GORILLAZ: The Now Now Album Thread

[MsMagicAmerica]

I really, really like this album! This is what I wished Everyday Robots was.

[bugman]

I really, really like this album! This is what I wished Everyday Robots was.

yyyes!

[dougharrison]

I'll be the first to say it then.

Was pretty meh to me. A solid 6/10 - not terrible, but felt one paced and not dynamic enough to really sustain my attention. For me it's Everyday Robots part 2. There aren't any "bad" tracks per se, just as an album it doesn't really go anywhere and I don't think any of the albums highlights rank amongst Gorillaz top 10/20 songs. That's a pretty high bar in fairness.

I remember (or perhaps mis-remember) Damon saying something around the time of PL promotion along the lines of he doesn't really care if people love or hate Blur's songs, but he wants them to have a strong emotional impact and then as a song writer he has done his job. I appreciate that's a long time ago and his views may have changed and I certainly enjoy a lot of music that I like that I don't have a strong emotional impact with, but to me Everyday Robots (well most of it), large parts of Humanz (including Busted and Blue) and now TNN both fail to register much emotional resonance, but perhaps that's just me getting older.

Annoyingly I actually like some songs a fair bit, Fireflies, Kansas and Idaho would probably all have done a lot more for me on a different album, or perhaps even with a different running order, Lake Zurich was also quite cool although in a b-side kind of a way, but to me Souk Eye was as close as the album got to a stand out track and it wasn't really enough to bring me to give this several repeated listens. I'll try it another couple of times - many of my favourite Blur/Damon songs I didn't really appreciate until investing time in them, but right now I think I'm more excited about the new Blur t-shirt in the online store than I am TNN

[Mark72]

I really, really like this album! This is what I wished Everyday Robots was.

Totally Agree


For me it's a sold 8\10, his best work since TGTB&TQ. and the best Gorillaz since Demon Days.

Humility 9\10
Tranz 8\10
Hollywood 6\10
Kansas 8\10
Sorcerez 8\10
Idaho 9\10
Lake Zurich 8\10
Magic City 9/10
Fire Flies 8/10
One Percent 9/10
Souk Eye 8/10

[metalhipslop]

my only problem with the album is how short it is. and every song being a hit, with no filler tracks it makes the album fly away before you know it. a home run

[rich]

but right now I think I'm more excited about the new Blur t-shirt in the online store than I am TNN

I don't share your TNN disappointment Doug, but you're right about the new blur T shirts!

Souk Eye is a cool grower too...

[Forever Low Man]

i've decided "Idaho" is the best song on here

[MsMagicAmerica]

It's either Idaho or Souk Eye for me

[UnderThePuritan]

i've decided "Idaho" is the best song on here

Idaho always hits me with those odd chord changes. It has a real heady feel to it.

Magic City would have to be my favourite at the moment though.

[TripleJay97]

I’d give it maybe a 6 or a 7. The highs are fantastic, but otherwise it’s... not good.

[AstronomyD81]

This album is really great, a good surprise for me because I can't say I'm a Gorillaz fan, I love their first two albums and then some songs here and there and Humanz was a bit meh for me and maybe for that I didn't expect too much with this, a really good album.

[rich]

I like it a lot, but it sure could do with some of Graham's Lennon to Damon's McCartney...

[Veikko]

My little track-by-track review:
Humility 7/10 - It took me a few listens to realize that this song actually has a chorus, and I still can't sing along it. Guess we're not a good match.
Tranz 7/10 - Great song live.
Hollywood 7/10 - Sounds a bit flat and quiet (due to a mastering issue?)
Kansas 6/10 - I can't tell if I like this song or not... Either way, the chorus has stayed in my mind for a last couple of days.
Sorcererz 6.5/10 - It's got real bass, but why not real brass? This song should've been ideal for the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.
Idaho 9/10 - The best song on the album - the instrumentation in the chorus is amazing and it gives me "Tender" vibes. Could be longer.
Lake Zurich 6.5/10 - A bit repetitive. Love the latter part of the song though.
Magic City 8/10 - There are some great parts in this song and the overall atmosphere is pretty amazing. A bit dragging vocally.
Fire Flies 7.5/10 - IMHO the synth bass riffs ruin the otherwise good song.
One Percent 7.5/10 - This album's "Cloud Of Unknowing" - beautiful but sadly too short.
Souk Eye 7/10 - Nice vocal melody, but the arrangement plays it 'too safe'.

My biggest problem with the album is Damon's 'telephone' voice which slightly ruins the otherwise good vocal melodies. Also, I feel some of the songs (like "Fire Flies" and "Sorcererz") suffer from too dense instrumentation and sound a bit messy (for my old ears that is!).

7/10

[Rubi]

Souk Eye 7/10 - Nice vocal melody, but the arrangement plays it 'too safe'.

What's that supposed to mean?

[Veikko]

Souk Eye 7/10 - Nice vocal melody, but the arrangement plays it 'too safe'.

What's that supposed to mean?

It feels a tad bit repetitive and generic - something that I've heard before. The ending of the song reminds me of "The Time Is Now" by Moloko.
https://youtu.be/-GY9DWIfpwc?t=3m1s