Gorillaz - 'The Now Now' Review

The Now Now is the sixth studio album from English alt-rock group Gorillaz. Coming off the less than stellar reception for their previous album, Humanz, The Now Now has a very uplifting, light feeling throughout, even as some of the lyrics turn darker, the mood makes one feel as if there is something better on the horizon.

The opening track for this album draws you in with summer beach vibes. Very melodic and open as it explains how we use our isolation to hold us back. For me, this track was about admitting when you need help rather than being chained to our isolation. Or at the very least, examining your isolation. "If I pick it up when I know that it's broken / Do I put it back? /Or do I head out onto the lonesome trail / And let you go?" is about finding that humility to move on.

Track 2: "Tranz"

Tranz almost sounds like a party song, pulsing rhythm and chilled relax vocals make the message hidden at first, but what I gather from this song is that it's about not being oneself, from excess of partying. It's almost more a warning to those who "party" to Gorillaz music. Don't lose yourself in a "culture".

Track 3: "Hollywood" (feat. Snoop Dogg & Jamie Principle)

The first track on the album to feature rap artists, as has become a mainstay in Gorillaz albums (and Snoop Dogg's second appearance!) has a very interesting perspective. This song is about the facade of Hollywood and the over-competitive nature; that jealousy and greed can literally kill us and has led us to this false altar of movie stars and shock news.

Track 4: "Kansas"

Kansas actually turned out to be one of my favorite songs on the whole album, but maybe I'm just drawn to melancholy. The message I got from this is not to hold on to the past so hard, not cry, when you have more time to give, and you can "Find another dream." The whole song just pumps with an ambivalent melancholy, happiness, and expectation vibe that really resonates with me. I'm sure for the artist this is more personal, especially in the wake of their recent album, but I can only comment on my reaction.

Track 5: "Sorcererz"

This one is interesting for me. A song about self-reflection. "What is this droning I'm hearing" is people mindlessly walking through their life. But the chorus gives several notes of advice, most notably "Everybody hold on to your inner visions." What is it that actually sets your life on fire to achieve something brand new? Later he says "Everybody mining their own inner visions," acknowledging all the work that goes into the future.

Track 6: "Idaho"

I'm a little mixed on this track, but I certainly find it compelling in its storytelling. It's a sadness and even depression that the artist expresses, even with a longing for a more rural simple life. I believe this song is the artist analyzing all of his career and that the silver lining, the bright side of it, is slowly fading.

Track 7: "Lake Zurich"

Primarily instrumental, this does feature pulsing sounds, brilliant drums, and bass you can dance to. It's very stellar, especially when the vocals kick in at first, sounding angelic and making one feel like they are boarding a train to heaven.

Track 8: "Magic City"

Another fantastic track, this one starts out with a deep analysis of our capitalism, ending the first verse with "Look there's a billboard on the moon." The artist wants to escape the "Magic City," but alluding to the earlier song, "Kansas," he almost needs some of the commercialism in order to reach the audience. Bridging the gap.

Track 9: "Fire Flies"

This is a deeply emotional track detailing a relationship between the artist and a lover. In this song, there are two choruses. The first "Cause all my fear's invading / All the crazies put on buses and sent up here to find you / Livin' on the limits" for me illustrates the insanity that he can feel in the relationship, or even that the lover exhibits. The second chorus, "All you ever get from the sonnet is the count of the fallen man / Every calling cost made to your heart / You were in the kind of game that put the force in me / I was ever chasing fireflies" shows a rejection in a romantic gesture in this case, in which a love sonnet is often regarded as a higly romantic gesture. The fireflies he alludes to are the blinking lights of romance that keep him in the relationship. He makes an apology and even pleads "Am I losing you?" but fights the duality.

Track 10: "One Percent"

I believe the title of this track is directed at the one percent who will truly take away from this track, to be open to every sound, every world, anyone who is in search of receiving. The second part of the song is about sharing that experience of openness, and how it actually feels like "the training ground / For the new world."

Track 11: "Souk Eye"

It seems the consensus of this song is the artist wrote it channeling a former member of the band, and that they will "always think about you," but I can't comment on that. The first two verses have some items that can be commented on. Specifically "Trying to find tomorrow ain't easy 'til you dive in" finally shows the message of the album title, about living in the now now. I especially enjoy the line, "Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you so sad?" as I have found in my experience when people, loved ones especially, are needing my help, I see a deeper inner beauty.

Conclusion

This album is definitely worth more than a couple play-throughs, with many excellent hits, deep songs, and a more typical Gorillaz vibe. Feels more like a cousin to Plastic Beach, which isn't bad by any means.