Demon Days Review
Scott Kiys

“Demon Days,” the sophomore album, the second studio album, from virtual UK band, Gorillaz, and is my favourite. It released in May 2005. The Gorillaz have a unique style that crosses genres of music.

The album entered UK charts at number one. In the USA, it peaked at number six on the “Billboard Magazine Hot 200.” Worldwide, “Demon Days” sold more than six million copies.

“Demon Days” captures the genre-bending essence of Gorillaz and makes the best of it. Each album cut is unique, although blending, well, with the other songs. As such, the cuts combine to tell a great story.

Six years after the release of “Demon Days,” I continue to play it in my car. The collaboration of Damon Albarn, a creative force behind Gorillaz, and record producer, Danger Mouse, is stunning. The album is an adventure, improving with age.

The range of styles and collaborations, on “Demon Days,” makes the album accessible to anyone and everyone. Personally, I love all of the songs on this album, but the real success of the album comes from the fact that even if you do not like one of the songs, there is a great chance another song will appeal to you. In college, I forced a friend to listen to this album. He said it was not his style; his tastes were specific. When he listened to "Dirty Harry," he was surprised and got into it.

The Gorillaz has always been a band that is very hard to pinpoint. That Gorillaz only human musical member is Damon Albarn, joined by many guest musicians. This makes the band fluid and its musicianship high calibre.

“Demon Days” and other Gorillaz albums feature music genres from techno to rap, songs with spoken lyrics and even country perhaps. The single, "Feel Good Inc," may well be the most popular song on this album; it’s the reason I bought this album.

“Feel Good” a popular party song, which clearly shows what Gorillaz do best. That is, mixing Damon Albarn vocal with a hip-hop or rap background, provided by De La Soul. The heavy bass line provides a backbone for; the bass line is an important element of each track on “Demon Days.” Eventually, “Feel Good” is stuck in your head because of the signature bass line; hear the anything that resembles the bass line and “Feel Good” won’t leave your mind.

The last three songs on the album, ""Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head," featuring Dennis Hopper; "Don't Get Lost in Heaven," featuring The London Community Gospel Choir, and "Demon Days," also featuring The London Community Gospel Choir, seem three parts of the same story. These songs all flow right into each other on this album and use deep metaphors; the story, of greed, drugs and demons, is familiar, but told well. There are many interpretations of these songs' meanings and the meanings of the other songs' as well, which is one of the great things about using lyrics with such thought-provoking metaphors.

These songs, aside lyrical excellence, are acoustically pleasing and fun to hear. The Choir does a wonderful job and adds much beauty to these songs. Thus, the darkness of the words lessens, without losing important.

That a gospel choir features, in two of these songs, shows the wide range of voices that Gorillaz use, effectively, on “Demon Days.” Hip-hop artists, such as De La Soul, Shaun Ryder and MF DOOM, blend, well, with a gospel choir. Damon Albarn has an exceptional auditory imagination.

My favourite track on “Demon Days” is "November has Come." This cut features MF DOOM. This song's simple music and percussion back an unforgettable flow and the unique voice, of MF DOOM. The song is great for chilling or driving in your car.

Vocals by Damon Albarn amplify the awesomeness of “November,” as he sings the chorus in between verses by MF DOOM. This song is true Hip-hop. Yet, the style of Gorillaz combines, well, with a spirit that puts “November” into a league of its own.

"November" is my favourite cut on this album, although not everybody agrees. Still, it’s a good example of why Gorillaz is a great band. "November" is why my favourite album of all time is “Demon Days.”