Gorillaz - Cracker Island

Pop – February 24, 2023 – 10 songs, 37 mins

REID

96 albums deep and TSR has our first virtual group with the latest from Gorillaz. Other than the handful of great songs in the catalog, the truth is I’ve never given them an extended chance to make an impression. Known for an unorthodox style, those often require time to appreciate. While it’s possible the rest just isn’t good, tunes like Clint Eastwood, Rock The House, 19-2000 and of course, Feel Good Inc. made me want to uncover more greatness. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed any time I tried. Will Cracker Island be different?

Before even pressing play, the list of features jumps off the page… or your phone. Thundercat, Stevie Nicks, Tame Impala, Bad Bunny and Beck stack a star-studded lineup, especially on a short album. Whether it’s front man Damon Albarn recruiting, artists clamoring for a chance to work with him or a healthy combination of both, it feels like Gorillaz want the clicks on this island.

Perception is reality in this case. Albarn teamed up with Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer, Greg Kurstin, who’s known for his pop music prowess. The duo collaborated in Kurstin’s LA studio, notorious for its synthesizers from the 80’s and other unique instruments. In an interview with Apple Music, Damon’s manager, Tanyel Vahdettin, gave an in-depth look into the creative process. A revealing quote reads ‘They valued spontaneity over preplanning and discussion’. It’s always mind blowing to think of musical geniuses pumping out songs in hours. That level of talent and creativity is off the charts. The result is a consistently accessible, more mainstream sound on the eighth Gorillaz record.

Albarn’s songwriting on Cracker Island ranges from the sad realities of social media for this generation (titular track and The Tired Influencer) to recollecting over a girl he witnessed body surfing while performing live in the 90’s (Baby Queen). Sadness is certainly not reflected in the overall sound though. It’s an up-beat, dance worthy thirty-six minutes with strong transitions that’ll sound great playing with the windows down in your car. The best songs are New Gold, Silent Running and Skinny Ape. A live performance of the latter track would really be something special.

The listen certainly isn’t without fault. A pop sound often scratches the itch for a fun experience but suffers on depth and replay-ability. It rings true for this record. As this review process concludes, I’m more than ready to move on.

Gorillaz released a summer album in February! Cracker Island is a short, consistently fun listen full of catchy earworms. Come for the guest appearances. Stick around for the groove.

Overall Rating: 7.8/10

Favourite Song: New Gold

ROZ

This week the TSR boys check out famous cartoon band Gorillaz and their eighth effort, Cracker Island. While the group isn’t my personal favorite of all the cartoon bands out there (looking at you, Prozzak), there is little doubt that Gorillaz have made their mark through their 20+ years together with mainstream pop hits such as Clint Eastwood and Feel Good Inc. and this album warrants our attention. Forever staying active on the music scene and with a newfound momentum driven by collaborations with popular artists such as Thundercat, Stevie Nicks, Bad Bunny, Tame Impala and Beck, I begin my journey throughout the vibrant world that this colorful band has created for itself.

Cracker Island is an album chock full of radio-friendly pop hits with a ridiculously large list of singles that were released before the album came out (five to be exact). By the time the album dropped, I felt as though I had already listened to a majority of the songs. I get why record labels push to have content out to the masses before an album is polished and printed, however this strategy will never not water down the experience for me. Much like a movie trailer giving away most of the plot if not the ending itself, little surprised me during my listening sessions throughout this week.

That being said, the production is both extremely diverse and objectively pleasing. The drums are what I describe as ‘crispy’, with the perfect ratio of compression to dynamics. The synthesizer and guitar sections are carefully carved and placed around the drum arrangements to give a measurable amount of groove, with Cracker Island (thank you Thundercat) and Tormenta (thank you Bad Bunny) really having that ability to make just about anyone bounce in their seat.

Frontman Damon Albarn’s iconically laid back vocals serve as the perfect foil against the likes of Bunny and Beck, yet conversely fall flat during his duet with the legendary Ms. Nicks. The creative ceiling for the album becomes more apparent with each listen, as I find myself having a generally good time yet yearning for something more. This is most noticeably apparent during Tame Impala’s track; one that I had extremely high hopes for. Overall the good most certainly outweighs the not so good - Silent Running, for instance, will be a mainstay on my playlist for the foreseeable future. What a fantastic track.

I end my journey to the island with mixed emotions. Did I enjoy my stay? I mean I had fun. Would I re-book this trip? Probably not any time soon. With a focus on covering as much ground as possible, Cracker Island sacrifices any semblance of motif, theme or substance. Now, I do understand that this is a cartoon band that doesn’t take itself too seriously, however as a critical reviewer my score will reflect a multitude of factors other than the apparent quest for radio hits.

Gorillaz once again churn out a mixture of ear worms and easy skips. Polished yet scattered; the bands focus on breadth over depth is a strategy that will undoubtably irk those seeking something a little more.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Favorite Song: Silent Running

LUNDI

Rarely does a headliner level band test my resolve to dedicate time to their albums. When bands consistently make music that gain them mainstream and critical success I’m almost always able to find enough enjoyment in their works to give them continued support. Respecting the art of the album and the thought process that goes into each and every detail is generally worth the time. This weeks band is one of the very few that test that mindset. Up to and including their seventh studio album, Gorillaz have always frustrated me with inconsistencies. The highs are undeniable to the point they’ve produced some of the best songs of the century, but for every Clint Eastwood or Feel Good Inc. there’s an equally uninspired track nearby. It’s maddening and unfortunately on album eight, Cracker Island, the colourful cartoon band does little to buck the trend.

The opening half of CI sets things in a very promising motion. The call and response with Thundercat over pulsing bass and synthesizers on the titular track pairs nicely as a one two punch with the electric guitar blended harrowing Stevie Nicks vocal feature. The Tired Influencer is a soothing break in the action while Silent Running’s lush 70’s synths and keyboards produce one of the albums best moments with Albarn writing a beautiful pop hook and Adeleye Omatayo providing spot on harmonies and backing vocals. The four track grouping is a spectacular start for Cracker Island but ultimately things unfortunately take a turn for the worse from there.

The Tame Impala featured track New Gold disappointingly sounds much more like Kevin Parker featuring Damon Albarn than anything near a Gorillaz track, and if that’s not a fair criticism surely that Bootie Brown feature isn’t winning any fans. The skips pile up through the middle portion of the album and even the biggest star in the world can’t save this album. While the Bad Bunny track is a fine single, it’s an odd inclusion here. If Gorillaz took to the studio to push the band’s envelope Tormenta would be a fantastic start but when everything else fits like a glove in the Gorillaz discography the song just misses the mark. Skinny Ape is the albums most upbeat and personal favourite but it’s too little too late on saving this one from a middling discog entry.

While the album results in a fairly even split of good and not so good it’s worth nothing that Albarn continues to have an inspired overall creative vision for Gorillaz. From day one the collaboration heavy mix of electronic and hip hop music was both unique and ambitious and while not much has shifted with the bands direction it’s hard to argue that Gorillaz don’t still sound fresh within today’s musical landscape. They may be weighed down when stacked against their previous selves but there’s not exactly anyone doing what they do better either. When you have nothing left to prove and no one’s nipping at your heels, it’s certainly hard to justify breaking the mould. 

Cracker Island adds a few more songs to the Gorillaz greatest hits catalogue but does little to shake the inconsistencies that plague their overall discography. The artistic vision and musical skill set is apparent, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. 

Overall Rating: 7.0/10

Favourite Song: Skinny Ape