Reviews (page 4 of 7)
I thought this was pretty cool, actually. It's essentialness is probably debatable, but I thought it was super solid, and my favorite tracks were "History Song", "Hurculean", "Nature Song" and the title track. It feels kind of Bowiesque, but with some modern bleeps and bloops. 4 stars.
3.5
A lot of good, no bad and not any Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor or John Deacon in sight so this should just be called The Good, The Good & The Good. For a supergroup featuring members from Fela Kuti, The Clash, Blur and The Verve this only starts to whip up a storm during the lengthy title track finale. Makes sense because guitarist Simon Tong wasn’t actually involved with The Verve until quite a bit after their debut A Storm In Heaven. Instead this album has a super weary and resigned feel which was absolutely adroit in 2007 for what was the dredge end of the Tong Blair years. Album is very plodden at its most downcast and plodden but there are some absolute downcast humdingers like Kingdom Of Doom and Herculean plus more skittery afrobeaty downcast carnival goodness with Three Changes.
boring
Cool
that dude sounds just like the gorillaz
History Song 3.4 80's Life 3.5 Northern Whale 2.4 Kingdom of Doom 3 Herculean 3.2 Behind the Sun 3.2 The Bunting Song 3 Nature Springs 3.3 A Soldier's Tale 3.3 Three Changes 3 Green Fields 3 The Good, the Bad & the Queen 3.2 Score: 3.125
I missed this album completely when it came out, despite listening to Damon Albarn since the first Blur. It was a fun experiment, but I can see why it didn’t become a whole separate thing like Gorillaz. Really fun to listen to, but I don’t think anything really stuck around for me after it was over.
Pretty decent blur side project. Nothing really stood out but some decent songs
Typical Damon Albarn music, but on the slower side. It’s fine, but not a great album. Idk didn’t really do it for me.
With a lineup like this — Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, and Tony Allen — you’d expect fireworks. Instead, you get fog. Not in a bad way, necessarily; more in that soft, gray, London-in-winter kind of way. It’s reflective and moody, a record that feels content to hover in the background rather than demand attention. The musicianship is excellent — how could it not be with this crew? — but the songs seem more about tone than movement. Nothing truly bad here, but nothing that grabs me either. It’s all texture and atmosphere, without much emotional lift. A fine record to have on, but not one that keeps you coming back.
väldigt bra, snygga låtar liksom, Damon Albarn är en riktigt bra låtskrivare och vet hur man utnyttjar typ alla musikaliska aspekter på ett bra sätt. en bra helhet, känns koncist och komplett. bra performance från alla musiker över hela albumet. saknar det där lilla extra för en femma
Helt okej, inte nått mästerverk eller så men rätt mysigt och trevligt på vissa ställen! Inget jag skulle lyssna på flera gånger men hade inte klagat.
What?
just couldn’t get into it.
I remember liking this album when it came out. It’s an interesting departure from Blur and Gorillaz for Damon Albarn. I like the use of Fela Kuti’s long time drummer Tony Allen and Paul Simonon from The Clash. Definitely was surprised to find I still dig it. Not groundbreaking and I’m surprised it’s on this list but very enjoyable for me
Admittedly, I only gave this a rather distracted, rushed listen but I also think that’s not the worst thing to ever happen. It sounded super meh in the background. This list has a lot of fat I’d trim. Maybe I’m getting burned out?
Supergroup. Blur meets the Clash and Afro-Drums.
Did nothing for me
I used to listen to it a lot when it came out and I was working in an office - it drowned out the rest of the office successfully. This is perfect office work music - unobstrusive enough to fade into the background but interesting enough to listen to for a second here or there, it's mellow and calming but has enough going on rhythmically to keep the energy up, there are hooks with enough verve to occupy the back of your mind but the vocals are delivered in a flat monotone that begs to be ignored by the front, the arrangements are fully fleshed out and varied enough but have a coherent feel for the duration. It's totally fine but really quite boring.
Interesting, jangly rock - evocative of American Western movies. Good overall.
I quite liked this. There are cool hooks, interesting rhythms and ideas, and the tracks are chilled and laid back. At times it does sound like a slightly less upbeat Gorillaz, which I guess is to be expected. I also feel like the songs don't really go anywhere. It's like they're building up to something and then they just end before anything happens. But not in a bad way if that makes sense. Until the last track that is, when all of a sudden it explodes into a loud, heavy garage rock sound seemingly out of nowhere. There's ambience, texture, and space and the album evokes imagery of a dreamlike landscape. I only had the chance for one listen and another quick flick through and I think I'd enjoy it more with repeated spins. I'll give it a very high three, but could be a four this time next year.
Some nice textures and sounds from some very talented musicians. Last track was very nice.
Pleqsantly surprised after a slow start. Rainy.
had to relisten to a few songs as I think I came in to this album with low expectations and it's actually a grower. Bumping to a 4 to keep on my radar
Brit pop, pretty fun
Immemorable
Vinnur strax mikið á við aðra hlustun. Mér finnst titil-/lokalagið eiginlega best. Væri gaman að koma aftur að þessari.
It's not bad, but a bit boring
Had its moments.
Maybe I’m missing something on a first listen that I’ll pick up on in subsequent runs through this album, but I’m not picking up on what makes this album significant enough to land on this list. It’s not that it’s bad music, and I wouldn’t fault someone for liking it. But to my ears it just feels unremarkable. I knew nothing about this group or album before listening, but could pick up on strong Brit pop influences that made more sense once I saw the makeup of the band. It also explains my ambivalence to the album, since I’ve never grown to love Brit pop the way many others do. I think the concept of the album is has a lot of potential, and I’m hoping that as I revisit the album moving forward I’ll appreciate it more. Unfortunately I’m not hearing enough musically right now to make me want to come back to it immediately.
It's a pretty unique art rock album at my first listen. It's Damon Albarn's side project so it must be good...The ending song was a banger. I don't really remember the melodies of the rest. Perhaps I need more listens.
It was ok
It's the best album I've had all week. That's to say "Self-Titled" isn't too bad. It started off poorly, but then it got better. Some "Self-Titled" songs feel like they could've once been Gorillaz demos. Sometimes I imagine 2D singing. 3 stars for "Self-Titled".
If this list was to be believed Damon Albarn is the greatest pop musician the Western world has ever produced. I would dispute that, fairly forgettable stuff this 2.5*
nice sound, nothing crazy
Nothing bad about it but completely unmemorable
Interesting mashup of British music styles. Always like Paul Simonon's base playing
This feels like Damon trying to atone for the whole Battle of Britpop thing, with a more cerebral romp through the culture. I felt like I had to give this more attention than I had while also doing other things, so maybe didn't get as into this as I could have. Or maybe it needs to be a bit more visceral in places. Not bad, but not majestic.
