Gorillaz - Cracker Island

Alright, alright, i couldn't resist. We all know how much i like to smack talk Gorillaz, but the truth is it's mostly professional jealousy. Of course i had to check out the title track of their latest Cracker Island behind the scenes, and damnit it's catchy. 

I've always said that the actual manifestation of a concept is subordinate to the concept itself. A clunky awkward realization of a great idea is infinitely more enjoyable than a sparkly polished dog turd of an idea, it just is. I'm led to believe that this time around the band forms a cult and wacky shenanigans ensue. I'm not saying they can't screw it up, but i am way too intrigued to intentionally ignore it. 

It's Gorillaz, so we already know it's going to be high caliber, immaculately produced, R&B influenced Pop Rock, the question is do the songs do the concept a proper amount of justice, or is it all merely ridiculously expensive wrapping paper around a can of silly string and a plastic egg full of silly putty? 

I'm gonna be immodest for a minute, but only to really establish what we're looking for. I'm a concept guy, as evidenced by my own quite intricate and impressive catalog. Resources and technical prowess aside (i don't have Damon Albarn's money, clout, or friends), my fully fleshed out imaginary Bad News Bears style media empire spread across multiple platforms, books, and music is objectively impressive for a guy in his basement making it up as he goes along in his spare time with his own spare change. The lovable loser aspect is an intimate part of the whole shebang. You can totally disagree and still think i'm a loser, but c'mon, an amateurish evening piano recital given by an anthropomorphic skeleton who would happily noodle around on a keyboard rather than hide in a closet or murderously rampage the world from the shadows is at least a concept and a half. It wouldn't work at all if he were an actual virtuoso playing Liszt or Brahms concertos. Someone else might be able to make it work that way, and they can have at it; you can't copyright an idea. Enough about me, let's actually go check out Cracker Island, a concept that can't be anything but a humorous critique of the Trump dumpster the whole world has had to live in for the last decade. 

Probably not about Trump specifically, he's merely one iconic figurehead of the kind of nonsense garbage everyone throws on the floor. Amazing coincidence how last night's album specifically mentioned dad throwing garbage on the floor. Anywho, on with the show. 

At first i totally misheard the lyrics and was completely confused as to why they taught themselves to be cows but were shocked by how complicated being a cow actually is. Turns out Damon's just pronouncing "cult" weird. I don't know why i give him such a hard time, i mean the second Blur album was literally titled Modern Life is Rubbish, and boy did they get the smackdown for challenging "the dreams, traditions, and prejudices of suburban England," according to Ray Davies. I actually haven't heard it, but it appears i totally should. Hey Compy, put that on my youtube list for later. 

C: ok, done. 

Thanks. Ok, if you know nothing about Gorillaz, they are a fully virtual cartoon band that mostly sing about being a cartoon band. That's really all you need as far as back story. 

Alright, unusual for me, i'm going to have to give this multiple listens. The fact that this is a Disco album is so totally weird that i can't get a bead on it. I get the sense that 2D is actually detached from the happenings. I also get the sense that track order is not set in stone, but that's not really important. The question is are the critics right? Is this an album that's concise and vibey enough to transcend "old man yells at (i)cloud," as Paul Attard calls it? 

I dunno yet. Part of the problem is that the record is merely the audio component of a full Gorillaz project. You need the websites and animations and band lore to really appreciate the project as a whole. As an album, you kind of have to let it exist as some songs Damon wrote filtered through the context of Gorillaz moving out to Cracker Island to record this project as presented from 2D's particular point of view inside what the whole group of characters is experiencing. It's not the details of the plot line that matter so much as whether or not this album component makes sense as the soundtrack/end result. The album is the end product of that whole overarching story. What i can't decide yet is the whole good::bad/sense::nonsense cross relation. Is it bad that the music is good? Is it good that it comes across as nonsense? Vice-versa all that. It's gonna take me at least a few more listens. 

What i can tell you is it's chock full of all the flavors of right now style Dance Pop (that's essentially the definition of modern Disco), and it is indeed bubbly, fun, and a totally enjoyable listening experience if that's what you're in the mood for. 

C: does this mean i have to do a full dossier for you to peruse? 

Only if you want to. I figured out how to appreciate it, and that's good enough for me for a while. The fact that it's even sitting here on an Iowa Target's shelf means that the project garnered all the success it could ever need. All i did was give Target a few bucks for making it happen. Target paid for this pressing in the hopes people would buy it, and whether or not i decide i like it or not, on this occasion i have absolutely no argue at all.