So the Gorillaz have always been one of my favorite bands. My brother got into them when their 2005 hit Feel Good Inc. hit all of our favorite music stations. Feel Good Inc., from their second studio album, was a pretty big hit as I remember it. What hooked my older brother Spencer was the bass line- the bass had the melody rather than the guitar. Coming from a band background, this was new to us. Though I never asked my brother, I think this is what led him to learning bass. Spencer is the best bass player I know, but I suppose I’m biased because I’m his sister. I owe most of my music taste to my brother- he got me into some of my favorite bands (Led Zeppelin, The Gorillaz, and The Who), and taught me how to really appreciate music.
The Gorillaz is a virtual band, meaning they are made up characters representing real people who make their music. After their first album (self-titled), they were immortalized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful virtual band. The band’s genre ranges from alternative rock to alternative hip-hop to Britpop (they are native to Britain).
To Binge (featuring Little Dragon), from their third album Plastic Beach (2010), is defiantly one of my favorite songs by these guys. The song depicts sort of a heart break feel with longing in the guitar line. There are highlights of hope by the synthesizer, making the song still upbeat and easy going. My boyfriend once said this song reminded him of me, because it conveyed a longing and lonely feel. So of course, I listened to again to remember it a little better. After listening to the lyrics, I had to explain to him that the lyrics did not fit us very well.
2D (vocals and keyboard):“I wait to be forgiven, maybe I never will. My star has left me to take the bitter pill. That shattered feeling well the cause of it’s a lesson learned, ‘just don’t know if I can roll into the sea again. Just don’t know if I can do it all again’ she said, it’s true.” When I hear that I think of a break up. Then when I hear the next part sang by Little Dragon (a female role), I get a much different feel.
“Waiting in my room, and I lock the door. I watch the colored animals run across the floor. I’m looking in the distance and I’m listening to the whispers. Oh it ain’t the same when you’re falling out of feeling and you’re rolling in and caught again.” Colored animals? We’re talking about drugs! The girl locks herself in her room to take hallucinogenic drugs, hence she’s caught back in the sea of addiction.
Next, 2D almost replies with “I’m caught again in the mystery, you’re by my side, but are you still with me?” Clearly the man is concerned for her well-being, worried if she will once again drown into the world of drugs. The song is actually sad, the longing sound about drugs forming a wall between two lovers.
I then explained this to my boyfriend, and cleared it up that only video games could form a wall between us. Can you believe he likes Kingdom Hearts?
Song Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0AUHWdTT9M
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