Gorillaz – D-Sides

I’ve been a fan of the Gorillaz for some time now. From their debut and the massively popular single “Clint Eastwood” to their more recent album Demon Days – I’ve enjoyed the ride. For this reason, I decided to look into their latest effort (D-Sides) which is a compilation of rarities, b-sides and remixes taken from Demon Days. For the record, I’m not usually a fan of b-sides/remix albums – as I find they’re often a money grab. However, I can honestly recommend this set of two-discs as a full body of work that can easily stand on its own.

The Gorillaz had previously released an album titled G-Sides that was similar in concept to D-Sides and accompanied their first release (Gorillaz) with an assortment of remixes and rarities. However, D-Sides took this one step further with a full collection of outtakes and remixes of the highest order. As aforementioned, there was so much content that it had to put onto two discs. The first is complied of b-sides while the second consists of remixes.

Initially, as I listened through, I wasn’t much interested in the b-sides disc as it seemed a little too lifeless and downbeat for my liking. It absolutely had a different feel than Demon Days. However, I was sucked in almost immediately to the remix disc. In a way, I was easily impressed, as the songs they chose to remix (Dare and Kids With Guns) were some of my favourite tracks off Demon Days. Yet, the artists that reworked these songs were incredibly talented also. The leadoff track (Dare) was redone by DFA and rolls in over 12 minutes. Sensational. Other unbelievable efforts by Soulwax and Hot Chip add a touch of remix class to be sure.

I listened to this second disc constantly for awhile. Then, I thought it was time to give the first disc another chance. I’m glad I did. In spite of its diversity, it’s a solid effort. The brains behind Gorillaz (Damon Albarn) used to be the vocalist and creative source for another huge British band called Blur. In my opinion, this first disc has a real Blur-esque touch at times. Or maybe I should say Damon Albarn touch. There are a few tracks (We Are Happy Landfill and Stop The Dams) that might not be out of place on a Blur album. This is all a good thing – as I happen to like Blur as well!

I think it’s possible to listen to both discs as their own entity as well as meshed together as one long Gorillaz opus. You can’t really lose. It’s quality music from the ground up. Now, if you don’t like the whole Gorillaz/Blur vibe – then this album could be a colossal waste of time. On the other hand, if you’re even a tad interested in the sounds and feelings of the Gorillaz world – it’s well worth every minute. My only complaint might be that the remix disc can be a bit monotonous at times because some of the tracks are remixed multiple times. Otherwise…let it flow!




Gorillaz Official Website

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