Gorillaz

[H. Zee]

With the recent release of their new album Plastic Beach, I was wondering what the Playground's opinions were on the virtual band. Is the whole animated band thing just a tired gimmick, or is it a welcome change and an interesting satire on the two-dimensionality of modern pop music?

Personally, I love them, and I love their new album - though Demon Days still edges it out in terms of quality, it's still better than 99% of other mainstream bands achieving this kind of success.

[JonestheSpy]

Haven't heard the new one yet, but really like their earlier stuff.

I think the concept is pretty interesting. Might have been lame, but Jamie Hewlett is talented enough to make it work really well.

[Scoot]

Just got Demon Days and Gorillaz for christmas this year, I've been a fan since I was a little kid.


Not much to say other than I thoroughly enjoy their music and wish I had their DVD(s).

[Seraph]

was a pretty big fan back in HS, I thought they disbanded or something.

[Starfols]

I remember them! I loved their character designs; they ought to make more videos.

[Mystic Muse]

from the five music videos I've seen they're pretty good.

[Serpentine]

I adore them. Demon Days is one of the few albums I can listen to all the way through reasonably regularly. New album is okay, maybe it'll grow on me as I hear it more.

[katans]

Used to be a big fan as well. There's something refreshingly new and unique to their sound, a touch of Air, a hint of Mogwai, and a good lot of great ideas. Plus, love the videos. Gotta listen to some of the nwe songs, then I#ll see if buying the new CD is worth it.

[Mauther]

Good original music, the gimmick works. They've got the most interesting videos out there, and Demon Days had songs on it that few "real" bands could make.

[Calamity]

Ok, well I have to de-lurk here because, well, I am a huge, huge fan of this band. Seriously, the news of their third album was possibly the best thing I heard for nearly a year.

What I like about them is how they've opened my tastes in music to genres I would never even consider listening to before. Well, they do have a lot of influences from hip-hop. But they're really capable of anything musically. I like bands like that.

I love the gimmick, it won't wear on me. The characters are brought to life in the animations and voices in both the music videos and the extra material (Yes, I have Rise of the Orge. Yes, I am sad like that ) and it's done really well. And by the way, the animations are always of really high quality, even their 3D appearence in Stylo looks very stylish (See what I did there?). Plus, satire's always fun, if done right, which it very much is with these guys.

And, well, Feel Good Inc. is what I personally consider the best song and video of the decade.

In summary, yeah, they're ok.

@Seraph: There is usually a massive time gap between albums, Gorillaz came out in 2001, Demon Days in 2005, and Plastic Beach in 2010

@Starfols: They are making new videos, I don't know if you've seen Stylo, fair enough if you haven't, but there'll probably be more videos from the future singles from Plastic Beach

[Kiren]

Ive been a fan for maybe two years, but I had only heard the music videos on youtube, recently I bought "Gorillaz" and "Plastic Beach", great stuff, I wish I had gotten them sooner then I had, I am going to get "Demon Days" soon, as some of my favorites are on there.

Favorite band by far.

[The Demented One]

Plastic Beach is really not what I'd expected from them. I like it, but it doesn't really sound like any of the older Gorillaz songs that I enjoy. Divergent evolution, I suppose.

[Jibar]

I adore them. Demon Days is one of the few albums I can listen to all the way through reasonably regularly. New album is okay, maybe it'll grow on me as I hear it more.

First listen I thought it was okay, second listen I loved it completely.
But yeah, big big fan of Gorillaz. Pretty much the only band I always like, next to Avril Lavigne.
...my music tastes are weird.

[Boo]

Sorry to break the chain here boys (and girls), but I dislike their music. It's always lacking depth and meaning, and the only beat that it has is equivalent to that of a tone-deaf toddler.

Of course this is all a lie to dupe you into reading my post. Nya nya. I do very much enjoy their music.

[Moff Chumley]

Murdoc is my hero.

Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Kids With Guns, El Manana, Every Planet We Reach Is Dead, Stylo, and Rhinestone Eyes are seven of the greatest songs ever recorded.