Year 5, Day 34: Gorillaz’s Demon Days

Year 5, Day 34: Gorillaz – Demon Days

Track List

1. Intro
2. Last Living Soul
3. Kids with Guns
4. O Green World
5. Dirty Harry
6. Feel Good Inc
7. El Mañana
8. Every Planet We Reach Is Dead
9. November Has Come
10. All Alone
11. White Light
12. DARE
13. Fire Coming Out of a Monkey’s Head
14. Don’t Get Lost in Heaven
15. Demon Days

About the Album

Demon Days is the second studio album from British visual band, Gorillaz. Released internationally on May 23rd, 2005 through Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and Virgin Records in the United States of America. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 as well as number one on several charts around the world, most notably the United Kingdom. Lead single Feel Good Inc peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album has sold over eight million copies worldwide

Thoughts on the Album

Where to begin with one of the best albums of 2005 and of the last decade? Well it was around this time that Danger Mouse took over production, and boy does it make a difference. Demon Days comes off as an album that is more fleshed out and concise compared to their previous release. There is a smooth flow between the tracks, albeit not prefect, that makes the loose story line fit together perfectly. The album is a dark and brooding affair that has moments of lightheartedness that isn’t really expected, but serves to heighten your listening experience.

Damon Albarn is at his strongest here on this album. Originally of the band Blur, his voice with grow on you and make you wonder you never were a fan of Blur in the first place. While strong throughout the album, El Mañana not only highlights Albarn’s voice, but puts on full display. Showcasing his voice on a track that encapsulates the entire album. Danger Mouse‘s production is one of simplicity and minimalist, rather than a bigger driving force. This is on display with Kids With Guns. Kids With Guns embodies this minimalist tone. The track is relaxed and laid back in general, and it does enough to keep you hooked and interested.

The last two tracks, Don’t Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days abandon this dark and brooding sound for different romps within various genres. These two tracks are seemingly a chastisement for the rest of the album’s dark and gloomy sound. I gotta say though, the London Community Gospel Choir, while adding them on there is a bit pretentious, just ups the epic factor to 13. Dirty Harry is a track that is just as gritty as its namesake, with a retro-funk beat. Then we arrive at the showstopper, Feel Good Inc., one of the biggest hits of 2005. Feel Good Inc still has the same feel about it now as it did in 2005. It is a massive hit and made even more massive if that’s even possible by the entrance of rapper De La Soul. De La Soul laced the track with a verse with nothing but hooks, and complimented with the catchy chorus, just makes it what it is.

Conclusion

Gorillaz opened a lot of minds to whole new worlds of music with Demon Days. While most of themes and ideas on this album can be traced back to Albarn’s earlier work, the inclusion of new collaborators allows him to expand on them and present them in a fresh/exciting way. This is one monster of an album, not just with it’s size, but it’s production.

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