Probably my fave Albarn album. I love the London Music Hall head nod, the bass, the random off beat drumming. A true English melting pot. Yer man Damon should be spoken of in decades to come as one of the greats of English songwriting. I love it that he has the balls to do what the fuck he wants, when the mood suits. It's helped here, obvs, that he is backed by a stellar cast.
I had no memories of this super group at all.
Enjoyable
Dulllllll
A lovely little side project lost in time.
This is like an entire album of gorillaz deep cuts. Thought it started and ended well with a muddled middle.
Ethereal poppy and fun. Great album I never knew existed. Will go into my collection for sure.
Väldigt slätstruket för att vara en "supergrupp". Den enda riktigt bra låten är nature springs. Resten är verkligen "jaha" i sitt esse. Känner mig otroligt ointresserad.
Supergrupp it is alltså, då stiger ju förväntningarna! Tyvärr blev det ett ganska platt fall då detta visade sig vara alldeles extraordinärt alldagligt. Inte en enda låt sticker ut - inget är dåligt men inget är heller särskilt bra. Det bara puttrar på i en rätt färglös trea hela vägen. Tråkigt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 89 The Good, The Bad & The Albarn Damon in all his forms; Blur…Gorillaz…’The Queen, he’s unexpectedly won me over again. This is not a traditional “band album” — it’s more like a Damon Albarn solo concept album, held together by a dream-team lineup. Recorded in the mid-2000s, during the Iraq War, under Tony Blair’s premiership, and amidst growing British disillusionment, the album is a meditative, genre-blurring reflection on modern England. Albarn described it as a “song cycle about London”, but it’s also a lament for British identity, caught between empire nostalgia and cultural decay. The album drifts through crumbling Victorian imagery, urban ghost stories, post-colonial anxiety, and quiet protest, all backed by hypnotic grooves, dubby basslines, and haunting orchestration. 🎧 Classic Track: Herculean 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: 80s Life 🎧 Personal Favorite: History Song 🎧 Memorable Standout: The Good, The Bad & The Queen Albarn’s lyrics here are impressionistic — more like sketches or watercolors than direct protest songs. He evokes feelings of malaise and anxiety through dreamlike metaphors. The music is quietly radical — not flashy, but richly layered and immersive. It blends: Dub reggae basslines (courtesy of Paul Simonon) Afrobeat-infused rhythms (from Tony Allen), Baroque and folk melodies (acoustic guitars, harpsichords) and Ambient textures (thanks to Danger Mouse’s subtle, atmospheric production). Each track feels like it’s floating, almost weightless, even when the lyrics are heavy. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Don’t burn this one! 🔥 Danger Mouse’s role is subtle but crucial — he doesn’t dominate the sound but weaves in ambience, texture, and space. His touch helps the album feel like a cohesive, dreamlike landscape, even as it changes styles. The production is outstanding on this release which is what edged my rating an additional favorable star. The Good, the Bad & the Queen is a meditative and melancholic political folk opera — one that dissects Britain’s identity crisis without ever raising its voice. It’s not a protest album in the traditional sense; it’s an elegy. And its slow-burning nature makes it more powerful with time
Never heard of the band before to be honest - but enjoyed listening for the first time - need to revisit it
If Damon Albarn had not made it clear enough in transitioning out of Blur into Gorillaz, the Good, The Bad & The Queen is basically a combination of Blur and Gorillaz, with a Babyshambles vibe filtering throughout the record. This supergroup apparently was able to filter out Damon’s worst impulses and this is a remarkably great record with only a few minor missteps. Herculean is a great introduction and could be a Gorillaz outtake. What is striking about this very English record is how exceptional it is recorded and played. Paul Simonon demonstrates a proficiency only hinted at in the Clash where bass played a distinct role in that band’s sound. The Verve’s guitarist Simon Tong does a stellar job with guitar that serves each song and Tony Allen (Fela Kuti) is a rhythm machine on drums. It’s not what you would expect from this foursome and the record opens up and reveals some special songs with repeated listens. Nature Springs is a magnificent song and I think the heart of the record. The first 4 tracks lay the foundation for the rest of the record. History Song, 80s Life, the beautiful Northern Whale and Kingdom of Doom are as good a run of four songs to open a record as anything Blur put out. The record does tail off in parts, particularly A Soldier’s Tale which is a little dull even though the instrumentation is excellent, it just doesn’t work for me. Same with Three Changes which is a hodgepodge of lyrical nonsense. The repetitive “Not going to be a victim” becomes a bit tiresome. Closer, The Good, The Bad & The Queen is an excellent finish and the lengthiest track in the record. What makes it interesting is that it hints at something next. It’s bold and energetic with everyone involved and at least for this track seemingly connected. I enjoy this far more than Gorillaz and it was this record that, for me, redeemed Damon Albarn as an interesting songsmith after some uneven prior outings. This record too has some lyric bloat but overall a pretty well thought out and developed record. Not perfect but pretty damned good.
This album is extremely well-produced (I've always loved Danger Mouse's production), but just not very good or interesting. The last song is great, though!
3/5 good stuff nothing rly that caught my attention tho
интересно,ама пак не се закачих 3
not great not terrible
Went into this completely blind not knowing who this group was or what it was going to sound like. Got 4 songs in and thought, "This sucks." Then I read that the band is a "supergroup" made up of members from Blur and the Gorillaz and so I thought, "Yeah, that tracks." 2 stars because the first song wasn't just the worst.
Very comfy, with some really good synth stuff inbetween the laidback instruments.
Meh, inspired more boredom than it did any interest. Forgettable.
Very reminiscent of Gorillaz as expected.
I love Blur and Gorillaz so remember being quite excited when this came out, also given the huge critical acclaim. At the time I didn't get into it and I didn't this time either
3/5 Fine. I'd pick it up in a thrift store just for clout but I don't think I'll ever listen to it again.
I was surprised at how good this was would take for another listen.
Entertaining but I'm not going to listen to it very often. Title song I like.
If I had ever known of The Good, The Bad & The Queen I’d completely forgotten about them until today’s album suggestion. Damon Albarn certainly likes his projects doesn’t he. Shame they mostly sound more-or-less the same. There is a track I like on this album, but most of it does sound very samey. It’s not a *bad* album, just a little dull.
Didn't really do anything for me
Grew on me as I listened
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Geht gut ins Ohr.
