"Plastic Beach" Sounds Artificial...And That's What Makes it Brilliant.

[The Doctor]

This struck me today when I was listening to the three "main" Gorillaz albums for a bit of fun, one after the other. After finishing Demon Days, I launched into Plastic Beach.
Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the album, but when I read reviews, many disliked it. And a word that kept popping up was "Artificial". Basically, people think the album sounds too robotic, as opposed to the free-spirited Demon Days.

Here, compare these two songs.

First up, Stylo, from Plastic Beach:



Next, listen to Last Living Souls, from Demon Days:



I don't think it can be denied that there is a major difference in sound between the two albums. However, I don't think the artificiality of Plastic Beach is a bad thing. On the contrary, I think it's genius.

Here are my reasons why:

1. It makes sense in story.
In the official Gorillaz mythos, Murdoc captured 2D and guest artists to make this CD, forcing them to perform against their will. Not only that, but Noodle has been replaced with a robot and they had to use a drum machine in absence of Russel. There are justified reasons why the album sounds like it does.

2. It could be seen as a parody of or metaphor for mainstream music today.
Most mainstream music that gets radio play all sounds the same. It's like the 80's again, when Synthesizeritis was all the rage. Music is not necessarily bad, it's just indistinguishable. I can hardly tell the difference between bands like 3!OH!3 or Metro Station. This album's boxy, repetitive, robotic atmosphere could be a metaphor for Synthesizeritis. And the songs like "Cloud of Unknowing" and the orchestral ones could represent the few unique songs that get radio play.

3. After all this, it's still a damn good CD.
So you can talk about how robotic or artificial it is, but the fact remains that it's still a great CD to listen to. Maybe not a masterpiece, but it's excellent. Gorillaz has managed to put out a CD similar to what is currently on the market, yet at the same time completely unique.

So, what do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? What were your thoughts on the album? Am I just overthinking things?
Discuss.

 

[Shadowmancer]

The New Gorillaz album is blatently brilliant in its mocking of modern music. I don't think it sounds artificial though, artificial would indicate to me that there is no soul to the music, yet there is a tonne of it within the music. though I don't know what reviews that you have read that give it negative reviews. I only really have three for this album, the one in the New Zealand Herald, X and My own listening to it. I get the entire metaphor involved about the plasticity of society as well that comes right through the entire album as well.

 

[X]

Great thread Doc, for a great album. As I said upon listening to it last week, the album is quite brilliant as all of the Gorillaz work ends up being, but they've really kind of evolved here into a new kind of group. While they do mock popular music in the album, they also start incorporating less and less of that same pop music that got them chart success in the first place. In a way the album REALLY reminds me of something Norman Cook (AKA Fatboy Slim) would release, I definitely was thinking alot about the Fatboy Slim album Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars after I listened to it, and I consider that a very good thing considering I think that's Cook's most underrated album.

Just really a great album, the guest appearances by the likes of Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Mick Jones and Mos Def helped out of course. Another good album in Albarn's already extensive discography.

 

[Барбоса]

Finally got to listen to the whole album after listening to Gorillaz and Demon Days. Not sure if I enjoyed it as much as its predecessors but this latest offering proves that Albarn is as creative and experimental as ever.

Don't get me wrong; Plastic Beach certainly has its moments. I love the three song arc of "Stylo", "Superfast Jellyfish" and "Empire Ants". They all had me tapping my foot along to the beat

 

[Gerald Brisco]

It has some filler songs, but the Gorillaz ALWAYS produce good albums, Rhinestone Eyes/To Binge/Stylo/Private Jet are great songs.