BOMB Music Review Group: Gorillaz - The Fall Album Review

Gorillaz - The Fall Album Review

So the history behind this album is reasonably interesting; it's made up of songs they made while they were on tour, on a Ipad, from October 3rd to October 30th. Released on Christmas Day 2010 to fans of theirfan clubwith plans for a physical release sometime in 2011.Was this a type of, Hey let's have some music on a Ipad or Let's do some music using the Ipad?

Seems only right that this would be my first review. Well actually 2nd if you consider my face into Daft Punk's Human After All, which I advise all of you do.it should be online somewhere.The first thing I noticed when I started listening to the record is that it sounds like a prolongation of Plastic Beach. Heavybass linesand synth chord over uniquesteam-punksoundscapes. I couldn't help but keepanalyzingthe way the way each songsounded knowing it was made on a Ipad, but later a couple songs in I stopped analyzing and started listening. My head that I presented earlier was answered; this was music being made because it had to be than and thither and the instrument of quality was the Ipad.The album starts off with Phoner to Arizona, the low one off the tape. It's head by a throbbing basslinewith the traditonalGorillaz flair of exotic sounds and electronic instruments. It works as a presentation and sets the humour for the ease of the record but I'm not really a fan of this one. Thankfully it leads intoRevolving Doors, a upbeat guitar driven song with backing accordiansand a infectious chorus. After the feet tapping anthem is over, Hillbilly Man begins and slows the step down. It doesn't let you get too comfortable, about a second in the guitar fades and a drum loop backed by horns and chopped up vocals picks up the pace. It reminds me a small of Welcome to the Creation of Plastic Beach, from their live album but is it's own monster completely. That's followed up by Detroit, a vocal that couldn't make a more misleading title. When you remember of Detroit you probably think of the precise reverse of this song. A uptempo song with hypnotic chopped up chords west coast synths. Rounding off the first third of the album is Shy Town, a call with a LAZYASS bassline that makes everything on it look like its dragging around.Unfortunately, Little Plastic Pink Bags picks up where Shy Town left off. FORTUNATELY, it gets it right. It's another slow moving call with a funky bass and faint chords but Damon's vocals bring the song to life. It gives it this little weird charm. Great song. A skit leads us to our next song, The Joplin Spider. It kicks off with a OBNOXIOUS synth bass and almost makes the song un listenable. Actually, this call is a mess, halfway in it decides its a techno song and the tempo increases. I bear no idea what's going on with this song. Picking up the slump is The Parish of Space Dust, it's introduced by a skit of what I presume to be old country songs and sets up the song perfect. It sounds like a futuristic tribute to country songs of yesteryear. About halfway into the album comes inThe Snake in Dallas.This one here is true up funky. It sort of reminds me of Clint Eastwood when it starts and once all the instruments kick in it really sounds real west coast.No vocals on this 2 minute smooth head nodder and they aren't needed nor missed.Slowing the step down, Amarillo comes in andimmediatelysounds like some of their earliest work, less electronic and more rock with Damon singing. A 2 minute skit,The Mouth it Mountains comes in later that sets up our next song, Aspen Mountains. It sounds just like the title suggests. A smooth bassline keeps the track moving with strings and a piano. Feels good man. After your done daydreaming of drinking your hot coffee on some fresh snow, Bobby In Phoenix brings us support to earth. A gritty guitar driven track sung by Bobby Womack. Very soulful and it sounds unlike anything else on the album. The following song, California and the Slippin of the Sun is a mash-up of chopped up samples with Damon's signature vocals over them. Oh yeah, and during the final 30 seconds of the call it gets techno for no ground at all. Rounding off the album is Seattle Yodel. 40 seconds of bullshit; the weakest possible way to end an album.Final Thoughts :The Final word is The Flow is a large album. It's a large album when you make it for what it is. It works as a passage from Plastic Beach and it finds them going into a way we never thought they would. Most of the songs feature a unique blues flavor with the proper measure of funk to take them work. I listened to this album thinking it would give a more formulated digital sound being it was created on a Ipad but in fact it was the complete opposite; It was organic.