“I’m sorry, but weekend two is better than weekend one,” said Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn prior to closing out the band’s Friday night set at Coachella. He wasn’t kidding, as over the course of the hour-plus performance Gorillaz were joined by a star-studded ensemble that included the likes of Bad Bunny, Beck, De La Soul, Yassiin Bey (a.k.a. Mos Def), Del the Funky Homosapien, Little Simz, Thundercat, and more.
Bad Bunny joined Gorillaz for the first live performance of “Tormenta” from the band’s latest album, Cracker Island. Following their late-night performance on Kimmel, Beck teamed up with Gorillaz on “The Valley of the Pagans.” Other collaborators included Yasiin Bey (“Sweepstakes”), Little Simz (“Garage Palace”), Del the Funky Homosapien, and De La Soul (“Feel Good Inc.”).
See the full setlist and watch fan-captured footage below. You can check out all of our Coachella 2023 coverage here.
Bad Bunny joined Gorillaz for the first live performance of “Tormenta” from the band’s latest album, Cracker Island. Following their late-night performance on Kimmel, Beck teamed up with Gorillaz on “The Valley of the Pagans.” Other collaborators included Yasiin Bey (“Sweepstakes”), Little Simz (“Garage Palace”), Del the Funky Homosapien, and De La Soul (“Feel Good Inc.”).
See the full setlist and watch fan-captured footage below. You can check out all of our Coachella 2023 coverage here.
- 4/22/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
Gorillaz have released their eighth album, Cracker Island. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify.
Originally announced last August alongside the release of “New Gold” — a mesmerizing single featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown — Cracker Island not only augments the band’s canon of inquisitive pop gems, but also shows the animated quartet collaborating with an impressive list of guests, including Bad Bunny, Stevie Nicks, Thundercat, Beck, and more. With these parts combined, the sum of the album is an exciting plunge back into the search for meaning in the modern world.
For their part, the virtual band finds itself in the perfect setting for their search. 2-D, Noodle, Russel Hobbs, and Murdoc Niccals have left their West London home base for new digs in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, where fame-lust, toxic consumerism, and the occult blend together as easily as exhaust fumes and the Angeleno air.
Originally announced last August alongside the release of “New Gold” — a mesmerizing single featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown — Cracker Island not only augments the band’s canon of inquisitive pop gems, but also shows the animated quartet collaborating with an impressive list of guests, including Bad Bunny, Stevie Nicks, Thundercat, Beck, and more. With these parts combined, the sum of the album is an exciting plunge back into the search for meaning in the modern world.
For their part, the virtual band finds itself in the perfect setting for their search. 2-D, Noodle, Russel Hobbs, and Murdoc Niccals have left their West London home base for new digs in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, where fame-lust, toxic consumerism, and the occult blend together as easily as exhaust fumes and the Angeleno air.
- 2/24/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
Gorillaz, Cracker Island review: Damon Albarn’s band of apes return with their best album since 2005
“I’m on one per cent, but I’m there with you,” croons 2D on Gorillaz’ most enjoyable album since 2005’s Demon Days. It’s a sentiment that reflects the record’s commitment to finding collective fun in the face of isolating fatigue. Gorillaz have always been an apocalypse party of an act, but now, they’re laughing again. There’s a loose-limbed elation to the indie-funk grooves they find, with guests ranging from Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks to Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala and LA bass-bouncer Thundercat. And a sleepy solidarity in the more melancholy moments, which include a tender acoustic duet with Beck.
Britain’s first virtual band was created in 2001 by Damon Albarn and Tank Girl artist Jamie Hewlett in response to what the earnest indie purists saw as the “manufactured” state of chart music. But over the next two decades, the project has given the Blur...
Britain’s first virtual band was created in 2001 by Damon Albarn and Tank Girl artist Jamie Hewlett in response to what the earnest indie purists saw as the “manufactured” state of chart music. But over the next two decades, the project has given the Blur...
- 2/23/2023
- by Helen Brown
- The Independent - Music
There are two dials at Gorillaz HQ which determine 1) how many guests will be on an album, and 2) how elaborate its broader cartoon lore will be. 2018’s The Now Now, positioned as a solo album by Damon Albarn’s “2-D” alter ego, had minimal guests and only the slightest bit of extra-textual hijinks. On the other hand, 2020’s wildly overstuffed Song Machine project, in which every track was accompanied by at least one guest and a new cartoon detailing the band’s ongoing dystopian adventures, turned both dials to 11. Every track was a single,...
