Twelve years ago, Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett formed Gorillaz — a ”virtual band” whose animated avatars and woozy beats pastiche seemed custom-fit for a dawning era of smartphones, iPods, and other Jetson-y gizmos. ”I’m useless, but not for long/The future is comin’ on,” Albarn drawled on their first single, the dubby alt-chart hit ”Clint Eastwood.”

He was right: Gorillaz’ self-titled debut sold 
almost 2 million copies in the U.S. and made them stars, albeit in physical absentia (even in live performances, they are hidden behind 
 giant cartoon projections). A half decade after their last release, 2005’s multiplatinum sophomore outing Demon Days, the band has returned, once again gilding their four-character core with a delightfully random roster of guest stars: Snoop Dogg, legendary soul smoothie Bobby Womack, Lou Reed, and the Clash’s Mick Jones among them.

To hear some new tunes visit MYSPACE

To read the complete review visit ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

When Gorillaz first emerged on the music scene, the idea of a virtual band composed of edgy cartoon personas that existed only on screen seemed both strange and brilliant. It may have been a gimmick, tailor-made for MTV back when it still regularly played videos, but it was an inventive one. And with huge breakthrough hits like “Clint Eastwood,” “Tomorrow Comes Today” and “Feel Good Inc.,” it was hard not to get caught up in the contagious combination of dub, hip-hop, Brit-pop and electronic music.

Gorillaz is essentially the brainchild of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and comic-book artist Jamie Hewlett — best known for his work on Tank Girl — who dreamed up the project back in 1998. Albarn would handle the music while Hewlett would design the characters (2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel), which serve as the visual element in Gorillaz’s stylishly animated music videos.

To read the complete article and hear the new album visit NPR