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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Gorillaz
by Gorillaz


9.2

based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 73 votes
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Rate this album

Forget concept albums; this is a concept band. Formed by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Blur's Damon Albarn, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori, and the Tom Tom Club's Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz (with visuals by "Tank Girl" creator Jamie Hewlett), the Gorillaz are a "virtual" hip-hop outfit of cartoon characters based somewhere in the future. Hey, we don't make this stuff up; we just report it.

LABEL:	Virgin
RELEASE DATE:	19 June 2001
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Alternative, Rap, Rock

NOTES: UK version released 24 April 2001. The U.S. release contains additional tracks.

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

E! Online

Cleverly mixes soft-focus hip-hop, trippy space rock and Ennio Morricone-style melodrama with Albarn's unwavering pop melodies.

L.A. Weekly

Hands down, this is one of the best-produced albums of the year...

All Music Guide

The slow rumble of Nakamura's production, Hewlett's outstanding graphic model, even Albarn himself all fuse into a convincing gestalt.

Launch.com

Albarn is the melodious voice of western pop tradition throughout; at first you might think his are the barmy brains behind this band, but it's just not so. His loose-kneed vocals are like pop tarts in this bumbling hip-hop parade, but it's the bumble that makes the rumble.

Alternative Press

Whereas the Beckster tends to wriggle cheekily along to his funk, and Badly Drawn Boy does his own thing in spite of it, Gorillaz don't give a rat's ass about acting funky; they just are. [July 2001, p.68]

Nude As The News

The album has its share of enjoyable tunes, and more than a couple great ones.

PopMatters

A couple of tracks flounder around South of no North but as a whole Gorillaz, should be pretty pleased with what they've been able to achieve, considering the high risk concept involved.

Spin

What could have been hipster reach is multiculti grasp of the sweetest kind. [Jun 2001, p.148]

Almost Cool

It's at its best when it puts Albarn in situations that you wouldn't normally hear him in, but also stumbles occassionally with a couple tracks that feel rather tossed-off and others that feel like they could have come off a Blur b-side.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Gorillaz is every bit as hit-or-miss as expected, but to its credit, the hits on its self-titled debut sound more impressive and infectious than the misses sound like indulgent flops.

Magnet

This secret society's sonic output is nothing short of sheer musical buggery, a hip-hop twilight realm where Dr. Octagon performs transplant surgery on Mellow Gold with the cast of Scooby Doo in the gallery. [#50, p.89]

Rolling Stone

Inspired by the punky reggae parties of Sandinista!-era Clash, tracks like the dub-rap-rock mutation "Clint Eastwood" and its catchier two-step Rasta remix bring back the exuberance missing from Blur's last album, 13, while running with its anything-goes avant-aesthetic.

HOB.com

Taken only for what it is, Gorillaz is an engaging, if not entirely arresting, journey through sluggish mood rock and jazzy hip-hop. Taken for what it aspires to be, though, it's more disappointing than awe-inspiring...

Sonicnet

Much of the album has the odd, rehashed sound of a Blur record produced by the Automator, but the diverse guests keep at least every other song fresh and new.

Splendid

I so want to hate this album.... If only the album flat-out sucked, I'd be on much firmer ground. Too bad it doesn't.

Spin Cycle

Neither Brit-pop nor hip-hop, "Gorillaz" contains a motley, dub-influenced collection of songs that are, like Hewlett's drawings, an exercise in sophisticated immaturity

Neumu.net

As forward-thinking as this sounds, it just kind of makes Gorillaz an Archies/Josie & The Pussycats for the new millennium. It also makes them and their album fit in with everyone else in the progressive hip-hop canon, all of whom see fit to make slightly ludicrous concept records.

Village Voice

It's what you might expect from a bunch of musos playing with Cubase or ProTools: sampled loops, Brixton dub, trip-hoppy tangents. U.N.K.L.E.'s bratty nephew, really, though the album sounds like the group locked the metronome on "heavy funk groove"--chugging and satisfying at first, it feels exhausted by the fifth or sixth track.

The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 73 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Vid M gave it a6:
Largely a very forgettable album. Makes me miss Blur...

Vadamerca N gave it a10:
Both energetic and easy-listening, this CD brought together so many fans and listeners, the world could even be saved from global warming. If your looking for pop, rock and hip-hop all in one album, this is a must-have.

Fistfull of Peanuts gave it a10:
This album is a perfect mix of everything! I never get bored of it. I got bored with demon days kinda quick because there were too many rap songs and demon days just didn't contain as much originality as this one. Also there were a few songs on here I hated at first now I only hate 1! =)

Turk Rocks gave it a10:
Amazing! Not their best, but some of the best! It doesnt quiet fit as a 10 but it definatly is worth a bit more than a nine ; but since there is no '9.5' rating available - I give it a ten to maybe raise it up a few :P Enjoy life, and enjoy the gorillaz. Gorillaz - original, beautiful, wonderful

Jonathan Garcia A gave it a10:
The best band ever along with Deltron 3030! The music is just great and it also reminds me of good time! :)

T-demon gave it a10:
The josie and the pussy cats of this century my foot. This band may just revolutionize the way people look at music. From its thought invoking lyrics to it's curious way of presenting people, I'd say this is a must have CD. After all, even though only two people started them, over 50 people are behind them, and it's all wrapped up in an animated ball.

random person gave it a2:
Greatest Cd EVA !!

Gorillaz by Gorillaz

Gorillaz
by Gorillaz