuff going on. Allen’s rhythm section is solid as always, and songs like "Herculean" and "Kingdom Of Doom" show off that weird, dub-psych vibe they were going for. The production is sharp and gives it this damp, gloomy London feel that’s fine to have on in the background. The main issue is that for a supergroup like this, nothing here really sticks or feels finished. Albarn just mumbles his way through the whole thing, and the tracks start to bleed into each other, turning into polite, sleepy mid-tempo filler. Everything feels like it's building toward something interesting but never actually gets there, leaving the whole album sounding more like a bunch of B-sides than a must-listen classic. It’s an okay diversion, but pretty forgettable given who's involved.

The good: the title track The bad: most of the rest of this The Queen: RIP Damon Albarn is no Thom Yorke. This may be the worst thing he ever crapped out. Saved by the title track, which is pretty good, mostly because it's largely instrumental.

the one, the two, and the 3 outta 5

Okay, unexpectedly LOVE

Jeg synes sgu det er rimeligt godt fedt.

*67 The rimelig good, ikke helt bad and the til tider boring. Fede produktioner.

Jeg har tit syntes, at det er lidt svært med Damon Albarn uden for Gorillaz, men det skal åbenbart bare kombineres med Danger Mouse 3.8

This album tries to exude a melodramatic tone, but there is no emotion behind it. It's just soft noise. I'm sure it has it's place somewhere, like the background music at a funeral home, but there's no place for it in my collection. The best I can say is that at least is inoffensive, so it isn't a complete failure.

Fairly vanilla 2000's alt rock, but, not annoyingly so.

Just because Damon Albarn

Gorillaz b sides. This was boring. Nothing to revisit here

Was alright. Already forgotten it from this morning though.

This is... good? It's sort of all over the place, and I know almost nothing about the constituent bands except the Clash, so I'm not sure how it fits into, say, Blur's catalog, or Gorrilaz'. I can see myself returning to this one now and then and getting more out of it.

could be a gorillaz record tbh, just with more consistent guest

So the creative team behind Demon Days made an album that sounds like Demon Days' outtakes. I dig it well enough.

spent all of "history song" wondering why the vocals were so familiar only to gaslight myself through "80s life" that it was just my imagination the vocals sounded like any singer in particular. but as they say: the chances an album will have damon albarn on vocals are low, but they are never zero. i had "herculean" saved from this album prior while i had no memory of the song or when i would've saved it, it became apparent listening through the album why it had been favorited. now as a gorillaz enjoyer this was, certainly, an enjoyable album, though it really did just sound like a gorillaz album without the usual expansive/experimental foundation to play around in. not saying you need to be reinventing the wheel by having dozens of different collaborators or soundscapes on every record, but i finished this album wishing there had been more places and ideas to visit. i WANTED to see where else this album could've gone, so it's a little disappointing in that regard. still, pretty good stuff!! 3.5 erring on 4 highlights - northern whale, herculean, three changes, green fields, the good, the bad, and the queen

Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: Herculean, Nature Springs, Three Changes A supergroup album with Damon Albarn as frontman and production by Danger Mouse? Count me in. This album is really cool. I've thoroughly enjoyed discovering several albums involving Danger Mouse, particuarly his collabs with MF Doom and with Karen O. This album is another hidden gem. Really cool album cover.

Had it on for hours at work but don’t remember a single song

Completely missed this when it came out as seeming did many others. Why? Cos it's not actually that good. Bunch of legends just proving that at their leg ends they actually have feet of clay.

This is unbearably dull. I thought unc would still have it, but clearly, he doesn't.

Mwuah, niet mijn smaak. Is zanger van Gorillaz en daar heb ik ook niet zo snel iets mee.

Can’t say I noticed any real standout bangers on this album. Given Damon Albarn’s involvement, you can hear that signature melancholic Blur and Gorillaz influence throughout. Overall it’s a pretty average album, albeit a slightly dystopian and depressing one that feels like a dark, rainy ode to London. Can’t say it’s one I plan on replaying anytime soon. 5/10

Album #160: The Good, The Bad & The Queen Genre (W): Art rock Singles: Herculean, Kingdom of Doom, Great Fields I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: I fell asleep through the second half of the album, I liked the tracks’ productions and artsy arrangements, but I hated how bland it felt. Disappointed. Favorite tracks: Herculean

The good, the bad, the queen, and the average.

I've never heard of this group before, and aside from knowing some things about the members of this so-called "supergroup," I'm mostly going into this blind. Yeah, this is just kinda meh. Not terrible, but I feel like it's inclusion in this list might be due more to Damon Albarn than anything else.

This sounds like a bunch of Gorillaz filler songs

A puzzling inclusion. I was surprised that I had never heard of this Damon Albarn project before, and I'm glad that I've listened to it but it's really nothing special. It is pleasant enough throughout and then there are a couple of tracks that have real quality that I'll revisit. I'll keep this in mind incase it comes up in an obscure pub quiz music round. Favourites: Herculean The Good, The Bad, & The Queen

Decent

This album is not a breakthrough but it is a total bop.

Gorillaz c-sides

A Damon Albarn album i didnt know about? Interesting, probably my favourite thing he’s ever made. Its pretty fun and based in medieval times. Standouts are 80s Life, Northern Whale, Herculean, Nature Springs and Three Changes.

Didn't know anything about them. The sounds remind me of Radiohead and Air. I liked a couple of the songs: Bunting Song and the title song. The rest of a good sound but the songs themselves are so so. Kind of a borderline 3/4 album.

I remember stumbling across this when it came out, and I was actively hunting down anything put out by people who contributed to the Gorillaz, and while I enjoy it overall, I always felt like it was weird to call it a “super group.” Not because the other people who contributed don’t warrant it, but this just feels very much like a project being steered by Albarn and Burton. But, as a more downtempo companion piece for Demon Days it works.

There are a few *okay* songs on here that harken to some of the slower, more introspective Blur or Gorillaz songs since Damon Albarn is the vocalist and orchestrator of the whole thing. But the songs don't vary much from track to track, and often veer into whiny given Albarn's vocal abilities are stretched to their limits here. There were some downright skip-worthy songs that made it hard to rate this as a 2 vs 3. Grading up since there were a few gems, but not sure this rises to the level of must-listen music.

Ihan ok, vaikka mitään mullistavaa ei kuuntelusta jäänytkään käteen. Blur-fanina Damon Albairnin tuttu laulusoundi lämmitti. Biisit hivenen tasapaksuja.

Damon Albarn strikes again. Recognized his voice almost immediately.

Sucks

Börjar bra med History Song. Sedan blir det lite blandad kompott. En del ok och en del inte så bra. Avslutas dock med en bra låt. 2,5 av 5.

Smiths-influenced, brit pop sound. It's ok. 3.

Groupe inconnu. Par contre je ne suis pas fan de Blur, ni des Clash, ni de The Verve (2/5 pour chacun des 6 albums écoutés sur les 7 existants) et encore moins de Gorillaz (1/5). Donc sans surprise le résultat de ce mélange ne m’a pas intéressé … pas désagréable (+1) mais rien ne me donne envie d’y revenir. =>2/5

Instantly forgettable, could've died for sure

I liked most of this, disliked little, and nothing annoyed me. I guess that's a 4 by definition.

Damon Albarn is extremely prolific and this album is a testament to that. It may not be a masterpiece, but you can notice his style on a project with a unique proposition - not Blur, not Gorillaz… this is the definition of artistry

2 out of 5. Admittedly I was hoping for something a little more but it wasn't terrible either.

this was fun! i would relisten. a good time

didn't hate it, but outside of a couple of songs it was pretty unspectacular.

Desdenhei na época, mas puxa, como é ótimo esse álbum.

The collective noun for Len Houmous’ 21st-24th wives. 2.5 5/12 Herculean

Not a good sign when I can predict the entire song pretty accurately from the first 5 seconds. Makes for a tedious listen. A bland, no surprises album. Honestly, when I see "supergroup" I always brace for the worst, so even the fact that I wouldn't like it wasn't a surprise.

Kind of definition of a 3 for me. Didn’t love, didn’t hate it. Opening track was my favourite. Talented musicians but I don’t think the songs were massively memorable. Hard one to rate.