Videos by American Songwriter
Damon Albarn
Everyday Robots
(Parlophone/Warner Brothers)
3.5 out of 5 stars
Between his previous high profile stints as the frontman of Blur, the brains behind funky/techno-cartoons Gorillaz, a member of world music supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen and the impetus behind Bobby Womackâs 2012 comeback among many others, itâs startling to realize this is Damon Albarnâs first âpopâ project under his own name. Considering the wildly diverse styles the UK musician has dabbled in, often quite successfully, itâs encouraging that he and producer (and XL label owner) Richard Russell have crafted this warm, chilled-out set that rides basically one groove, yet does it exceptionally well.
Albarn time travels back to David Bowieâs Berlin days, keeps the tempos on low boil, and even brings in Brian Eno as a supporting musician to help create primarily keyboard driven music that feels natural and earnest. Melodies are as elusive and hypnotic as the sometimes skeletal backing yet his soulful voice is inviting and intriguing. Thatâs particularly true of the stark ballad âYou and Meâ where Albarn sounds so much like Bowie even fans might mistake the two. Lyrics such as âwe were walking like zombies hung over/to the church of John Coltraneâ are difficult to fathom, yet their amorphous qualities fit the overall approach and seem to have substance even in the most obtuse moments.
Little will reach out and grab you on first listen, but after a few tunes, Albarn entices you to stay for the whole project. The stark cover art implies loneliness and perhaps loss, however even the most stripped down tracks exude a confidence and poise that only an artist as talented and confident as Albarn could create. The album unravels its charms slowly and deliberately and after itâs over youâll be beckoned back to soak in more of its sublime, beguiling mystique.