Although more accessible than ‘Humanz’ to some extent, Damon Albarn and Gorillaz still require the audience to be ambitious listeners on ‘The Now Now.’  

Raise your hand if you expected a new Gorillaz album this soon? I certainly thought we’d be in for a longer wait following the arrival of the 2017 Grammy-nominated Humanz.  Apparently, Damon Albarn has been busy, and the wait is short-lived. Notably shorter with fewer features than Humanz, The Now Now ends up being a more accessible album…for the most part.  All in all, it’s enjoyable and better than expected in my humble opinion. 

“Humility” 

“I’m alone between the left hand / Reset myself and get back on track / I don’t want this isolation / See the state I’m in now?” “Humility” thrives off of its groove and its soul.  Can any record featuring George Benson have a shortage of soul? Nope – not possible!  Benson’s guitaring stands out here, while the synthesizer work is impressive as well.  For Albarn, vocally, the formula is effective if familiar. Calling the chorus ‘catchy’ would be an overstatement, but it’s memorable enough.

“When you get back on a Saturday night / And your head is caving in / Do you look like me, do you feel like me / Do you turn into your effigy?”  Some kind of chorus, that’s for sure. “Tranz” follows, keeping things brief under three minutes.  Energetic, thriving off its groove, “Tranz” seems to be fueled by dopamine, expended through dancing.  The question is, how loosely is Damon Albarn using dancing?

“Hollywood”

“Hollywood” is a better record, featuring veteran West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg and house musician Jamie Principle. Funky, “Hollywood” suits both collaborators, and of course, Gorillaz.  Principle excels at the spoken word, Albarn is low-key but intriguing on the chorus, while Snoop Dogg is on autopilot as he asserts, “They wanna eye me down, tie me down, knock me off / But I’m a lion in the dog pound / Now, how that sound?”

“Kansas” is among the crème de la crème of The Now Now.  Another solo number, Albarn shines, particularly when his voice is higher in the mix on the chorus.  The chorus is the clearly the centerpiece, though arguably, the biggest selling point of the record is the production.  The bass line is irresistible.

“Everybody cool down / Everybody see yourself / Everybody on time… / Everybody hold on to your inner visions.” Lyrically, “Sorcererz” is limited.  Aforementioned are excerpts from the chorus, which is varied slightly throughout.  The verse is incredibly short, occurring twice during the song, separated by the chorus.  By the end, 2D sings about “inner vision” about a bajillion times (exaggerating, but still, it’s a lot).  The music is busy, characterized by its driving, percussive, and rhythmic nature.  The backdrop is definitely compelling, with Albarn painting it with his signature low-key vocal strokes. “Sorcererz” has its moments but feels a bit amorphous.

“Idaho”

“Idaho” is the third ‘place’ song to appear on The Now Now.  A ballad, it is a welcome, simpler contrast to the ornate “Sorcererz.”  Expectedly, the song is about the state of Idaho, featuring quite a few clever lyrics.  The chorus is the highlight, seemingly alluding to air pollution and ‘fugitive dust’ issues within the state. “Idaho, Idaho / There’s a beauty on the road / And every day, I look out of the bus / Silver linings getting lost.”

From the beginning of “Lake Zurich”, the four-minute-plus record thrives off its sleek, electro-tinged, pop-soul sound. Primarily instrumental, there’s no doubt that the music cooks.  The groove is a catalyst for foot tapping.  The synths are decadent.  As jazz musicians like to say, it’s ‘in the pocket.’ The few lyrics are unique, including, “Build a tunnel from Zurich to New York / I find it hard to share this anyone / Because even to me it sounded ridiculous.” Hmm…

The imagination of Gorillaz – Damon – continues to run rampant on “Magic City.” “Look, there’s a billboard on the moon” and “Let me take you this far / This crossing isn’t much to me” are some examples of true left-field, WTF moments. Larry Fitzmaurice (Spin) nails it on the head on his review of The Now Now, stating “If anything, Albarn dips into the same allusion-heavy retro-futurism that marked Arctic Monkeys’ stunning Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino from earlier this year.”  The record is definitely unique, though totally a trip.

“Fireflies”

“Fireflies” moves from the unspecified ‘Magic City’ to more familiar territory.  Notably, the record has more of an R&B flavor, which fits the relationship references.  Somewhat unstable due to the asymmetric groove, the conception of this particular record works out well for Albarn. Interestingly, early on, there’s a reference to cocaine… 2D is definitely going through some things.

Penultimate number “One Percent” is more forgettable compared to the juggernauts.  The ‘silver lining’ is, it’s short.  “Souk Eye” concludes, once more referencing a place, this time, Los Angeles.  Beyond L.A., love is clearly the focus once more.  Albarn sings on the chorus, “I will always think about you / That’s why I’m calling you back on my way through.”

Final Thoughts

So, how does The Now Now stack up? All in all, musically, it’s an enjoyable Gorillaz album with its fair share of gems.  Here’s the thing with Gorillaz though. How invested you are likely changes your viewpoint of the collective.  Is the music itself the highlight, the animation, or is it a combination of both.  If you’re hardcore into the total artwork – the Gesamtkunstwerk – you probably appreciate everything about the collective more.  If you’re more focused on the music product like myself, this project is good, but also has its fair share of question marks, much like the ‘Magic City.’

Gems: “Humility,” “Hollywood,” “Kansas,” “Idaho,” “Magic City” & “Fireflies”

Gorillaz • The Now Now • Parlophone • Release: 6.29.18

Photo Credit: Parlophone