Damon Albarn

Bill2673

Ok, so I don't normally post this sort of thread but the thought did strike me listening to a song of his on the the radio, so here goes....

Damon Albarn, it seems to me that the music press would regard him as the pre-eminent figure in British Rock music in the past 20 years. I'm regularly reading about his latest projects in the Guardian, or the Ticket supplement of the Irish Times.

He has had a number of creative highs, that I've read about, Blur, the African stuff, Gorillaz, even a song or two with Massive Attack.....and has been creative and innovative throughout.

The issue I have with him with is this: what are his great songs?

For other bands, artists, I find it quite easy to reel off a number of great songs they have written.....Ron Sexsmith, Morrissey, Elvis Costello, New Order, The Frames, Crowded House, Steve Earle, Massive Attack to name a random few.

For Damon Albarn I can name a number of what I'd call good but not great songs - Girls and Boys, Song 2, The Universal.

I'm not trying to knock the guy; its more a question of, if he's written some great music, then where do I look for it? Which is best stuff, and is it really good? Or is he over-rated? I've never bought any of his albums, the one I'd be most tempted to buy is the African one, though I heard also that ThinkTank is good.

stovelid

I''m not really au fait with an awful amount of his stuff, but personally speaking, I like a smattering of Blur stuff very much, mostly early stuff up to and including ParkLife; I like Demon Days best from the Gorillaz canon and I adore The Good, The Bad and The Queen (eponymous).

zimovain

Brilliant musician and lyric writer. Asshole of a human being though.

Clare Bear

zimovain wrote: »

Brilliant musician and lyric writer. Asshole of a human being though.

I think he's chilled out a good bit the last few years though....just from interviews I've seen him do he seems to be a happier person now and less of an asshole.

Bill2673

Thanks for comments guys.....what I was specifically asking is, apart from the well known Parklife ones....what are (considered) his best songs.

zimovain

'Tender' for me is his pinacle although it's co-written with Coxon. This performance is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppQyv_pvC3Y

ricero

mans a genius i think and one of the best musicians to ever come out of Britain.

am i the only one that rathers his gorilaz band to blur ? although i love blur aswell

The Pontiac

zimovain wrote: »

Brilliant musician and lyric writer. Asshole of a human being though.

I saw him on the Scott Walker: 30 Century Man documentary the other night, and he comes across as a very likeable character. I always found this with him tbh. He's a bit like Jarvis Cocker (also featured in the same docu), in that they just don't seem to give a shít about fame or making commercially appealing music. They just do whatever the heck they want.

Btw, the docu is outstanding. It was my second time watching it.

Dan Dare

Modern Life Is Rubbish and Parklife are the Blur albums for me, I too love The Good, The Bad and The Queen, and I think the new Gorillaz album Plastic Beach is fab.

paddylonglegs

He had alot more meaning and thougth envoking to the music he wrote in the 90s, in comparison to some other indie super-groups. some being the universal, country sad ballad man, on your own - the icing on the cake being graham coxons amazing guitar skill. More recently I love that one with Gorillaz, with Dennis Hopper doing a voiceover?Can't remember what its called but thought that showed his prowess in working with other genres.He's still gonna be around in 30 years time producing - guarantee it.

stovelid

OP: try Herculean from The Good, The Bad and The Queen.

For me, it's probably one of his best tunes.

Taz86

Beyond Parklife et al...

Try 'Out of Time' from Think Tank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkX1Up1vnc

It's an inexpressibly beautiful song if you ask me. Then have a listen to a more recent Gorillaz one 'On Melancholy Hill' ("looking out on the day of another dream/where you can't get what you want but you can get me", "If you can't get what you want will you come with me?" - just beautiful)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftrnpg8FTJ4



These two songs would be the pinnacle of Albarn's work for me. Two of my favourites ever actually particularly 'Out of Time'. I was a Pulp fan back in the day and still am but I always liked a little bit of Blur and I do like a bit of Gorillaz. 'No distance left to run' is a great Blur song too. Have a listen. Loads of good stuff.

