(ORIGINAL REVIEW) FULL ALBUM REVIEW: Plastic Beach

This is a first as i have never done an entire album review, but you know what, i want to share my opinion on all things.So i will review an entire album.I am not a professional reviewer and my opinion might not reflect yours.Here it is.

Album Artwork

Front

A lovely piece of artwork, showing the plastic beach in sunset, with its Tracey island style building it sets the album really well.

Back

This features the band members on a boat heading for Plastic beach. Both sides are imaginative and the island is really detailed.

Inside

This shows a submarine and Plastic beach for what it really is. a floating husk of plastic. a far cry from the paradise on the front cover.

Booklet

Gorillaz don’t include lyrics on their booklets, they have exclusive artwork and notes on who made the album.Theres a shot of the island, band members and planes. very creative work from Jamie Hewlett.

 

Songs

We will now go through a track by track review.

Track One: Orchestral intro

The sound of the beach and the orchestra starts the album off.The short 1 minute 9 second peace is a full orchestral tune and is beautiful and dramatic. it truly is a good start off.

Track two: Welcome to the world of the plastic beach

This track flows seamlessly from track one, Snoop Dogg sings in this with 2D in backing vocals. The track starts off real good and has cool bass and drum, combined with the rapping of Snoop. While not a listener of hip hop, i enjoy this piece, and sing along at times.Its a nice enough piece and pretty memorable.

Track three: White Flag

With the Lebanese national orchestra, this one stumped me at first. as we have rapping (again) but with Bashy and Kano. this track is good but the voices are annoying.I like it, but not as much as other songs.

Track four: Rhinestone Eyes

We have 2D on lead vocals. 2D is the actual singer of the band Gorillaz. And though the vocals are deceivingly rappish, it just sounds more like a traditional song.Gorillaz aren’t really one genre but this definitely has a an electric feel to it. This song is OK, i like others better but his one is good.

Track five: Stylo

This one is one of my favourites, cool bass and Bobby Womack singing, with Mos def and 2D.It is a good song and has a cool streak to it. Its very good to drive to (like the video, check it out for a Bruce Willis cameo).This one has some rap, but not much. Its really cool this song and one to sing with.

Track six: Superfast Jellyfish

This one is quirky, but charming. Singing form Gorillaz regulars De la Soul and Gruff Rhys. Has some electronic in it and is yet another sing along.It was one of my favourite tracks on the album, but then i heard a later one.It is quirky, listen to it to understand what i mean.It made my younger brother laugh.Its a hip hop piece with elctronic in  it.

Track seven: Empire Ants

A simpler piece and a real good listen that should have been a single. It has 2D and Japanese singer Little Dragon (she is pretty and has a beautiful voice).and is just nice with the keyboards being simple and what could be a guitar.It flows seamlessly from the previous track.It should have been a single.It is quite simple but it kicks in in the middle with Little Dragon’s vocals, though i think it ends too early.

Track eight: Glitter Freeze

Where’s north from ‘ere? This is the most electronic track on the album and this stumped me the most.Its good, and its different but first listening will make you think ‘What the…?’.It’s primarily a instrumental with lyrics from Mark E Smith.There’s another version with 2D humming which i like better, but this version is good too.

Track nine: Some kind of Nature

Lou Reed sings in this and sort of sounds like Kids with guns, off the previous album.It’s an OK song, i like it but there are better ones.It has a nice beat to it.

Track ten: On Melancholy Hill

It is a rather upbeat track and the first one i listened to on You Tube.The video is very sweet and charming. The lyrics make me go aww.The music behind it is brilliant. Definitely a highlight of the album.Gives you good vibes and makes you smile.

Track eleven: Broken

This song is another highlight of the album. The start is brilliant and the lyrics are heartfelt and have meaning to them.Theres not much to say about this track but it is a good listen.

Track twelve: Sweepstakes

One of my least favourite tracks on the album, the beat isn’t very nice and the rappers in it are good but im not really liking this song.On the  whole this song isn’t the best one.the track contains Mos def and the Hypnotic Brass ensemble. But i dislike it.

Track thirteen: Plastic Beach

This track sounds rather pink floyd-ish.With its guitar it sounds sort of like it should be on The Wall.I like this one, it is a good title track and this one should not be skipped, as it is really good.With its keyboards and manipulated vocals, it is a more electronic sound

Track fourteen: To Binge

A duet between Little Dragon and 2D, a really sweet and charming acoustic guitar and keyboard piece. This song is by far my favourite because of the lyrics and simplicity.I would happily float on a boat in the middle of the sea with this song on a walkman, it is really relaxing. Little Dragon is an underrated singer who needs more publicity.

Track fifteen: Cloud of Unknowing

With a name like that, you know its going to be deep. For this we have Bobby Womack again whose vocals are just great. The sound is quite simple and electronic. It is a bit of a downer and it can go on a bit but it’s a decent track.Im not really a fan of slow songs which is why i dislike it, but it seems powerful and understated. I don’t know, Bobby was better in Stylo if you ask me.

Track sixteen: Pirate Jet

Flowing into our last, its a bit more upbeat and has a nice sound to it and is one of the shortest tracks on the album.The lyrics are good and the sound is again electronic, which i like.Its a good final track and sees the album off well.

BONUS TRACK: Doncamatic

Though not on my copy of the album, it was put on the re release. This one has a definete electronic feel to it and has Daley (?) on vocals. This isn’t a rap piece, and is a very electronic piece, not as much as Glitter Freeze. It is an enjoyable track and i imagine it sees the album off quite well, as well as Pirate jet i imagine too, as i said it was stuck on as another track (track 17) on the re release, i only have the original copy but i can imagine.

OVERALL

Im giving the album 5 B’s out of five. The album has good songs, even the bad ones have redeeming qualities. The artwork is good and it is one of the best albums ever that i have listened to.Its big, bold, dramatic and just good.