History Song - 3/5 80's Life - 3/5 Northern Whale - 3/5 Kingdom of Doom - 5/5 Herculean - 5/5 Behind the Sun - 4/5 The Bunting Song - 3/5 Nature Springs - 5/5 A Soldier's Tale - 3/5 Three Changes - 2/5 Green Fields - 4/5 The Good, the Bad & the Queen - 3/5 Average score: 3.6/5 (rounding down) interesting. had no idea this was a project of Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz, etc) until i did some digging. thought that voice sounded familiar that being said, i was a little surprised by this album. i was certain i wouldn't like this based on first impressions, but this was an alright listen overall. even the tracks i didn't care much for weren't that hard on the ears i couldn't help but feel like i'd still rather listen to Blur's self-titled album or 13 for this kind of sound (there's just a ton more substance to those album in comparison). however, i'd give a few tracks a listen in the future. i'm still glad this came up on the list of albums to hear. i don't think i would've seeked it out otherwise.
Don't understand the vitriol in the reviews. It's fine. Some interesting ditties here. A good listen, but not one I'll need again.
Not in the mood, maybe another day would hit better. 3/5
2.0 - Weak
This is a really good cohesive album, despite, or maybe because of, there being no standout tracks. It’s another example of how well Damon Albarn can move from one project to another quite often with different styles.
This was utter guff, and is only saved from a 1* rating because it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard on this project this week.
I like this project because it keeps throwing up albums I meant to get around to listening to but never did. This is definitely one of them. I'm predisposed to like a supergroup combining a member of Blur and a member of The Clash, so I had high hopes. By all rights I should hate Damon Albarn's singing, and he seems to be floating in and out of tune throughout this record, making the position even more tenuous... but I inexplicably really enjoy it. Although the really high bits on Behind The Sun really tested that enjoyment and I can absolutely understand people hating it. I have a weird amount of goodwill towards him - he's had a career dominated (as least in the UK) by two big bands, but he constantly has side quests into other, odder, projects. He clearly loves music and to me it's really endearing. I really enjoyed this record. It may be because I listened to it after waking up far too early while feeling a bit bleurgh, but it just fit the time and feeling perfectly. It felt like a slightly melancholy hug. I also want to call out one of the most accurate descriptions of my country of birth ever written: "A stroppy little island, of mixed up people". I think it's more a 4.5 but I'm going for: 4/5
Petition that requires the term 'Supergroup' include actual super stars of the respective genres (ex. Traveling Wilburys, Cream, Blind Faith, etc) and not musicians whom at best are quiet sidemen in bigger bands. This album started bland and got blander and offered nothing redeeming to my day. 1/5
This sounds like Spiritualized with heavy a Blur influence. Actually at times it could pass for an experimental Gorrilaz album. It’s a British band from what I can tell. Anyways, nothing groundbreaking here. It’s passable but that’s really I have to say about that Jenny.
This Art Rock album is gloomy and hard to engage with, built on sluggish, bass-heavy rhythms, muted guitars, and dim, overcast production that blurs its melodies into a murmur. The vocals, half-spoken and weary, match the somber tone but rarely rise above it, turning introspection into inertia. Though the lyrics reach for commentary on English decline and urban melancholy, the music’s heavy stillness makes it feel more numbing than profound.
I’m usually into Damon Albarn but that’s a tremendously boring album. Kind of reminds me of Age of the Understatement if you stripped out all the mystery and made it 50% sleepier.
Cant belive ive missed this one.
Sounds like Blur.
Very meh, supergroup or not.
This was really good. Surprised I had not heard of them before.
3/5. Niet echt spannend
It’s a funny one, actually a very cool supergroup in premise but I don’t find this exciting at all it’s just music that sounds smack between blur and gorillaz (despite being after both bands peaks) actually I’m insulted that it is that ‘eh’ 2/5
Somewhere between late career Blur and boom stomp clap yeah music. Largely forgettable and boring. Music for someone. Not me.
Was unfamiliar with this album. Listened on my bike, navigating city streets and enjoying the dark, gloomy mood. I'll probably listen to this again.
Damon is boring here. Danger Mouse is the most overrated producer. Just not good is the only way I can really put it.
A good jam, gorrilaz / arctic monkey vibe idk
I’m a pretty big Gorillaz fan so I was surprised I’d somehow missed this what is basically a side project of several members including of course frontman Damon Albarn but having listened now it’s pretty missable. I did enjoy it overall, and also thought it was a cool little coincidence that Tony Allen was also on yesterday’s Fela Kuti album. The opening track History Song is the best of the bunch. It’s just a bit sort of slow and quiet for me in general.
This was a fun album. No real standouts, but I enjoyed it all the way through.
Unmemorable.
This is OK as an album. It doesn't really match my taste, but I do wonder if it's a 'grower'. I may play this a few more times.
Not sure of this one, don't know if that is an eponymous album title or what. They are described as a super group, but have only heard of one of them. It would seem that it has a different definition nowadays. As for the music, not impressed not really too much else I can say about it worth more than a 1, but not by much. 2.
Supergroup? Really? Some nice musically moments spoilt by one of Albarn’s poorest vocal performances, at his whining worst.
I never knew this was made! Probably too hist bringing up kids. A supergroup made up of Albarn, Tong and Simonon? What's not to like? I did have to check who the drummer was though, much to my shame. This is on a par with some Blur and Verve albums. Suffice to say I loved it and will definitely listen to it again.
Cool stuff, time to explore the bands other albums
I love most everything Damon Albarn touches past the year 1999 but this is a bit of a vanity project and vanity pick imo. The entirety of this album sits in one register. It’s all laid back slices of life over a dub bass. That’s it, that’s the entire thing front to back. “Herculean” actually escalates its instrumental a bit towards the end of its runtime, but only so much. I appreciate that this project only runs just over 40 minutes because anything longer than that would get on my nerves. Nothing here is bad, but it sure is all the same. My highlight is the slowing/beat switch on the last third of “Three Changes”. Soft 3/5 the ending pushed it just over the edge
I am loving all the Damon Albarn projects on here as a longtime Gorillas fan. Another 5 star for me.
6/10 The bass is great, in that"Guns of Brixton" way and I like the atmosphere generated by the songs, but the songs don't really go anywhere. The seem more like a sketch for a verse rather than a completed thing.
Fairly middling. I'm sure there's already enough Blur & Gorillaz on here. Get off the UK's dick, man.
Look. Damon Albarn is a talented guy. I happen to really love both Blur and Gorillaz. Both projects are wonderful and are absolutely iconic enough to have at least 1 album each on this list. But did you know Damon Albarn had another project that wasn't Blur or Gorillaz? Yep. It's this supergroup here with the most British-sounding band name of all time. With him are the Clash's bassist, the Verve's guitarist, and Fela Kuti's drummer. That's definitely a collection of musicians alright. They all have talent, but when they're all on the list multiple times already, this inclusion just feels unnecessary, especially because the music of this album is firmly in the realm of "good and nothing more." This isn't a bad album at all, but it's not an exciting. The instrumentation is certainly nice, but a little underwhelming compared to the works of each of these other artists on other projects. Damon's singing is as Albarn-y as usual, but it's definitely more subdued here. It's not bad. The writing is okay. Nothing bad but nothing mind-blowing. The songs are alright. Everything about this album is around a 6/10 in quality (that's slightly above-average to me), and the album itself is in that range as a result. 3/5.
Kinda weird, liked it. Ultimately not memorable
There is a lot to like about this album: - It has a great producer in Danger Mouse, who stamps the album with hi - It has Damon Albarn, who has never been afraid to experiment with sounds and concepts. - It also has an epic closing track, the self-titled track. From what I read, this album is supposed to be a collection of songs about modern London life. The sound is cohesive throughout, with no track really overwhelming any of the others. Even the closing track, with as big as it is, isn't hardly overwhelming or mindblowing. Its a consistent album, similar to Doves Kingdom of Rust album ,where there are a lot of good songs, not a lot of great songs. It's for that I can't give it a 5 but its also another one I am saving to listen to again, so I may kick myself down the road I need delve
Pop Rock, Indie Rock. Interesting and entertaining side project.
I love Damon Albarn and think he can do no wrong. My most enduring musical crush. An understated genius. This album is so lovely to listen to. Calming, grown up, contemplative.
On the whole this was just fairly middle of the road stuff, with the proviso that I enjoyed Damon Albarn’s elements more than some of his earlier stuff. Reading that he got stuck into this project just after Demon Days makes a lot of sense - while it’s profoundly different you can pick up notes of it. All told, I didn’t think too much of this until the last few tracks and then it blew open into a pretty enjoyable blast of britpoppy rock. Overall not bad but not great.
Typical Blur / British style with a little doom added on top. It only took 2 songs to make me realise I was listening to some form of blur (as despite a broad mix of individuals Damon's touch shines through). Its a little sad chorus for me like "Hurculean" - Its like the sob story never ends rather than being a feature. Ultimately not a bad album but very average.
The opening track had some modern post-punk type vibes, not dissimilar to Sleaford Mods. It was during the second track that I realised how much the vocals sound like Blur or Gorillaz and couldn't resist a Google. I am surprised that I have never heard of this band or album, but they somehow passed me by. It sits as an interesting halfway house between Blur and Gorillaz, I prefer it to the former and probably not the latter. A mix of brit-pop with a slightly eclectic, electronic twist. Ultimately still too close to other sounds to be revolutionary.
If I wanna hear Damon Albarn songs, I would listen to Blur or Gorillaz. If I wanna hear Paul Simonon play bass, I would listen to The Clash. This is alright, but not really essential.
I don’t mind Blur, I like Gorillaz and Simonon is a legend but I just don’t get this album! It goes nowhere and achieves nothing.
Decent, relaxing to listen to, but I'm going to be brutally honest: nothing stuck with me.
This is a thin-sounding artsy thing that really feels like a bunch of drafts of songs. Everyone seems to be phoning it in. Come on! Wake up! The base rhythm for each of these songs is the same. We already have the Clash, stop trying to be them and making stuff that sounds like artsy London calling for a third of the record. Only the last song actually builds to something, by then it's a little too late.
a fairly boring departure from Gorillaz
Nice, if dour. Quite good background music. Not sure you HAVE to listen to it before you die though. I don't really think it's memorable enough.
Pleasant to listen to, but sort of bland for my taste. There are some really nice sounds on the album, and Tony Allen's drumming is sublime. However, I'm not sure it achieves the same vitality that any of the members' main projects have. A little forgettable, like most supergroup outings.
my life would've been the same if i never listened to this album. decent, but incredibly forgettable. the only bit of quality this album has is the cover.
Damon Albarn farts into a microphone and it ends up in this book. I had never heard of The Good, the Bad & the Queen prior to today. It's a bit of a surprise that I had not since I have enjoyed Gorillaz, Blur and his feud with Oasis. I probably haven't heard of this group because this isn't a very notable or great album. It's pretty mellow and outside of it being a "supergroup" there isn't much here that I believe stands out. There are some definite Radiohead-sounding songs on here, so maybe that is why this is in the book. If you sound like Radiohead, you get to me in the book.
Not sure how this one made the list. It's just fine
Vraiment sympa, parfait à écouter en travaillant!
Out of the three options in the title, they really nailed “The Bad.” With a lineup of big-name musicians, you’d expect something special, but instead it's flat and uninspired. I guess it’s hard to tell a group of famous players their album is trash.
Meh
fascinating listen. modern sounds and retro sounds combine with the sounds of damon albarn sounding exceedingly bri ish, as he always does. pretty cool little listen...
Always liked this album but the second half is better than the first. Three Changes is my favorite song on it.
Never heard of this supergroup before - unsurprisingly, Danger Mouse’s production is the highlight. Found Damon’s vocals and writing both hit or miss. Feels more like a collection of singles as opposed to a true album, which is interesting considering where Gorillaz would end up 15 years down the line. Listened to: walking around Holy Cross cemetery. Favorite tracks: History Song, Herculean, Three Changes
Chill background music, but there’s nothing compelling. No reason it needs to be on the list
Didn’t really need to hear this before I died
Everything that this Blur guy does sounds kinda the same and you know what, I'm fine with that
I was unaware of this collaboration and who was behind Gorillaz. As for this, it didn't grab me. It could be worth another listen someday.
Love anything with Damon Albarn.
PRETTY COOL, WILL RPOLLY NEVER LISTEN AGAIN THOUGH
Damon Albarn is a great musician, but this is just boring.
Meh. It’s not bad, per se. But I really didn’t need to hear this. Modestly better than some moany-groany, woe-is-me brit pop. But not great. 2.
Pretty good, but it slipped by quickly. Not sure if I'd ever recognize a song...maybe I should give this another listen.
Oh, hi Damon Albarn. I didn’t expect to find you here. Gorillaz is one of my favorite bands, and I’m largely unfamiliar with Blur outside of “Song 2”, so to roll this album first before any of those is kind of funny since I wasn’t expecting it. Your enjoyment of this album is going to be LARGELY dependent on how much you like Damon’s singing. Even though this is a Super Group, I still only hear one solid Gorillaz album that I didn’t know existed. It’s got some bangers, I think “Herculean”, “Northern Whale” and the titular “The Good, The Bad And The Queen” are my favorites of the bunch. I do wish it had some more personality to it though. I like it, but I’m not really going to go back to it very often in my usual rotation. The entire album kind of blends together into one song, which is both a positive and a negative. Positive since I can get lost in it so easily, negative since I’m not really able to distinguish the songs from each other easily. I wish they did more with the other band members, I was kind of expecting a different vibe from Albarn than I’m used to. That being said, he very rarely misses, so I’m still going to give it a high 3, because I’m always going to love him as a singer and the vibes are still immaculate, as is typical of anything featuring him.