Kold

This is 100% for me, one of the quintessential 90s tunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuYUmnny0pU

This is completely underrated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FeYz2JpHo

Just a savage song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2_PxGHBn1U

I don't understand the point you're making though. Unlike some of the artists you mentioned, Albarn's entire career has been pretty freaking solid. He has consistently produced excellent music in a trademark style whilst really branching out.

I don't see how you are determining between good and great. I mean if it's catchy as hell tunes, there's always Country House. The Good, The Bad and the Queen weren't really a singles project but I thought the album was savage. I've also really enjoyed all the Gorillaz albums. I think his status is pretty well earned.

rovert

Lets put it this way he is no Noel Gallagher :P

Clare Bear

Out of Time is probably my favourite track from them.

Icaras

paddylonglegs wrote: »

More recently I love that one with Gorillaz, with Dennis Hopper doing a voiceover?Can't remember what its called but thought that showed his prowess in working with other genres.

Called fire coming out of a monkeys head.

I think the blur greatest hit (or maybe it was the singles) album is very good all decent songs.
Also some of the gorillaz stuff is very good - latin simone and dirty harry are favs of mine

rcaz

I think the first Gorillaz album is the best one, Gorillaz. A little more out there than the others, and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien is on it :cool:

Beetlebum or Yuko And Hiro are my favourite Blur songs.

ascanbe

For my money, the best thing he was ever involved in happened early in his career; 'For tomorrow' from 1993.
Very 'Kinksy', obviously, but what a tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gghFPavXE7Q

Dudess

Yeah, Modern Life Is Rubbish was kinda overlooked - great album.

Blur documentary on BBC4 now, to be followed by a Britpop one.

palethinboy

He seems to be more of an album man that a song & dance man then by the look of it

Bill2673

Kold wrote: »

This is 100% for me, one of the quintessential 90s tunes.




This is completely underrated.



Just a savage song



I don't understand the point you're making though. Unlike some of the artists you mentioned, Albarn's entire career has been pretty freaking solid. He has consistently produced excellent music in a trademark style whilst really branching out.

I don't see how you are determining between good and great. I mean if it's catchy as hell tunes, there's always Country House. The Good, The Bad and the Queen weren't really a singles project but I thought the album was savage. I've also really enjoyed all the Gorillaz albums. I think his status is pretty well earned.

I just saw this article on the Guardian and it reinforced the point I was making in the first place. The Guardian write is saying that seeing Damon albarn at Glastonbury 'reminds him of David Bowie at his hey day'....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/29/damon-albarn-gorillaz-glastonbury-bowie

I can reel off the names of about 20 or 30 Bowie songs that have entered into the lexicon of popular culture. When I think of Damon Albarn songs that have done the same, I can think of Parklife and Girls and Boys and not much more. Thats the point I was making I guess. And so my question is, if as all the journos say, this the greatest british rock'n'roller of the past 20 years, then what are his great songs? Fair few answers above, thanks for those.

eightyfish

Bill2673 wrote: »

The issue I have with him with is this: what are his great songs?

Sunday Sunday
To The End
This Is A Low
Parklife
Charmless Man
The Universal
Yuko and Hiro
Beetlebum
Country Sad Ballad Man
Death of a Party
Strange News From Another Star
Tender
No Distance Left To Run
Coffee & TV
Out of Time
Good Song
Clint Eastwood
Feel Good, Inc
Dare
Stylo

Tabnabs

He did an exquisite soundtrack album with Michael Nyman for the film Ravenous. If you haven't heard it, do yourself a favour and get your hands on it.

Bill2673

Thanks for that.

The reason I ask is that I'm always on the look-out for good music and I'm fairly open minded about what that is.

eightyfish

Bill2673 wrote: »

The reason I ask is that I'm always on the look-out for good music and I'm fairly open minded about what that is.

Check out Jamie T:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwh0Wn5vVwE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5yO9q1mXCc

rcaz

palethinboy wrote: »

He seems to be more of an album man that a song & dance man then by the look of it

A proper musician

Boom_Bap

Besides his song writing skills, Albarn is a guy who is not afraid to try new things or cross over to different genres. Most importantly for me is that he is not afraid to be overshadowed by other people that he gets involved with.