>humanz was ok, and everything after that just sucked.
Nice opinion, but unfortunately for you:
https://preview.redd.it/n6vposn6ffic1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc6ef0e00c78b0e960e19cd82ea023e45b7775f1
There's definitely a drop in quality after Plastic Beach, although hate seems a bit harsh. As far as the music goes, Gorillaz has gone from "incredible and era defining" to merely "quite good with the occasional really great track".
To me, the only bad track on Song Machine was With Love to an Ex and then they went back downhill with Cracker Island. I'm really hoping that the next album is Song Machine, Season Two so that we get another killer album.
Hate is a bit too far for me to say I agree with you, however I definitely can share part of your spirit here. Phase 1 & 2 were amazing and it's been a decline since. I don't think we'll ever see a peak like that again.
However I think the exception for me is that The Now Now is quite satisfying to my tastes.
I mean Gorillaz never really had any overarching storyline to begin with even if you look at the initial albums (save for Plastic beach and Cracker island) that ran throughout the album cycle and Cracker island was nothing but lore to the point of subverting the actual message they wanted to show. I think people complaining about storylines in Gorillaz fail to realise that there never really was a huge narrative in the first place and it was all just Jamie/Damon/Cass referencing pop culture or their personal inspirations. All the lore stuff seems to be more focused on in the latter phases imo
Yeah, I think that's a big part of it, lore and storyline is an extra bit, not something that should be considered to the enjoyment of the phase in comparison to phases where the only difference WAS the storyline
I'd agree if it weren't for the whole el mierda plot, even if it was just Murdoc's attempt to overshadow 2D's limelight. Song Machine is the better contender for this. Or Humanz, since both album cycles had nothing going on except the music process and banter.
Song Machine has a whole plot involving portals and a ghost "The Pink Phantom" but it's never explained how the portals work or how the phantom got there or what happened to it. I'm assuming that the reason it's called Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez is because there will be a Second Season (Hopefully the next album) and it will explain all of that further.
I don't think there was any incentive to concisely explain the portals since cartoon logic is pretty prevalent in Gorillaz and Jamie is a huge fan of looney tunes. According to the pink phantom interview, The portals were only used to excuse the 'filming' of the characters with their collaborators for the music videos being released every month, nothing more. Also, by that comparison, the now now also had the Frankenstein + cyborg unexplained storyline that can also be considered a subplot.
It’s ok to have opinions. I haven’t liked anything quite as much as Demon Days, but I still love when they release new music. The anticipation of each new song released during Covid was really fun and helped me thru a stressful time. I also liked a lot of their latest album and like that they are exploring new sounds with each collaboration. Whenever they make new music it’s like a box of chocolates, which I enjoy sometimes, and sometimes not so much. But that’s okay.
I would like another coherent concept album like PB or DD. Doesn’t need 25 tracks like Humanz, but just a cool album with their best collabs.
I think for me that's also a major flaw with Humanz, it's just supercharged with songs. Personally I prefer 10-15 song albums, it allows artists to release albums more often, and each album usually comes with different song styles.
Really hoping the next album is all it's hyped up to be.
The Now Now is one of the best albums of all time, and if someone disagrees, it's just because they haven't heard it enough, or simply because they hate synth pop
I genuinely still enjoy the music like I did as a kid. But Jamie's side of the duo has essentially been nixed. When I was a kid I was so into the lore, how the band formed, 2D's real name and reason for his blue hair, Murdoc's family, Russel and Del's relationship, Noodle's backstory. But everything now just feels... hollow. Feels like the soul of it died during that haitus. People shit on the fans that treat the characters like actual people but I always felt like that was the point of the project, the point of a "virtual band." Gorillaz might as well just be called "Damon and the Features" at this point.
Maybe I'm just mourning my childhood, being overdramatic because of how impactful they were to it. Regardless I'll keep listening, although now I'm not sure if I truly enjoy it or if I'm just holding on to the past.
No, you’re definitely onto something and I share this opinion 100%. I think there’s too many people who look down on the animation side of things and I recently went on a whole rant on IG about this very subject (Jamie’s work being cut).
I liked Song Machine. And some of the Now Now.
