"The
4 stars
Written 02/14/07
If you’re expecting a Gorillaz-like project from Damon Albarn, don’t come here. The debut from the most recent band he’s fronting is produced by Gnarls Barkley’s Danger Mouse and features Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) on vocals and keyboards, Paul Simonon (The Clash) on bass, Simon Tong (The Verve) on guitar, and afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen on drums. The album is a melancholy and dreamlike offering. You will not put it on during a party.
The band officially has no name, but the industry generally has referred to them as the title of their album. The Good, the Bad & the Queen is mostly quiet and ghostly. Albarn calls it “scary, sad but optimistic.†The “optimistic†comes during the title track that closes the album. It’s as if they’ve saved all the volume until the end, with great effect.
The whole album, though, offers great musical depth, mostly in the form of Albarn’s pianos, organs, and keyboards. The active, yet minimalist bass of Simonon is often Clash-like. There’s a bit of rock, a bit of reggae, and a bit of a lot of other things. The band plays with surprising chemistry given the members’ different backgrounds. This is an album that gets better each time you hear it. It seems Albarn can do no wrong.
Scale:
0. Shoot yourself
1. Poor
2. So-So
3. Good
4. Excellent
5. Instant classic