Gorillaz – The Fall
Wednesday 27th April 2011, 1:42PM BST.
The back story to The Fall is simple: Damon Albarn wrote it to save himself from madness. During Gorillaz’ 2010 American tour, he decided to give himself something useful to do: rather than simply starting at walls or looking out of the windows of his tour bus, he wrote a record.
Each day, whether he was at the hotel or venue, he wrote. The result is The Fall, Gorillaz fourth album, which, in effect, is Albarn’s iPad concept album.
Writing in such disciplined circumstances poses a problem: songwriters are unlikely to find their mojo at will and so, unsurprisingly, it is patchy in places as Albarn struggles for inspiration. There are moments when it sounds too arch, too much like a bloke mucking about on an iPad in a hotel room.
Such moments are, however, counterbalanced by early-hours inspiration, Albarn’s trademark melodies and gorgeous arrangements. The Fall is Albarn’s audio road trip, an aural diary of the madness of touring. It may not be his greatest work, but as a snapshot of life on the road it’s accomplished nonetheless.
By Andy Richardson
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