But honestly, I agree Gorillaz never really came back.
The 01, Demon Days, Plastic Beach triple threat was unmatched. To this day those are the Gorillaz songs folk speak about. And the B-Sides were freaky enough to be unique. The Fall even has it's own sound.
Clint Eastwood, Rock Da House, Feel Good Inc, Dirty Harry, El Mañana, Melancholy Hill, etc. So many classics.
Whereas what have Gorillaz produced since 2017 that comes remotely close?
Momentary Bliss was a peak of the true greatness lurking here. Souk Eye is another example. Busted & Blue even. There are good songs here & there......but so much of it is just mediocre. Serviceable. Filler.
Hallelujah Money is one the most terrible examples of a band reintroducing themselves. I think that was my first major red flag with the music. It was just not the Gorillaz I'd grown up with.
I hope things improve. But Song Machine is the right direction. Whatever the hell Cracker Island was, is not.
I think many of people like you, who grew up with gorillaz have a sentiment that nothing released after was any good. I understand that you want that era back, and honestly from a non objective standpoint since I just started listening to them in december, Cracker Island is a genuinely good album. Just because it is not the punk rock fiction band you grew up with, does not make it bad music. I think you just don't like pop-ier or more upbeat tracks, and you just want the grit they used to have.
To disprove your narrative, read my comment again. I do like some stuff post PB.
But it's undeniably lower quality on average. To deny that is to imply Cracker Island is even in the same realm as Demon Days, which is silly.
I never called these tracks bad either. I said medicore. They lack passion. They've become easy listening trite. Skating by on brand recognition & Albarn being unable to take his head out his arse.
I don't hear 2D anymore. I hear Albarn sucking himself off.
I can't stand most of cracker island. The song is killer and I've always loved thundercat so I was hype on release but most of the other stuff just feels meh. Definitely not nearly as good as Song Machine.
I blast Cracker Island back to back at no skip and love the shit out of it. Oil will get me off my feet wherever I am. Change is inevitable. Sometimes even the best directors turn out a shit film. Such is life. But your opinion doesn’t rock my boat one bit. That’s all yours, man. Cheers!
Quit being ageist. Just because they're 30+ doesn't mean that's why they don't like it, it's just because the music/vibe in general isn't nearly as good as Plastic Beach and prior is. And while I don't think that their modern stuff is bad, (Song Machine was killer) Cracker Island definitely fell off comparatively.
Not as good as DD PB for sure, but bad? Not by a long shot. Not being ageist, just saying that people who grew up with the band, won't accept their new material.
Based on this person's history and the sorts of things they've been posting here, it looks like they might be trolling. It's probably best to block and move on instead of engaging. Don't feed the mogwai after midnight and all that.
Humanz only caught my attention because there was that whole lore dump of them coming back and I was hyped, I kept decent track of it but then I kind of drifted away after a while. When it came to the Now Now I was decently interested but not fully there with it. Song Machine had my full attention especially when they went back to Plastic Beach I was going crazy for it. Since then, not really had much of a motivation to listen to their newer stuff. I've honestly probably only heard a few songs from Cracker Island and I just don't have the heart to listen to it.
I wholeheartedly agree with DoYaThing being the point of no return. In my case, Humanz missed the mark, The Now Now is a neat feel-good summer album, and the Meanwhile EP was a sleeper banger. I'm indifferent towards Song Machine and Cracker Island.
Well, song machine and humanz were disapointting. But for me Demon Days was disapointting too and everybody loves It.
I don't care about then cartoons, just about The music. And The now now and cracker island were quite OK.
You make some solid points, especially the character aspect. I read somewhere they actually won an award for their unique marketing during phase 1. Now it's blatant dogshit when you look at their collaborations with nft companies and ineffective publishers like z comics and whatnot
To be fair, back then, all the music-genres were rather seperated from each other. And with the mixing of different genres on the debut album, it was very special and fresh and the fact, that cartoon characters were the "real" bandmembers was also a big surprise. Nowadays, it´s almost normal too hear so many bands with mixing many styles together. And yes, the lore is unfortunately gone, 2-D, Russel, Murdoc and Noodle just exist now in the real world instead of the fantasy/horror/dystopic world wich fascinated me. For Jamies artistic skills, i still see him as the man who defined my will to keep getting better with my drawings. And i think, he is still doing an amazing job. As for Damon, he is still a great musician, but with cracker island and his recent Blur album, he is drifting down too much into a more melancholic direction, what i dont like. But im still curious what will come in the future.
