Gorillaz - The Mountain

Admittedly I haven't listened properly to a new Gorillaz album despite being a Damon stan since Plastic Beach in 2010. That album was such a collaborative powerhouse and a fantastic concert - unlike anything I had experienced before.

So when my partner told me this was focused on grief with both Damon and Jamie's fathers dying around the same time, going to India, and combining pre recorded collaborators who have since passed and new artists, I was sceptical and pretty sure I pulled a face. It sounded ambitious and a bit whack.

We were then stuck in a terrible after work traffic jam. I decided to give it a go. Turns out I didn't want the car ride to end cos the album was that good! I then listened to it every day and decided a vinyl copy was required. Not surprisingly it is the top purchased album on discogs. Featuring a list of guest appearances longer then I can keep track of it features some surprise new highlights including Sparks, Kara Jackson (queer singer-songwriter, poet, and activist) and the Indian goddess of disco Asha Puthli. Both Puthli and Jackson have featured on recent Gorillaz live performances on SNL and or Graham Norton.

Pitchfork gave this a shit review. But fuck them! Has anyone paid attention to Pitchfork of late since the 2006 pissing chimp for the Jet review !?! Still funny.

It's definitely a high concept album and best listened from start to finish. It's not all bangers. Some of the quieter moments are beautiful.

They've gone all out on the packaging too.

I can't wait to see this album live. Fingers crossed.

#nowlistening #nowspinning #vinyl #Gorillaz #records #music