- 2/21/2023
- by Clayton Purdom
- Rollingstone.com
Gorillaz have shared a slinky new song, “Silent Running,” featuring longtime collaborator Adeleye Omotayo, from their upcoming album Cracker Island, out Feb. 24.
“Silent Running,” per a press release, was the first Cracker Island song Gorillaz worked on with producer Greg Kurstin at his studio in Los Angeles. Musical mastermind Damon Albarn described the mid-tempo funk gem as having “that sort of mesmerizing dreamlike state you get in when you’re just following some train of thought.”
Or, as Gorillaz’s animated frontman 2D evocatively put it, “Sometimes I get well...
“Silent Running,” per a press release, was the first Cracker Island song Gorillaz worked on with producer Greg Kurstin at his studio in Los Angeles. Musical mastermind Damon Albarn described the mid-tempo funk gem as having “that sort of mesmerizing dreamlike state you get in when you’re just following some train of thought.”
Or, as Gorillaz’s animated frontman 2D evocatively put it, “Sometimes I get well...
- 1/27/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Gorillaz are back with another new song, “Skinny Ape,” and they plan to debut the song live next week with a pair of augmented reality performances in London and New York City.
“Skinny Ape” will appear on Gorillaz’s upcoming album, Cracker Island. The new single begins with a serene bit of acoustic folk guitar and harmony before settling into a steady, synth-driven groove that, in the end, explodes into a delirious rave-up.
As for the next week’s unique “Skinny Ape” performances, the first will take place Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.
“Skinny Ape” will appear on Gorillaz’s upcoming album, Cracker Island. The new single begins with a serene bit of acoustic folk guitar and harmony before settling into a steady, synth-driven groove that, in the end, explodes into a delirious rave-up.
As for the next week’s unique “Skinny Ape” performances, the first will take place Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.
- 12/8/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The second day of Life Is Beautiful 2022 wrapped with an iconic headlining set from the Gorillaz and a dazzling show from Lorde, as well as impressive outings from Isaiah Rashad and Alessia Cara. With one day left for the three-day festival, heavy hitters including Jack Harlow, Rico Nasty, Beach House and Calvin Harris will close out the weekend Sunday evening.
Note: Rolling Stone purchased a majority stake in Life is Beautiful in February 2022.
Gorillaz Go Ape-Shit
Damon Albarn and the Gorillaz gave perhaps the best show of the weekend...
Note: Rolling Stone purchased a majority stake in Life is Beautiful in February 2022.
Gorillaz Go Ape-Shit
Damon Albarn and the Gorillaz gave perhaps the best show of the weekend...
- 9/18/2022
- by Ethan Millman and Mark Gray
- Rollingstone.com
Gorillaz have linked up with Tame Impala and the Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown for a new song, “New Gold,” that will appear on their next album, Cracker Island, out Feb. 24, 2023, via Warner Records.
“New Gold” is classic Gorillaz, with a psychedelic haze floating over otherwise energetic alt-pop production. Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker delivers the song’s swooning hook while Bootie Brown blazes through a pair of verses, the second one culminating with the sign-off, “Bullshit keeps comin’, baby I’m a Matador/What are we living for?”
Before announcing Cracker Island,...
“New Gold” is classic Gorillaz, with a psychedelic haze floating over otherwise energetic alt-pop production. Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker delivers the song’s swooning hook while Bootie Brown blazes through a pair of verses, the second one culminating with the sign-off, “Bullshit keeps comin’, baby I’m a Matador/What are we living for?”
Before announcing Cracker Island,...
- 8/31/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Nearly three decades have passed since Fatlip exited the Pharcyde, one of the cleverest, funniest hip-hop groups to emerge in the early Nineties. Since then, he has put out a solo album, The Loneliest Punk, scored an underground hit with “What’s Up, Fatlip?” and even buried the hatchet with some of his former fellow Pharcyde emcees. Fatlip and original Pharcyde members Slimkid3 and Imani have been touring as the Far Side, though the original quartet, which includes Bootie Brown who owns the Pharcyde trademark, hasn’t gathered together since...
- 8/1/2022
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Gorillaz have performed a one-off gig in Damascus, reportedly becoming the first major British band to ever play in Syria. Frontman and songwriter Damon Albarn was joined by ex-Clash stars Mick Jones and Paul Simonon as well as Bashy, Kano, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Bootie Brown and the National Orchestra for Arabic Music for last night's gig at an 11th century fortified palace venue called the Citadel. Albarn told BBC Newsbeat: "I'm surprised that no one has ever come here before. For us it's just a wonderful experience. "We're certainly not making (more)...
- 7/26/2010
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
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