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Three’s Company

3 stars

 
Gorillaz
Plastic Beach
Virgin Records

Three is an important number. It can make or break movie trilogies (see: Star Wars or The Matrix). It can make a pitcher pretty pleased, or lead a batter to bust his bat. Placing third in the Olympics is a major life accomplishment, but you only receive a bronze medal. I am pretty sure I could melt down my bathroom faucet and make a bronze medal. With this in mind, we take a listen to the third release from virtual band Gorillaz. Podium winner or the discography's third wheel?

Esthero sang, “So sick and tired of the shit on the radio / And MTV, they only play the same thing no matter where I go.” That’s the essence behind Gorillaz, the brainchild of Damon Albarn, well known across the pond for his earlier endeavors with Britpop band Blur. Consisting of four fictional members (2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs), but only two non-fictional ones (Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett), the Gorillaz have turned their distaste of popular music into a multi-platinum act. Demon Days, the second release from Gorillaz, was produced mainly by the ultra-talented Danger Mouse. On Plastic Beach, Albarn takes back the reins.

The title instantly evokes a mental image of a secluded resort made entirely of garbage ... or Ohio. Albarn recruited musicians as diverse as Mos Def and Lou Reed to act as broadcasters of imminent environmental destruction, with varying outcomes. “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach” features the mangy, rangy Snoop Dogg and the scene-stealing brass band Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, rapping about ... sea conservation? “The evolution of the ocean, met with devotion / Push peace and keep it in motion,” rhymes Snoop. “Stylo” leaked awhile ago to positive feedback. It’s actually one of the weaker songs on the album, with electro-infused beats that  sound like a been-there-danced-to-that Don Was record (Although, kudos to Bruce Willis for his cameo in the video). The gorgeous lead track, “Orchestral Intro,” will remind listeners of Tiësto’s “Kaleidoscope” opening, except Gorillaz fail to deliver a quality outro. But we're not let down on the Albarn-led songs, “Rhinestone Eyes” and “Broken.”

The biggest knock against the album is that it's kind of a disjointed mess. A supremely solid effort flows from the first time we press play, but Plastic Beach is too eclectic to achieve any sense of cohesion. One track will be laden with samples and Auto-Tune choruses (didn’t Hova kill those?), and it’s immediately followed by a song full of dreamy vocals and dishy synths. The tracks aren't poor, just misplaced. Obviously, it’s been a while since Albarn made a mixtape for a crush on an indie-girl. With its motley styles, buying Plastic Beach feels like getting two albums for the price of one. Gorillaz win a bronze medal (or a bathroom faucet) for Plastic Beach. — Gary Bartle

Worth a listen: “Empire Ants” & “Sweepstakes”

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Get Experienced

4 stars

Jimi Hendrix
Valleys of Neptune
Legacy/Experience Hendrix

Nearly 40 years after his death, the family of Jimi Hendrix finally got around to mining the vaults of Electric Ladyland. In recent years, the Hendrix catalog has been bastardized by so many weird pseudo-bootlegs it was hard to know what to buy. The recordings on Valleys of Neptune portray Jimi in a more relaxed vibe, inspired by the changes in the musical landscape happening at the time. The CD also gives a glimpse into the direction that Jimi was headed before his passing. These songs are both tighter and looser with a more mature feel, more in tune with what was going on in the world around him. You hear a way funkier Experience, as they extend the grooves on reworked classics “Stone Free,” “Fire” and “Red House.” The songs just sound so much fresher with the newly-heard arrangements. Jimi’s playing is also more up front and fierce as he cuts loose on “Hear My Train A Comin,” “Look Over Yonder,” “Lover Man,” Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Elmore James’ “Bleeding Heart.” Valleys of Neptune is a solid addition to the Hendrix legacy, appealing to both the longtime fanatics and the new crop of axe-wielding boys and girls. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for the next vault release.      — Willy Wilson

Worth a listen: “Valleys of Neptune” & “Mr. Bad Luck”

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4 stars

Anthony Retka
Empire
Self-released

Anthony Retka balances the delicate and the devastating in a nostalgic folk style. This is music stripped down to just a voice, some plaintive poetry and warm, acoustic guitar. Retka is the singer/guitarist of a few other folk-leaning Detroit acts (Tone & Niche, The Mourning Voices), and Empire is his first solo record in five years. His easygoing acoustics cut to the heart, mingling with looped electrics full of yearning yarns and confessional ballads. “Sunset Lights” has a gravitas that puts the tingle on your forearm and a swirl in your stomach. — J. Milo

Worth a listen: “Sunset Lights”

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3 stars

Broken Bells
Broken Bells
Sony

On this new collaboration between The Shins' frontman James Mercer and  Danger Mouse, the duo decides to raise '60s lite-FM from the grave. On “The High Road,” the acoustic guitar, syrupy strings and background singers "ooh-ing" should have avoided aural resurrection. Fans of The Shins will gravitate to “Vaporize” and “Sailing to Nowhere.” Check out “The Ghost Inside” — it’s one track where Broken Bells stop sounding like relics and start sounding like the future. — Ashley Woods

Worth a listen: “The Ghost Inside”

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in my ear
Jason Shrum

Shrum is “a punker at heart making metal music.” He plays bass for Mean Mother as well as supplying “vo-kills” for metal outfit Today I Wait. If you’re in an ear-bleeding mood, Shrum offers this list. Check out Today I Wait at PJ's Lager House on 3/11 w/ Beast in the Field, Lost Coves and Year of the Pig. Myspace.com/meanmother; Myspace.com/todayiwait.

Priestess
Prior to the Fire
Kylesa
Static Tensions
Beast in the Field
World Ending
Charred Walls of the Damned
Self-titled
Keelhaul
Keelhaul’s Triumphant Return to Obscurity
Burnt by the Sun
The Heart of Darkness
Goatwhore
Carving Out the Eyes of God
Propogandhi
Supporting Caste
Soul Control
Cycles
Disfear
Live the Storm

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