Some Kind of Nature – Gorillaz Some Kind of Nature – Gorillaz

White Flag – Gorillaz White Flag – Gorillaz

Superfast Jellyfish – Gorillaz Superfast Jellyfish – Gorillaz

Now I have been listening through this album time and time again searching for that one element to focus on, explore, and/or elaborate on – but it isn’t there. Before you take this as a negative album review, finish reading. This album, true to the Gorillaz style, has a bit of it all while still remaining loyal to that unique and unmistakable flavor ever-present in the Gorillaz’ music. I like it – a lot.

I am a fan of weird – the eccentric, odd, laughable, twisted, freakish, and warped intrigue.  It takes guts to do what you do regardless and this is what I dig about the Gorillaz. Despite all other trends, influences, fads, etc., they continue to do what they do – and you know what? They do it well. Now rather than getting too far into the nitty gritty of breaking down their new album, Plastic Beach, I am opting to instead tell you what really caught my attention on the album – but first I think its important to get the most fundamental elements out there – my top three tracks off the Gorillaz’ Plastic Beach.

Now for the goodies – My top three Plastic Beach tracks:

#1 – White Flag (feat. Bashy, Kano, and the National Orchestra for Arabic Music) – loved the combo of orchestra music, hip hop and the Gorillaz’ funky style.

#2 – Some Kind of Nature (feat. Lou Reed) – I’m picturing an older gentlemen drinking some variation of whiskey or scotch on a sunny winter morning (that’s right – drinking before noon) and the gentleman is simply reflecting on the state of things.

#3 – Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul) – one line that hooked me – “All hail king Neptune and his water-breathers” – dig in.

Plastic Beach features a slew of guest artists including Mos Def, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg, Bashy, De La Soul and the National Orchestra for Arabic Music (to name just a few). These artists each possess their own unique and distinct sound and style that normally would set each inarguably apart from the rest – but on Plastic Beach, this is not the case. And now that I think about it, this is never the case with the Gorillaz – each and every guest artist that performs and contributes to a Gorillaz track seems in some way or another to blend into the group’s sound, seamlessly becoming a temporary fixture for those few minutes of melody as the track starts and eventually comes to its end.

What I mean to say in all of this is that there is something about the Gorillaz that melts even the best artists into their own style and I dig it. Initially I was frustrated that Plastic Beach didn’t seem to display any of the featured artists’ true styles but then I gave it another listen – and then another. It has since occurred to me that I was wrong to be frustrated – Yes, some of the other artists on the album seem to lose themselves in the sounds of the Gorillaz but what I hadn’t realized was that if this wasn’t the case then Plastic Beach wouldn’t be the great Gorillaz album that it is. The excellent ability of the Gorillaz to bring in outside musical elements and make them their own is what I have truly come to admire and this album, Plastic Beach, has some very versatile tracks making up what is (in my opinion) an overall wholly worthwhile album. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 and if you disagree – that’s you’re deal maybe you just need to loosen up a bit. I liked it.