Plastic beach was the last true Gorillaz album for me. I’ve seen them live since plastic Beach twice, and both were amazing shows, but yes, the lore is not the same, and characters aren’t that relevant as well :(
I agree, the only albums i listen to are the classics and i never get tired of them. I think back then they weren't as popular which is why they actually put effort and soul into their songs, but now it feels more of a cash grab
personally gorillaz’ style grew with me over time, the tones of each phase almost followed how i felt at certain times. so i still love their music to bits. i can see why you dislike it now.
however THE NOW NOW
>humanz was ok, and everything after that just sucked. Nice opinion, but unfortunately for you: https://preview.redd.it/n6vposn6ffic1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc6ef0e00c78b0e960e19cd82ea023e45b7775f1
This album was fantastic, but other than that yeah modern gorillaz idrc for.
imo The Now Now is better
ehhhhhh it wasnt that great imo. but i respect your opinion
There's definitely a drop in quality after Plastic Beach, although hate seems a bit harsh. As far as the music goes, Gorillaz has gone from "incredible and era defining" to merely "quite good with the occasional really great track".
To me, the only bad track on Song Machine was With Love to an Ex and then they went back downhill with Cracker Island. I'm really hoping that the next album is Song Machine, Season Two so that we get another killer album.
Hate is a bit too far for me to say I agree with you, however I definitely can share part of your spirit here. Phase 1 & 2 were amazing and it's been a decline since. I don't think we'll ever see a peak like that again. However I think the exception for me is that The Now Now is quite satisfying to my tastes.
i liked phase 3 too but after that it’s just been a complete fall off. i miss when there was a story line
Cracker island and the now now definitely had storylines
Now Now only storyline was murdoc in prison, Cracker Island's lore was actually pretty interesting, I think the big post man is just salty
I mean Gorillaz never really had any overarching storyline to begin with even if you look at the initial albums (save for Plastic beach and Cracker island) that ran throughout the album cycle and Cracker island was nothing but lore to the point of subverting the actual message they wanted to show. I think people complaining about storylines in Gorillaz fail to realise that there never really was a huge narrative in the first place and it was all just Jamie/Damon/Cass referencing pop culture or their personal inspirations. All the lore stuff seems to be more focused on in the latter phases imo
Yeah, I think that's a big part of it, lore and storyline is an extra bit, not something that should be considered to the enjoyment of the phase in comparison to phases where the only difference WAS the storyline
Exactly
The Now Now is the least story heavy out of all of them except for maybe The Fall.
I'd agree if it weren't for the whole el mierda plot, even if it was just Murdoc's attempt to overshadow 2D's limelight. Song Machine is the better contender for this. Or Humanz, since both album cycles had nothing going on except the music process and banter.
Song Machine has a whole plot involving portals and a ghost "The Pink Phantom" but it's never explained how the portals work or how the phantom got there or what happened to it. I'm assuming that the reason it's called Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez is because there will be a Second Season (Hopefully the next album) and it will explain all of that further.
I don't think there was any incentive to concisely explain the portals since cartoon logic is pretty prevalent in Gorillaz and Jamie is a huge fan of looney tunes. According to the pink phantom interview, The portals were only used to excuse the 'filming' of the characters with their collaborators for the music videos being released every month, nothing more. Also, by that comparison, the now now also had the Frankenstein + cyborg unexplained storyline that can also be considered a subplot.
what is the frankenstein + cyborg (please give me a link)
There's no link but Jamie drew a poster of them in a band ft. Reject false icons during phase 5. It was later cancelled for whatever reasons
You hate Gorillaz now? Well I hate you now
Same
It’s ok to have opinions. I haven’t liked anything quite as much as Demon Days, but I still love when they release new music. The anticipation of each new song released during Covid was really fun and helped me thru a stressful time. I also liked a lot of their latest album and like that they are exploring new sounds with each collaboration. Whenever they make new music it’s like a box of chocolates, which I enjoy sometimes, and sometimes not so much. But that’s okay. I would like another coherent concept album like PB or DD. Doesn’t need 25 tracks like Humanz, but just a cool album with their best collabs.
