By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

The beloved animated band, Gorillaz, was the brainchild of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl comic artist Jamie Hewlett. For those who do not know, Gorillaz is a virtual band made up of (from left to right) bassist and band leader Murdoc Niccals, lead singer and synth/keyboardist 2-D, guitarist Noodle, and drummer Russel Hobbs. Gorillaz was created in Blur’s hiatus as a way for Albarn to experiment with different genres of music. “Demon Days,” the band’s second and most successful album, was released in 2005.  Albarn and Hewlett teamed up with producer Danger Mouse, half of Gnarls Barkley, to produce a alternative rock/hip-hop album. Albarn described each song as battling with a personal demon. He drew inspiration from his train ride from Beijing to Mongolia with nothing but deserts and dead trees, thinking that one day the world will be like this.

The best part of the album is that each song has its own meaning and flavor. “Dirty Harry” is a commentary on the Iraqi war and is a reflection of Albarn’s anti-war beliefs, coming from a soldier’s point of view but seems like a very upbeat song, “El Mañana” is a false translation that means “The Mourning” in its context and is a melancholic ballad about dealing with the loss of a loved one.  “DARE” a seemingly bright and happy song is about a person on their path to absolution (the theme of the album) and their battle with urges to give in to their past bad self.  “Fire Coming Out of a Monkey’s Head” is another anti-war ballad, this one is about the consequences and ignorance of both sides in the war. The album ends with a two part orchestral ballad “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days” which take all the parts from the album and sum them up perfectly. The album’s ability to tell a story, while mixing alternative rock and hip-hop is its biggest strength.

The album was Gorillaz big breakthrough to the United States, going 2X Platinum as well as 5X Platinum in the UK. The album had won multiple awards including a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “Feel Good Inc” and an MTV award for best group. The album blended the hip-hop/alternative vibes from their eponymous debut album from 2001, with elements from Blur’s Britpop and pop vibes. The album’s message and storytelling earned it acclaim, and provided a tonal touchstone for the decade. The album holds up well today compared to other pieces of the early to mid 2000’s.

The lyrical content should be highlighted for certain songs, but “Feel Good Inc.” is the strongest on the album. It addresses the media’s dumbing down of everything, and about breaking away from that. The verse with strong lines like, “And all I wanna hear is the message beep., My dreams, they’ve got to kiss me ’cause I don’t get sleep, no” captures the media’s effect powerfully and the sweet, acoustic chorus is the highlight of the song, capturing the essence of escapism. This song is a perfect representation of the album and the group at its strongest.

The album’s only notable weakness lies in the preference of the listener. This album has some experimental songs with B-sides like “Fire Coming Out of a Monkey’s Head” and “Every Planet We Reach Is Dead”. These songs are the two good B-Sides but some of the other are not notable, and not memorable.  Some people do not want to listen to tracks that are more experimental and out there.

This album stands well after a decade, and re-listening to this album should make Gorillaz fans excited for the upcoming album as it is rumored to have a similar sound to Demon Days, with more guitar compared to the more electronic sounds of “Plastic Beach.”

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars