Album Review: Gorillaz - The Fall (2011)

 

Yup.  I'm pretty sure a lot of people just realized that last year, the Gorillaz came out with their 3rd album Plastic Beach and you must be surprised that there is NEW MUSIC still coming out from the band that's been touring since Plastic Beach came out.  Well, guess what?  There is.  Although technically this album came out on Christmas 2010, it wasn't available as a physical copy or released to the general public until April.  So what should you expect?

First off, this isn't like any other Gorillaz album that has been made.  For one, the album was entirely made on Damon Albam's iPad.  Seriously.  Everything you heard on this album was done through the iPad.  I think that's pretty awesome.

But after spinning the Gorillaz's latest album, The Fall, I felt as if the album was only half finished.  This album is vocally, a light album.  Albam chose to go with the music, not his words, to drive this latest album.  The Fall has quite the different direction to it than its predecessor.  While Plastic Beach was a very vocally driven album, loaded with guest vocalists, and had that big feel to it, The Fall was entirely opposite, relying on the different instruments Albam utilized with the iPad to create more of an atmospheric album.

Yes, there are some songs here that sound finished.  And they sound amazing.  The two I'm referring to are "Revolving Doors" and "Amarillo."  Both were released as a double A-side together, and that was a good call.  These two are the strongest tracks on the album, in my opinion.

"Phoner to Arizona" is one of the few songs that should've been without lyrics.  Instead, relying on a lot of heavy bass beats and giving it that psychedelic feel, this song is a great intro to what you're expecting on this album.  Albam even made a video for this song, so that's pretty sweet.

Then, there were some songs that just quite didn't fit.  "Bobby in Phoenix" sounds like it was a Plastic Beach B-side, and "The Speak It Mountains" just seemed odd, with all the voices playing over each other, it's barely recognizable as to what they are saying for a while.  And I can't forget the closing song, "Seattle Yodel," which is literally just yodeling for 40 seconds... and that closes the album.

As much as I was a little disappointed with The Fall, I don't think it was a bad album by any means.  It's a very cohesive album, rarely does a song not really fit in with Albam's whole driving-across-the-country vibe this album has to it.  I really don't mind it, it's a change of pace for Albam, showing another side to him and the Gorillaz persona.

If you're really not into the whole not having words to accompany your music, I'd suggest skipping this album, or maybe purchasing the double A-side "Revolving Doors/Amarillo" since those are the two songs you really shouldn't miss.  But for those who don't mind a little lack of words, buy this album, put it in your car's CD player, and just drive off into the night.