1. Humility - Summer jam of the season confirmed! This album is starting off pretty damn strong, as this track is in my top three on the album, and surely one of my top 10-15 Gorillaz tracks of all time. Let's start by saying I love the guitar on here, provided by one of only three guests George Benson. It's just so damn groovy here, and it really slides in well with this bright track. Does anyone else think that this reminds them of Ghost Ship from The Magic Whip? This song seems like it could slip in perfectly on that album. Plus this song is easily one of the group's most replayable. I've heard this track close to 30 times by now and I still can't get enough of it. I had honestly been in one of the happiest moods I had ever been in thanks in part to this coming out. I felt like I was 2D in the video, happily skating along through life, finally being someone at ease with myself and not letting things get me too mad anymore, feeling almost invincible. If a song can make me feel like that, then there's really gotta be something to it, shouldn't there be?
2. Tranz - DO YOU LOOK LIKE ME? DO YOU FEEL LIKE ME? I see we're only two tracks in and already at the "punk" song. Looks like Murdoc may have had more of an influence on this album than he thinks. This song always gets me pumped up every time it's on and never fails to get me chanting along (however horrific I may sound in the process.) It feels almost hypnotizing, but I can't imagine why...
3. Hollywood - I thought when listening to this feature packed single live months before the album release that this was gonna feel more like several of the cuts off of Humanz, being a little faster paced and upbeat. What I got in this studio version was something a little more chilled out, and I honestly think I like this direction a little better after giving the studio version several spins. It's got a nice hook from 2D, some fun if not as polished verses from Jamie Principle, and a great verse from Snoop Dogg. It's always nice to have Snoop Dogg around it seems. Makes me wanna check out the real Hollywood for myself someday.
4. Kansas - The beginning of this one certainly reminds me of Every Planet We Reach is Dead. "I'm not gonna cry" was exactly was I was thinking listening to this whole album. It works as a pretty infectious hook by the way. This has a pretty great beat to go alongside it too! It's just so pleasant to listen to as 2D goes on this lonely journey through Kansas with a broken heart. Songs like this were exactly what I was hoping for in a purposed 2D solo album.
5.Sorcererz - This was my second favorite single off the album. I just love that Junior Dan from the self-titled album is back on bass here! It's got this super catchy chorus that's just absolutely infectious and it's gotta be the one that gets me dancing the most off this album (however horrific that may be in the process.) Did I mention that "Everybody mining their own inner vision" is such a cool lyric?
6. Idaho - When I heard the live version of this back in fall, it seemed like a somewhat straightforward country song done entirely though acoustic guitar. It was an intriging choice of song to play a few months after the very dance focused angle of Humanz and a fine and calming song in its own right, but not something I came back to much. This studio version blew that original performance out of the water. The production was what really made this song work in my view. It's a lot more atmospheric and feel almost otherworldly now in its fully finished stage. Plus I noticed how the lyrics got completely switched around for this, so sadly no Bruce Willis namedrop like in the live version.
7. Lake Zurich - It's a miracle! Somehow a transition from atmospheric country music to 80's synths works! It's the best instrumental Gorillaz has ever done, hands down! While I was a little weirded out as to exactly why any sort of instrumental got released as a single, it works as a great proof-of-concept to the album's direction towards 80's synthpop. The synths knock it out of the park on this track by the way. I love the weird mumbled chatter going on towards the middle of the song too.
8. Magic City - This one is very close to my top three on this album, like it's soooo close. I adore the beat here, the lyrics are so precious and I love the guitar here from Noodle. I have heard that Graham Coxon playing guitar here on this track, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was. The guitars feel ripped straight out of something like Lonesome Street off Blur's The Magic Whip. I love the imagery of having a billboard on the moon too, I'm just not sure why.
9. Fire Flies - Really feeling some strong Everyday Robots vibes here in this slower, atmospheric track. It's nice that this track experiments with having different time signatures compared to the rest of the album, it really helps give this a unique sound. It's just ok during the first verse, but it really takes off by its chorus. "All you ever get from the sonnet is the court of the fallen man" is another beautiful lyric in an album in an album that seems full of them.
10. One Percent - I was floored when I heard this track for the first time. It's another track that carries with it echoes of Everyday Robots, but it's honestly better than almost anything from that album, as much as I love it. By far one of the most emotional tracks that Damon Albarn has ever written. The most impressive thing about it is how it can carry all this emotion and deliver it in just over two minutes, being the shortest of the record's eleven tracks. Everytime this song comes on brings chills all over me, bringing me the same otherworldly sensations that Idaho does on this record and tracks like Stop the Dams from D-Sides or A Soldier's Tale from The Good, the Bad and the Queen do at other stops in Damon's discography. The first time I walked away from this track, I knew that it was an absolute masterpiece and one of the best Gorillaz songs ever put on record. However, it somehow does not take my number one spot for being the best song on this album, settling for number two. Now what does?
11. Souk Eye - This may very well be the best song Gorillaz has ever made. There. Attack me in the comments all you want, throw negative karma at me on Reddit, it doesn't matter, I'll take it on! Never have I loved every facet of a Gorillaz track so much since Stop the Dams, the track that had up until this point been crowned the honor of best Gorillaz song. I love these lyrics, lines like "If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade" are just so great. I absolutely adore the beat change, turning from a Latin-influenced ballad to incredible dance song all the while feeling completely natural. I love the piano clinking along throughout the ending. I love that Demon Strings seems to be back for this track, particularly for the outro. That fade out is giving me some serious Tracy Jacks from Parklife echoes and it sounds gorgeous. There couldn't have been a better pick for a closer than this, it's perfect in every way.
That ends The Now Now. At this point and time, it's equal to Demon Days as my favorite Gorillaz album, with so many highlights and gems that make up some of the best of the animated group's discography. Ace is a great replacement for Murdoc while he's out being a jailbird, he's really holding it down on these tracks. I seriously cannot thank Damon Albarn and James Ford enough for bringing this brilliant cycle of introspective tracks to fans, and to Jamie Hewlett for bringing some of his best live visuals and awesome artwork to the album and shows. I see The Now Now as what The Fall could've been with more time attached to the songs. All in all, it's Damon's best work since The Good, the Bad and the Queen all the way back in 2007, which i will be covering very soon. Well I gotta run soon, so enjoy the album! It's truly something special to me, maybe it'll be to others.
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