i think my favorite song was the title, the last track. i thought the single, history song, was totally boring. there were other tracks, but it is pleasant background music, made me think that every song doesnt have to change the world, it can just have a good beat.

“Sunday’s lost/In melancholy/If you don’t know it now/Then you will do,” sings Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) during the leadoff track, History Song, on the debut eponymous album by his new project, The Good, The Bad & The Queen; and surely, the content of the album would suggest that every day is Sunday. For 12 tracks that span a total of 42 minutes and 54 seconds, the man that has hidden behind a cartoon for the last six years sings memorable melodies (for the most part), over lots of finger-picked acoustic guitar, selective piano parts, a prominent, thumping bass, some electronic beats, and a string part here and there; sure, it creates an atmosphere of sameness, but a moderate level of consistency is held therein. And, those tracks that stray from the pack, rather than falling short due to eccentricity, rise above and make the album more than just a mundane “not bad, but nothing special” effort. On the other hand, even within those “stand-out” tracks, a feeling of sameness remains consistent, and never really lets up until one finishes listening to the album, and indulges in something else. But the formula is solid, and Albarn shows that even after undergoing numerous musical changes, his song writing still hasn’t let up.

produced by danger mouse
damon albarns (blur, the gorillaz) vocals
paul simonon (the clash) bass
simon tong (the verve) guitar
tony allen “afrobeat pioneer”

regardless I think it’s a great album because it is not trying to reinvent the wheel and there is no flashy bells or whistles. I like that it’s not trying super hard. there is a security and confidence to it that comes with these guys being professionals and musicians and doing this because they like each other, they like music and they don’t care if they sell a billion albums.