Demon Days by Gorillaz
20 years forward
this month’s collectible of choice is Demon Days, the second studio album by Gorillaz. i have anticipated this day for a few years, as written below in a “Music of My Life” feature:
as we steadily approach this album’s 20 year anniversary, it’s safe to say that Demon Days gets so much better with age. most people of a certain age know the single “Feel Good Inc,” considering that the earworm was a mainstay on MTV — it’s a “millennial getting ready for school” soundtrack essential. i wouldn’t actually explore this album until a couple of years later, when i borrowed the CD from the public library and downloaded the mp3s. i would spend so many days on the bus to high school anticipating the exciting, seamless transition between “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven” and the title track. now, i revel in the album’s genre-bending quality and how it was so ahead of its time.
since the anniversary has finally arrived, i’m excited to expand my thoughts on this album. technically, Demon Days was first released on May 11, 2005 in Japan. i chose to publish my revisit today to 1) buy myself more time and 2) align with the release date of May 24th in the United States via Virgin Records. the album was released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone Records a day prior.
Musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett co-created Gorillaz in London at the turn of the millennium. notably, the band has an animated front, comprised of four virtual characters designed by Hewlett: 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. there’s some deep lore worth exploring regarding the band members (i mean, they even had a segment on MTV Cribs!). Gorillaz’ self-titled album debuted in 2001. for the follow-up, Albarn tapped Danger Mouse to join him as a co-producer.
i believe i bought the Demon Days CD at Fantasyland Records in Buckhead, because i can still see the glue residue on the jewel case from the sale sticker. i recall wanting to buy the LP when i first got into record collecting, but the price was exorbitantly high due to rarity. years later, the record is now available on the band’s website at a more reasonable market rate.
it’s worth noting that more features are credited on streaming now than before. for instance, the legendary hip-hop trio De La Soul appeared on the hit single “Feel Good Inc,” but you wouldn’t have seen them listed on Spotify or Apple Music until recently. this is largely due to the trio’s prior legal battles with bringing their catalog to digital streaming platforms. now, they’ve garnered an additional 15 million streaming listeners on Spotify due to the updated metadata.
it’s necessary to provide credit where it’s due, as guest stars like De La Soul really make this album pop. the curation is very forward-thinking, considering that each featured guest has left an indelible mark on the music industry with innovative contributions to their respective genres. following the positive reception of Demon Days, Gorillaz committed to this star-studded ensemble concept on subsequent albums.1
i notice new and different things every time i listen to Demon Days, which makes it pleasurable to revisit this album often. the subject matter is dark and apocalyptic without leaning too far into horrorcore. it’s more about fear, destruction, and escapism from societal demands. the lyrics provide a mirror to explore the connections between interpersonal demons and social ills. it’s brutally honest for an album made by an “artificial” band.
Demon Days clocks in at 51 minutes, but it never quite feels that long as i know it very well. various genres are skillfully represented across the album’s 15 tracks. below, i offer a recap of my most recent playback, one song at a time.
tracklist
“Intro”
the album opens with a spooky and sinister track that samples elements from the Dawn of the Dead soundtrack, which sets the scene pretty well.
“Last Living Souls”
over a reggae-influenced beat, Albarn begins this song by asking the question, “are we the last living souls?” then, he asserts that we are the last living souls as the song resolves.
“Kids with Guns” featuring Neneh Cherry
one of my favorites that i can never get enough of. this isn’t the first or last mention of weaponry on this album.
Now they're turning us into monsters
Turning us into fire
Turning us into monsters
It's all desire
It's all desire
It's all desire
“O Green World”
to be fair, i rarely listen to “O Green World” outside of the context of the album. the harmony is one of this song’s more memorable parts. on this most recent play, i was more aware of how the beat imitates a gun — revving up, shooting, even the screams of a victim.
