Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Gorillaz is an English virtual band created in 1998 by Damon Albarn of Britpop band Blur, and Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl. The band is composed of four animated band members: 2D (lead vocals, keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (lead guitar and occasional vocals) and Russel (drums and percussion). The band's music is a collaboration between various musicians, Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is a composition of multiple musical genres, with a large number of their influences including: dub, hip hop, and alternative rock, electronic and pop music.
Plastic Beach, Gorillaz's third excellent album in a row, is all Albarn — he writes the tunes, produces, sings, plays most of the music and gets people on the phone for left-field cameos: Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Lou Reed, the Clash's Mick Jones and more. "Stylo" is a typical highlight, with Albarn passing the mike to indie rapper Mos Def and old-school soul belter Bobby Womack.
Plastic Beach is not as pop as the first two Gorillaz albums — there aren't any go-for-the-throat dance tunes in the style of "Dare," "Feel Good Inc." or "19-2000." But it peaks high.
Beach has a loose environmental theme, inspired by Albarn's visit to a Mali landfill. The tropical island where the Gorillaz hang out is a "plastic beach" of industrial-waste products, so they recycle all the debris into shiny new toys. And that's the musical plan as well, mixing up bric-a-brac from around the world. Albarn hasn't totally given up his day job — Blur are back in the headlines after recent reunion shows. But Plastic Beach proves that he's most truly himself when he turns into a cartoon.