Oh boy! It looks like it’s going to be lazy, bland rock and from the description including Damon Albarn of Gorillaz fame, I don’t have high hopes for this. 2007 also tends to be the kiss of death. I can’t believe people will one day be nostalgic for that time. I will have to tell my children that I grew up in the most boring time in human history. I mean not much was going on in the 800s or whatever, but at least you don’t have the lamest bards of that time pressed to tape for all eternity. Liek if ur still listening to Parnellio of House Dagon in 934🔥. The Northern reach tavern set still gets regular rotation. History Song - YES! Reggae influence!!! 80s Life - YES! Doo Wop Coldplay! Northern Whale - I like whales. They’re cool. Imagine them just rolling around in the oceans. The size of em. Oceans are crazy to think about. Kingdom of Doom - Another cool song title. That’s great! Herculean - This track describes my feat of listening to this garbage list for almost a year. SUB 2.5 average rating. That will dip further today. Behind the Sun - The infinity of black unknown. Life in its own right disqualified by the feeble minds of man. What we describe, we acknowledge. What evades our description exists entirely outside the reaching arm of humanity. Comprehension means we must acknowledge we are the infinitesimal in an infinite system beyond our grasp. The Bunting Song - Dis song sucks. Nature Springs - Oh man! Another banger!! This guy can’t miss! A Soldier’s Tale - STIIIIIIIIIRIKE 3. Oh no he didn’t even swing at that. Yeah bat didn’t leave the shoulders, Jim. Not Damon’s day. Three Changes - ONE cool moment on this record and it’s still vaguely reggae influenced. The latter section of this track is really the only passage I’ve been moderately alert for. Green Fields - I can imagine the euphoria of the afterlife. I am gazing at the fields of infinite bliss through teary eyes. We’re meeting the end. The Good, The Bad And The Queen - even the rare triplicate title can’t awake me from the coma induced by this disappointing slog. Man that sucked. Just the most boring, dull wallpaper sounding nothing rock I’ve heard in a bit. This sounds like the music from the rock band they invent for a TV show. Like an episode of CSI: Miami where The guitarist dies or something. I’ve had some fun listening to Gorillaz hits, but I’ve had more fun watching gorillas at the zoo. They’re just so human like!! Unlike this album which sounds like it was made by one of those bands that are entirely AI that the ghouls in the music industry create to sell the concept of losing our humanity for the profit of like 15 dudes. Ugh. Get this out of my face. 0.5 HIGHLIGHTS: All barn, no joy.
Slow acoustic rock. Nothing special.
Skemmtileg plata. Kom smá á óvart. Mjög þægileg vinnuplata.
Fínasta stöff hjá Damon og mínum manni Paul. Vantar samt smá púður í þetta til að gera þetta eftirminnilegra.
Has all the marks of alt-rock that came before and 2010s left-field indie rock to come. I wonder how influential this actually was. I’m between being into it and dismissing it altogether. I’ll have to revisit, which isn’t a bad thing. It just went right through me. Man, Alborn is all over this list.
Leave it to Damon to make incredibly boring shit I can't even try to care about. Only reason why Gorillaz are occasionally good is because of outside influence from artists they collaborate with, this man is just terrible.
History Song - 7.5/10 80s life - 8/10 Northern Whale - 7.5/10 Kingdom Of Doom - 7.5/10 Herculean - 7/10 Behind The Sun - 7/10 The Bunting Song - 8/10 Nature Springs - 7/10 A Soldiers tale - 8/10 Three Changes - 8/10 Green Fields - 7/10 The Good The Bad & The Queen - 8/10 75/100
80s Life // The Good, The Bad And The Queen
Enjoyed the music and lyrics.
Had never heard of this band before but was not impressed. This is some sort of super group? It was a little boring and long to get through.
I was gonna say it sounds like Gorillaz, only boring. Then, I read it's actually a supergroup fronted by David Albarn of Blur... and Gorillaz. He describes it as a project... not a band. And, that kinda makes everything on the album make more sense. But, it's still not great. "Nature Springs" and "Three Changes" were the only real standouts.
Was a long time ago at Rock Werchter and went to see them just to watch the legendary Paul Simonon. Wasn't blown away by the band's performance then...certainly not a bad album but not really list worthy to me...
Somewhat reminiscent of the Kinks, a very creative project with the title song moving to an exhilarating climax. 4/5
Didn't expect much. Unexpectedly good start: [The History Song] ends with a discordant which sounded nice against everything else in the song. Very calming. I like the sentiments behind [80s Life]. Enjoyed [Northern Whale]'s instrumentals. Huge fan of synth use. Favourite(s): Northern Whale, Kingdom of Doom, Herculean. Three Changes would be good in an animatic. Whilst rated 3/5, it'd easily be a 3.8–4/5 if I'm in the mood for something slower.
I have no idea why this is on the list other than it's an interesting concept. It's execution is just boring, bland and whiny. Also why does this make me think of Blur?! Apparently Damon Albarn was a part of this so that's why I kept thinking of Blur when hearing it. Also how does he make Gorillaz good but everything else I've heard of his is just bland whiney drivel? HOW!? That said some of the tunes are decent, unmemorable but I'm not mad I heard them. Sadly because it's forgettable I don't recall what songs I enjoyed. I would have to listen to it again and look at titles to remember what one is good. I'm not willing to do that for this album.
ei kummosempi
I was not previously familiar with the artist or the album. It was pretty good, nothing particularly objectionable. Nothing really stood out after one listen but I would listen again.
It's Damon Albarn, who I have enjoyed in damn near everything he's done. And this is a nice powerhouse project of London musicians - pulling out Clash Bassist Paul Simonon out of retirement? This is such a good project.
Didn't like it.
Favorite Track: History Song
Another British band I've never heard of. Another British vocalist who sounds like he couldn't be bothered to put in any effort. Many sounds made by a computer. They save all their energy for the final, title track, but it's too little, too late for me. Summary: Radiohead level boring.
muy bueno, aguante damon albarn
Kinda boring
36/1089 The plucky guitar and campfire vibes at the end of a soldier’s tale is very sweet i enjoyed that part This is a good listen, it’s technically decent and pleasant to have on but i feel like i’d appreciate it more if it wasn’t in this list (that said i probably wouldn’t have listened to it that way to be fair) quite enjoyed the extended and increasingly chaotic outro to the album, it feels like the project was slowly building to this release and they succeeded in capturing that feeling not sure how to feel about this one, it wasn’t incredible, it also wasn’t bad, there were a few standouts but the rest were completely forgettable to me faves: Green Fields, Herculean and A Soldier’s Tale, TGTBATQ least faves: none that stood out 3 stars or 64/100
This is really not very good, and I’m feeling a bit resentful for the listen. Is the author fucking with us? I got excited for a sec, thinking we might get music from the great Ennio Morricone. Instead? Bahh! Yes, I’m bitter.
i wish this was gorillaz, not bad.