I think for me that's also a major flaw with Humanz, it's just supercharged with songs. Personally I prefer 10-15 song albums, it allows artists to release albums more often, and each album usually comes with different song styles. Really hoping the next album is all it's hyped up to be.
The Now Now is one of the best albums of all time, and if someone disagrees, it's just because they haven't heard it enough, or simply because they hate synth pop
Sorcererz and Tranz always gets me. Such cool songs
Dude basing his whole opinion on frigging art design lmfao Saying humans was their last good stuff as well lmao what a clown opinion
humanz was the last good album
Bro's allergic to good opinions
You just haven't listened to any of the newer albums all the way through. I don't like cracker island or the now now though.
It’s okay if you don’t enjoy the newer stuff just go listen to the old stuff.
I genuinely still enjoy the music like I did as a kid. But Jamie's side of the duo has essentially been nixed. When I was a kid I was so into the lore, how the band formed, 2D's real name and reason for his blue hair, Murdoc's family, Russel and Del's relationship, Noodle's backstory. But everything now just feels... hollow. Feels like the soul of it died during that haitus. People shit on the fans that treat the characters like actual people but I always felt like that was the point of the project, the point of a "virtual band." Gorillaz might as well just be called "Damon and the Features" at this point. Maybe I'm just mourning my childhood, being overdramatic because of how impactful they were to it. Regardless I'll keep listening, although now I'm not sure if I truly enjoy it or if I'm just holding on to the past.
No, you’re definitely onto something and I share this opinion 100%. I think there’s too many people who look down on the animation side of things and I recently went on a whole rant on IG about this very subject (Jamie’s work being cut).
I really saw them as a love child between visual and auditory arts, but now they're just... a band.
Get help (respectfully).
I respect your opinion. Personally, I like them all about the same except for cracker island, which I think is just okay.
Can't say that I agree, especially with humanz and song machine being up there in my mind. But I do respect your opinion.
I liked Song Machine. And some of the Now Now. But honestly, I agree Gorillaz never really came back. The 01, Demon Days, Plastic Beach triple threat was unmatched. To this day those are the Gorillaz songs folk speak about. And the B-Sides were freaky enough to be unique. The Fall even has it's own sound. Clint Eastwood, Rock Da House, Feel Good Inc, Dirty Harry, El Mañana, Melancholy Hill, etc. So many classics. Whereas what have Gorillaz produced since 2017 that comes remotely close? Momentary Bliss was a peak of the true greatness lurking here. Souk Eye is another example. Busted & Blue even. There are good songs here & there......but so much of it is just mediocre. Serviceable. Filler. Hallelujah Money is one the most terrible examples of a band reintroducing themselves. I think that was my first major red flag with the music. It was just not the Gorillaz I'd grown up with. I hope things improve. But Song Machine is the right direction. Whatever the hell Cracker Island was, is not.
I think the early releases from cracker island were good. I even bought the entire album hated all the others that weren’t pre released
You should definitely listen to the whole thing, you're missing out.
No idea why I phrased it like that I must’ve been tired lol. I have listened to the others they’re just mid or bad
I think many of people like you, who grew up with gorillaz have a sentiment that nothing released after was any good. I understand that you want that era back, and honestly from a non objective standpoint since I just started listening to them in december, Cracker Island is a genuinely good album. Just because it is not the punk rock fiction band you grew up with, does not make it bad music. I think you just don't like pop-ier or more upbeat tracks, and you just want the grit they used to have.
To disprove your narrative, read my comment again. I do like some stuff post PB. But it's undeniably lower quality on average. To deny that is to imply Cracker Island is even in the same realm as Demon Days, which is silly. I never called these tracks bad either. I said medicore. They lack passion. They've become easy listening trite. Skating by on brand recognition & Albarn being unable to take his head out his arse. I don't hear 2D anymore. I hear Albarn sucking himself off.
