2.15.2005

GORILLAZ, LOW(er)

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All kinds of computer issues in my way still. I won't bore you with the details, but it is taking an absurd time to upload items right now. It has taken about a half hour just to upload the songs I'm posting tonight. So please, for God's sake, listen to them and turn them up loud, because many a tear of anguish was shed to bring you tonight's songs.

I promise, the next GBV 100 post will be coming this week. Probably Wednesday or Thursday.

For now:

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GORILLAZ "Dirty Harry": In case you don't remember them from a few years back, GORILLAZ are a cartoon band conceived by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. The "fake" band's debut CD featured producer Dan the Automator, Kid Koala, Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth and the Tom Tom Club's Chris Franz, along with rapping from Del tha Funkee Homosapien, as the voice of the ghost that possesses the band's drummer. I know, it's totally insane. But when you're in the world of a cartoon band, anything goes. "Dirty Harry" is a new song from the band's upcoming album. This time around, Albarn is working with DJ Danger Mouse (the creator of the Jay-Z/Beatles mash-up THE GREY ALBUM). Not sure who the rapper here is, but it's definitely not Del this time around. True Albarn nuts might notice that this track is built from a skeleton of a song he released on the DEMOCRAZY CD called "I Need a Gun."

On the completely different tip:

LOW "Fearless": Low has a new album coming out, and if you hunt around on the web, you can probably find a track or three as a preview. Check my links below for a free download. Since you can find that stuff out there, I figured I'd take a moment tonight and post a couple other songs from these guys after a friend mentioned them in one of the Comments sections on this page. Pete Jones, this one's for you. "Fearless" is a cover of my absolute favorite Pink Floyd song. If anyone out there has any preconceived notions of Pink Floyd, try and seek out the original version of this track. It's bee-yoo-ti-ful, and closes with this mesmerizing little bit where a crowd of soccer fans sings for their team. I have this Low cover on a 7" record, and it's apparently from a recording session with John (Fucking) Peel -- the best thing to have happened to music since Alan Freed.

I can't close this post without including a link to "In Metal," a Low song from their superb THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE album. Listen to the lyrics and I dare you not to get teary eyed when you think about how your mom must have felt holding you in her arms when you were a baby and silently begging time to never let you grow up.

Go call your mom, right now.

LINKS:
Gorillaz' home page
Gorillaz Search for a Star contest
All about Jamie Hewlett's "Tank Girl" comic
Chairkickers.com, Low's official site
Low download at SubPop.com
John Peel, R.I.P.
Alan Freed

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

dylan. jones. you "the man".

Unknown said...

I was just skimming through the archives when I saw that paragraph about "In Metal". I have been putting that song on mix discs for new mothers (who always seem to be ex's) since that album came out. It's powerful good. Glad to see someone else sees it that way.