Pretty alright, sounds like chilled out Gorillaz, no stand out songs though
Good enough! lol
Not sure about this one.
Gorillas guy with Paul Simonon and Danger mouse producing, emi Kingdom of doom Green fields
I liked it.
It’s colorless, tuneless, and highly polished. Gets a star for every decent melody. TWO STARS
Happy to listen to every Gallagher Bros. solo project before ever hearing this again.
Not much to say on this one. Pleasant to listen to, but didn't keep me engaged.
I was really hoping for more here. The line-up made me think it was going to be this wild, afro-punk driven thing (particularly with the drummer for Fela Kuti in it). But then Danger Mouse took it and made it very British. Albarn really wanted it to be a single but voice, but sometimes it was hard to follow what he was saying. I have listened to it a couple of times and still am not sure what it's about. I know it's supposed to be a concept album about London, but the vocals are too hard to follow. The jam at the end was pretty cool; I would have liked more of that, please. Top tracks: Title track, "Behind The Sun," "The Bunting Song"
I don't recall these guys getting together or this album, but then maybe I paid less attention to Damon Albarn projects after being only mildly amused by his second Gorillaz album two years prior to this. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. But it was at least worth a second listen.
While I liked this album, I feel like nothing on it is sticking with me. I enjoyed listening to it, but I suspect I will forget about it as soon as I move on to the next album. Rightly removed from the 1001. Favorite tracks: Herculean, Green Fields, title track.
1.67
A nice group of British themed (I guess) songs from DAmon Albarn and his crew. Love themed albums - cover art is incredible - also a bit of an anglophile, so this album fit the bill.
cool basslines, good voice, good ambience
Um disco de sonoridade estranha, que soa por demais frio. Apenas razoável, sem empolgar. Duas faixas apenas, como destaque de interesse: "Herculean" e a faixa título, de encerramento: "The Good, The Bad and The Queen"
I'm a huge Damon Albarn fan, and I do think this is a very good album, but it's basically just a more laid-back version of The Gorillaz and also rather similar to Blur's "Think Tank" record. So, all in all, I don't think it really belongs on this list, because I think the albums by Blur and Gorillaz are better representations of Albarn's songwriting.
Just a note for international readers - not everyone in the UK lives in London, or wants to live in London, or even just visit it for a day out to remind themselves why they don’t want to live in London. Even if you’re a Londoner, a concept album about London from well known geezer Damon Albarn and pals is probably a bit much. It didn’t really grab me as each track seemed to just be indistinguishable droning over a bit of plinky plonky piano like a drunken sing along in the Queen Vic, but probably not as much fun.
I remember when this was released, and I was genuinely excited. I've know Albarn for some of the more iconics song with Blur, and as teenager I listened a lot to the first Gorillaz. So a new project from the guy -- branded as a supergroup -- was super exciting. And I was a bit disapointed listening to it: it's an honest indie/alt rock album, but nothing absolutely outstanding. It's well written, well executed, it's not bad, but I wasn't particularly moved then and I doesn't feel like I'm more moved now. I don't know how to articulate this properly, but it sometimes remind me somehow of Belgian indie rock from the late 90s/early 00s (like Deus or Girls in Hawaii), and this (Belgian indie rock) is way better than this.
I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this album
This was boring until it turned annoying.
With ex-members from Blur and The Clash, plus Tony fucking Allen I really anticipated that this would be a previously undiscovered gem, and I would love it after listening for the first time. Big disappointment. This just sounds like most of the other unenthusiastic indie I've heard from this era of music. It just plods along at a lazy pace, with each track sounding like the last. Instrumentation is well-played, but there is simply nothing I can get excited about listening to it.
# Album Name: The Good, The Bad & The Queen # Artist: The Good, The Bad & The Queen # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Pretty boring tbh. It may be a "super group" but its boring AF. # Top Tunes: nah # Would I listen to it again? No
6.5/10 As a big Blur/Gorillaz fan Albarns voice feels comfortably familiar. The arrangement are very nice. However, the songs are not particularly memorable unfortunately. Still enjoyed listening, but hard to see myself putting this on in the future cause theres nothing particular drawing me to it. Highlights: Kingdom of Doom History Song Nature Springs Herculean The Good, the Bad and the Queen Northern Whale
Dreary and tedious post-Britpop Britpop. Meh.
I am really ashamed that I did not know this album/group. When it came out, it would have been right up my alley. However, listening, nothing struck a chord and seemed to just be rambling. Maybe my expectations were too high.
My hopes lifted after the first song, which was catchy, but they quickly settled back down. Mid, as the kids say.
Meh...
Album with honestly a ton of packed potential. I really enjoyed this one, but not necessarily on a 5/5 level of enjoyment. Some really good ideas, that if they were initiated correctly could've made for an awesome listening experience. But it's a pretty album for sure, love the soundscapes here. Very rich sonically speaking.
Even more than all those boring electronica albums, which I can at least imagine having been influential to a scene which doesn't include me, this feels like a total waste of a spot on the list. I can't help but believe that it's only here because British people can't help themselves when they see Damon Albarn? Musically, it's probably a 2, but I just feel like my time is being totally wasted by getting this one today, so it's getting a 1.
Another one of those Albarn projects that falls short on the quality of the songs.
So-so.
Dub elements were pleasant. Otherwise a total snooze.
I love Damon Albarn but I did not like this damn
Probably the most boring thing ive listened too so far during this. Awful.
Dodelijk saai dit zeg, jezus... En zodra ik er achter kom dat Damon Albarn erachter zit, je weet wel die van Blur, begrijp ik meteen wat mn probleem hiermee is. Tenzij deze man zich verschuilt achter cartoon karakters is er gewoon heel weinig spannends aan deze vent. Zn klaagzingen ben ik zo ontzettend klaar mee, ik snap Blur niet, ik snap dit album niet en ik begrijp echt totaal niet waarom ik hier naar een relatief nieuw album aan het luisteren bent want weer gewoon klinkt als 13 in een dozijn Britpop. Richting het einde word het wel iets meer gezellig. De muziek word interessanter, dat krijg je met Danger Mouse als producer, maar de zang vind ik nog steeds zo saai en eentonig. FAVO: Nature Springs
Överraskande bra för att aldrig hört om! Kan absolut lyssna igen
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.