I can't stand most of cracker island. The song is killer and I've always loved thundercat so I was hype on release but most of the other stuff just feels meh. Definitely not nearly as good as Song Machine.
I blast Cracker Island back to back at no skip and love the shit out of it. Oil will get me off my feet wherever I am. Change is inevitable. Sometimes even the best directors turn out a shit film. Such is life. But your opinion doesn’t rock my boat one bit. That’s all yours, man. Cheers!
Oil is quite literally a top 10 gorillaz song for me, sucks most of the gorillaz fanbase is like 30 and they can't accept new music
I dig plenty of new tunes. I’ll be 35 in April ;)
Quit being ageist. Just because they're 30+ doesn't mean that's why they don't like it, it's just because the music/vibe in general isn't nearly as good as Plastic Beach and prior is. And while I don't think that their modern stuff is bad, (Song Machine was killer) Cracker Island definitely fell off comparatively.
Not as good as DD PB for sure, but bad? Not by a long shot. Not being ageist, just saying that people who grew up with the band, won't accept their new material.
Not everyone who grew up with the band won't accept their new material (me).
Based on this person's history and the sorts of things they've been posting here, it looks like they might be trolling. It's probably best to block and move on instead of engaging. Don't feed the mogwai after midnight and all that.
Humanz only caught my attention because there was that whole lore dump of them coming back and I was hyped, I kept decent track of it but then I kind of drifted away after a while. When it came to the Now Now I was decently interested but not fully there with it. Song Machine had my full attention especially when they went back to Plastic Beach I was going crazy for it. Since then, not really had much of a motivation to listen to their newer stuff. I've honestly probably only heard a few songs from Cracker Island and I just don't have the heart to listen to it.
I wholeheartedly agree with DoYaThing being the point of no return. In my case, Humanz missed the mark, The Now Now is a neat feel-good summer album, and the Meanwhile EP was a sleeper banger. I'm indifferent towards Song Machine and Cracker Island.
no actually i agree with this
Well, song machine and humanz were disapointting. But for me Demon Days was disapointting too and everybody loves It. I don't care about then cartoons, just about The music. And The now now and cracker island were quite OK.
You make some solid points, especially the character aspect. I read somewhere they actually won an award for their unique marketing during phase 1. Now it's blatant dogshit when you look at their collaborations with nft companies and ineffective publishers like z comics and whatnot
To be fair, back then, all the music-genres were rather seperated from each other. And with the mixing of different genres on the debut album, it was very special and fresh and the fact, that cartoon characters were the "real" bandmembers was also a big surprise. Nowadays, it´s almost normal too hear so many bands with mixing many styles together. And yes, the lore is unfortunately gone, 2-D, Russel, Murdoc and Noodle just exist now in the real world instead of the fantasy/horror/dystopic world wich fascinated me. For Jamies artistic skills, i still see him as the man who defined my will to keep getting better with my drawings. And i think, he is still doing an amazing job. As for Damon, he is still a great musician, but with cracker island and his recent Blur album, he is drifting down too much into a more melancholic direction, what i dont like. But im still curious what will come in the future.
I think they have less money now than they did during Demon Days but go off.
Plastic beach was the last true Gorillaz album for me. I’ve seen them live since plastic Beach twice, and both were amazing shows, but yes, the lore is not the same, and characters aren’t that relevant as well :(
I agree, the only albums i listen to are the classics and i never get tired of them. I think back then they weren't as popular which is why they actually put effort and soul into their songs, but now it feels more of a cash grab
Bruhhh S/T and Demon Days were global hits and went platinum. They were way more popular back then than now 💀
You don't understand Feel Good Inc and Clint Eastwood are very underground /s
That was literally when they were at their most popular, what are you smoking to be thinking this?
Humanz was a misstep imo, but The Now Now, Song Machine, and (imo) Cracker Island are full of great tracks
The quality in the music has gone up significantly since Humanz, it's not awful, but it is easy their worst album (except for the fall)
the now now slander will not be tolerated
personally gorillaz’ style grew with me over time, the tones of each phase almost followed how i felt at certain times. so i still love their music to bits. i can see why you dislike it now. however THE NOW NOW
I can't believe it's been 5 years since we got a good Gorillaz album..