“Dirty Harry” featuring Bootie Brown
the iconic beat drop does it for me every time!! the refrain “‘cause all i do is dance” makes me think about how the club is always poppin’ during times of conflict and strife. when things are falling apart, people desire dedicated spaces to experience joy, and this song clears the path to the dance floor. “Dirty Harry” is often considered a political statement on the war-filled times of a post-9/11 world. the title also maintains the band’s references to actor Clint Eastwood (who they named a song after on their debut album).
“Feel Good Inc” featuring De La Soul
i’ve already mentioned a beautiful core memory regarding this song, and i still recall such moments so viscerally. De La Soul really brought something spectacular to “Feel Good Inc.” the menacing laughter is unforgettable, despite not being an intentional choice. i also learned that De La Soul was originally supposed to appear on “Kids with Guns,” but i’m not sure either song would have been as successful without the features they ended up with.
“El Mañana”
this was one of my favorites as an adolescent (read: when i was more depressed). it’s still one that i enjoy to sing. the vocal delivery of “El Mañana” is very earnest, with Albarn pleading like he’s praying for a better tomorrow (as its title implies).
“Every Planet We Reach is Dead”
oh, this one is very funky. i’m intrigued by how the screams and chatter overlap with the piano. also, Ike Turner was an interesting choice for the piano solo. it’s not because he wasn’t skilled enough to deliver, but because other aspects of his infamous legacy overshadowed the talent by this point.
“November Has Come” featuring MF DOOM
it was a very strong move to have MF DOOM open the track, as it feels like it’s his song with Gorillaz on background vocals. his skillful and unmatched wordplay is right at home on an album with high attention to intricacy and nuance.
“All Alone” featuring Martina Topley-Bird and Roots Manuva
this song sounds like a ruler making claims over his territory through rhyme. the momentum changes briefly when Martina Topley-Bird enters, and i imagine her like a hopeful fairy peering through the leaves while hovering over a desolate scene.
“White Light”
with heavy tinges of punk, “White Light” seems to be about blacking out. like other songs on the album, it turns into a piano ballad at times.
“DARE” featuring Shaun Ryder and Roses Gabor
honestly, one of the greatest songs to come out of the 2000s!! the video is a little eerie, but how can you not dance to this groove??
“Fire Coming out of the Monkey’s Head”
this parable recenters the album’s cinematic storytelling. narrator Dennis Hopper’s pacing is accentuated by a Western-type beat, and it seems that all of the violence previously described throughout the album has reached a peak.
“Don’t Get Lost in Heaven”
this is my absolute favorite song on Demon Days. whenever it comes up on shuffle, i feel required to play it again directly from the album and hear the transcendent transition into the title track. the switch between songs still gives me goosebumps. this time, i was even brought to tears.
Don't get lost in heaven
They got locks on the gate
Don't go over the edge
You'll make a big mistake
also, we already established last month with the Everyday Robots recap that Albarn really loves a choir. he employs the talents of the London Community Gospel Choir so thoughtfully between these final two tracks.
“Demon Days”
this is a strong album closer, and the lyrics speak poignantly for themselves.
In these demon days, we're so cold inside
It's so hard for a good soul to survive
You can't even trust the air you breathe
'Cause Mother Earth want us all to leave
When lies become reality
You numb yourself with drugs and TV
Pick yourself up, it's a brand new day
So turn yourself 'round
Don't burn yourself, turn yourself
Turn yourself around to the sun
i don’t have a definitive list of favorite albums, but Demon Days would rank somewhere in the top ten if i did. since 2005, Gorillaz has released six more studio albums, and a new one is reportedly on the way! to celebrate the band’s milestone 25th anniversary, there’s also an upcoming exhibition and concert series planned in London titled House of Kong.
now, i turn it over to you: what’s your favorite Gorillaz song? is it from Demon Days or another album in their discography? feel free to let me know in the comments!
some of the stars from this album even appear on later works, namely Bootie Brown and De La Soul on 2023’s Cracker Island.
I can't believe it's already been twenty years! 😫
I think my favorite Gorillaz track is “Superfast Jellyfish”. The beat is too clean and De La Soul rhyming over them is just as crisp. But this is there best body of work. No skips!!