Was excited when I saw Tony Allen was in the group. But did not get enough of him on the album. Did not get much of anything from this album. Kinda bland and little differentiation among songs.
not bad!
I dig this album, it's fun and catchy. Danger Mouse's production is really great. It just still doesn't feel essential enough for this list though. I don't really see much long-term influence from it.
I really wanted to like this. I really didn't like this.
I like Damon but somehow this album was boring to listen. I cannot separate Damon from other projects, he always sound kind of the same and same style of songs. I wanted to like this one , but … Green fields and history song are the gems of the album
How did I miss this group?
It's boring and dreary.
I never heard this band before. An OK album for me.
This either doesn't really match my music taste, or I need to listen to it a lot more for it to open up for me. It's not that it was bad by any measure. But I also didn't really feel like it was that good Standouts 80s Life The Good, The Bad And The Queen 3/5
This is an ok album. Sort of background dinner music. Not something I'm super keen on but ok.
Damon albarn can’t keep getting away with it!!!!!!
I like Damon Albarn Gorillaz man :)
Expected a lot more from this but it never seems to get going just plods along in mediocrity
2007. Sounds a lot like the Gorillaz but generally pretty cool sounding with good production.
Very chill sounds like Blur or Gorillaz or some combination of both? I remember playing this back when it came out with Herculean being a standout, it's still really good! This is a rare album where you can listen to The Good the Bad and The Queen off the album the Good the Bad and The Queen by the band The Good the Bad and The Queen!
Started great, later turned into something backgroundish, still good
It was decent enough while listening. Still sounds very much like a typical Damon Albarn album though. 2.5
Not much on this album for me. I wouldn't listen to this again
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.
Any Damon Albarn project is going to be a fun listen. This was such. 7/10
This is an interesting inclusion. I typically enjoy folk rock, and this was a perfectly fine album of folk rock. But... it wasn't particularly inspiring. There are some truly amazing folk rock albums out there, and this was... merely ok.
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
This was fine. Almost good. But I’ll never even remember who it was in a few weeks. Just kind of forgettable.
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.
Primera sorpresa. No conocía este proyecto de Damon Albarn, y teniendo en cuenta lo poco que me gustan Blur y Gorillaz no tenía muchas expectativas con este disco. Sin embargo, me ha encantado. Bastante sólido. 3'5/5
6.5/10
Got this when it came out, big fan of gorillaz, damon, broken bells, danger mouse. But didnt like it when it came out and still the same after a relisten.
Imagine: you've invited some friends over. Oh no! You need some music to throw it on in the background. What should you put on? Music is so polarising, so personal. You're starting to worry. What do you do? Well, I'm here to help. Might I suggest "The Good, The Bad and The Queen" by The Good, The Bad and The Queen. Why? Well, no one will ask you turn it off - but no one will ask you what it is, either. I didn't hate this. I expected too. I'm not an Albarn fan - I can't stand Blur or Gorillaz and in general I'm sceptical of supergroups. However this album was...fine? It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible, it wasn't good, it wasn't bad it was just sort of...on in the background of my day. Very forgettable, but not in a negative way. 2.25/5
Overall: 6/10 This one wasn't really necessary to include on the list at all....even though I liked it, I'm more upset this is here than some of the albums I've hated (Joshua Tree, for example. At least that one is culturally significant for some reason). I love Damon Albarn, but it's not essential for us to listen to every single thing he does. With that being said, this is a decent little sidetrack of an album. Very mellow. Just lacking in anything super interesting. Fav Song: 80s Life Least Fav Song: The Bunting Song
3.5 rounded up
New to me and I like it!
Kind of mid - 2.5 stars. Maybe good background music??
Nothing really stood out, okay for background music.
Boringggggg
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.
“Oh wow! It has X person from X band, anddddd X person from X band, anddddd, etc., etc.” (Proceeds to sell a stupid amount of records, riding on prior efforts’ reputation and completionists alone) Never listening again.
Fand’s iwie voll nice
Irgendwie schön aber auch bisschen langweilig
Gorillaz DNA present for sure
Leider komplet a mir verbii
history song isch no süss süssi kadenz. ich mach de bass uf 80s life wo dopplet isch mit gitarre? sehr doo-wop d chords. hui dasch jo echt e supergroup drummer vom fela kuti bassist vo the clash keyboarder vo the verve (wäh) und de damon albarn. jo 80s song no nice. northern whale findi biitz nervig d synthisounds aber d athmosphäre vom song dtimmt irgendwie. he wiso hesch eig de crazy guet drummer debi wenns fast kei drums het? bin ich blöd? aber aso kingdom of doom tönt super geile fuzz stuff und so, wieder super schöni athmosphäre ufem song. aber ich hett etz gern mol chli drums. herculean het drums yay! aber drum machine oder gsamplet? aber wieder geili struktur the bunting song het au wieder öpis aber ich würmer chli meh puls wünsche. green fields au no cool. aber git mer alles z wenig. cha würkli musikalisch öpis demit afange aber ich bruch es bitz meh puls oder so. merci de letst song het jetz cooli drums und so. wieso nöd immer? he scho cooli sache sehr athmosphärisch und so aber ich wird de damon albarn glaub nie verstoh. find sis züg meistens chli langwilig
iwie hanis gfühl, dassi auscho history song ghört han? isch na cool sber nüt weltbewegends 80s life arsch ahh logisch ischs e britischi supergroup wisoooo genau hends "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived" (zitat brian emo) gholt, demiter echli chan s hi-hat bearbeite? ja ich übertriebe aber s ischmer chli fest wischiwaschi three changes findi na funny! ja han wenig dezue z sege, iwie nüt wo mich würklich begeisteret het
Ok, not bad
Lovely and fun. Damon Albarn is fantastic.
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 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.
Unremarkable
Damon Albarnilta löytyy vaan lisää projekteja. Varsin hyvä levy!
Tästä tykkäsin! Vähän oli joo tasalaatuista, mutta hyvä dynamiikka.
Ei oikein uponnut.
Taas kerran miettii millä perusteella nämä täällä ovat. Voi kyynel mitä kuraa
Ei tämäkään brittimongerrus oikein lähtenyt.
Don't quite see the appeal of this one.
Didn't think Damon Albarn was chill like that. This was a good surprise. Have to listen again.
I was more confused what this was
a solid record
2.8 - This list is getting a bit Damon Albarn obsessed. If you're a super fan, im sure you love this. I don't think it should be in this list
This is very easy to dislike. Dreary. Awful band name. So redundant to the list. This is musical nepotism. You just hired the guy with the killer CV without even conducting the interview. Never has anything been so much less than the sum of its parts. 1 star - not because its 1 star awful but because its hard to imagine something less deserving of a spot on the list.
I enjoyed!!!
Albarn is very... uninteresting, vocally.
There's a lot of Gorillaz sound in there, but you can definitely hear other influences like The Beatles and some Dylan.
Shocking that a group consisting of musicians from Blur/Gorillaz, Fela Kuti, and The Clash could make such a dull record. 3/5
Listenable.
Damon Albarn knows how to write a song - and then to embellish it. This time, though, it’s a rather understated affair, with a close look into the rear-view mirror and a nostalgic touch. You would be forgiven for not realising that it’s Tony Allen behind the kit (but then again there are songs like Nature Springs and Three Changes. These ornate, folky dub-pop marvels take their fair share of time to blossom. There is much to disassemble while listening: for example, in Kingdom of Doom, a soaring guitar cuts through the feeling of yonder times. Or the amazing drum work. Everything sounds analogue, warm, and a bit dusty - in the most positive sense (my favorite of said sounding bunch would be Green Fields).
Meh, it's fine I guess. Easy to tune out to, so take that how you will.
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.
The third band on this list (..so far) that has a self-titled album WITH a friggin' song with the same title. Like, in my 43 years spinning around the sun, I just can't fathom thinking that one of the three is just so cool I'd have to name the other two exactly the same. ESPECIALLY a band named after their own song. That said, it wasn't terrible. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - History Song - Kingdom Of Doom
I’m not really a fan of Damon Albarn. And I’m not really a fan of supergroups. Every project seems to become quite monotonous very quickly. This album fits that. It was dull and about supposedly about London, where I don’t live, so care even less.
It was fine. Nothing stood out as great.
I’ve never heard of The Good, The Bad & The Queen before, but over the course of 800 plus albums, I’ve become fairly familiar with Damon Albarn. I have also discovered over the course of 800 plus albums that I’m not a big Blur or Damon Albarn guy. Sure, he’s talented, but he’s just not my cup of tea. I don’t have super high expectations for this album, but maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised by what Damon and Co. have to offer me! Man, this is a tough album for me to rate. My gut reaction is to slap it with a two-star rating, because I found it overall bland and forgettable, and I also find it hard to connect with ambiguous songwriting like this, after only one or two listens. On the other hand, I didn’t think this was particularly bad. Listening to this was nowhere near as torturous as listening to something like Sulk by The Associates. From a musical standpoint, I didn’t mind listening to this, and there were a few songs that I thought stood out a little bit from the rest of the album, and the overall sound of the album was cohesive and unique. I enjoyed the electronic elements that were used on this album, and I thought the vocals were pretty good too. I really enjoyed when there were little vocal accompaniments that were used on some songs. If I had to pick a favorite song off of this, I’d probably go with “80s Life” or maybe “Northern Whale.” Those two songs had some of my favorite vocals on the album, and also some unique electronic elements that I thought worked well. Now that I’m at the end of my review, I think I’ve landed on a two star for this album, and that’s just based on the fact that it didn’t land with me. I just want to reiterate that I don’t think that this is a bad album, it’s just not for me.
Shite
Boring, disappointing from an awesome group of musicians. Felt uninspired, all kind of slower to mid-tempo. Nature Springs is actually a great song though.
This is the first Damon alburn album I've heard in full and that's unfortunate. I know I'll enjoy his other works far more. I found this to be the most mid album ever
niin tota. tämä albumiin tähän onm monta yhteyttä eri kuuluisiin muusikkiartisteihin lisätäänmpäs lizstalle..Olla tai olla olematta: se on kysymys: onko jalompaa mielessä kärsiä järjettömän onnen silmukat ja nuolet, vai tarttua aseisiin vaikeuksien merta vastaan, ja vastustamalla lopettaa ne? Kuolla: nukkua; Ei enempää; ja unen kautta sanoa, että lopetamme Sydänsärky ja tuhannet luonnolliset shokit Tuo liha on perillinen, 'tämä on hartaasti toivottava täyttymys'. Kuolla, nukkua; Nukkumaan: ehkä nähdä unta: ai, siellä on hankausta; Sillä tuossa kuoleman unessa mitä unelmia voi tulla Kun olemme sekoittuneet pois tästä kuolevaisesta kierteestä, meidän täytyy pysähtyä: siellä on kunnioitus, joka tekee niin pitkän elämän onnettomuudesta; Sillä kuka kestäisi ajan ruoskat ja pilkkaa, sortajan väärää, ylpeän miehen häpeää, halveksitun rakkauden tuskia, lain viivytystä... viisauksia hullujen huoneelta vaan heh behind the sun
Not bad. Not particularly memorable, but I enjoyed the listen. Fun instrumentals and fitting vocal work.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen. They are certainly one of these things. The least super of supergroups
Quite liked it.
I haven't heard of this band / album but whilst listening to this I was thinking this sounds very Brit popy, sounds like blur. After finishing it I looked it up, and of course it sounds like that it's Damon Albarn signing. How many side projects has this guy had?? Enjoyed it. Favorite tracks were kingdom of doom and northern whale
I’ve already forgotten what this sounded like.
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.
I had never heard of this group. Pretty good! Enjoyed that one from start to finish. Solid 3.5, will round up.
Musically this was pretty awesome and Damon Claiborne felt like an accoutrement
This was pretty good but then again I'd rather just have Gorillaz?
Decent
I didn't know there were more Damon Albarn projects. This is definitely a weird one but I really liked it. Best songs for me were "History Song", "Northern Whale", and the title track. Worth a listen, especially if you like Damon's other stuff. This is a really fun and interesting album.
Damon Albarn goat
Incredibly average album. I did not care much about it.
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.
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.
I liked it. I would like to give it a few more listens.
Never heard of these guys before but I really liked them.
Totally new to me. Good casual/serious co-mingling. Hallucinatory, like hallucinalabour. Casually intriguing. Poetic. I think I want to move to the English countryside and hang in the trees with them. Do some whalespotting. Some queenspotting.
I have a theory about supergroups, that they never add up to the sum of their parts. And I feel this is a bit of a ‘less than’ moment. I love the artists and the concept. I also really dug the last song. But I can’t remember all those leading up to it.
I like anything with Damon Alburn involved in it. I like this a bit more than a three but not quite a four.
Blur? Sure! Gorillaz? I'm in, for the most part. TGTB&TQ? Meh.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I enjoyed immensely. 3.75!
Listened Before? N I don't know who most of these dudes are even though this is a British "supergroup". The record was fine, but I think the clout of the musicians adds something to it that I missed. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: History Song
Ok