Gorillaz

Gorillaz

(Virgin Records)

With the vocal support of Damon Albarn, the lead singer of Blur, Gorillaz is the hip-hop, electronic, Cuban, reggae and punk version of the British-pop band.

Gorillaz is an animated band drawn by Jamie Hewlett, the creator of the Tank Girl comics, and the production work was done by Dan “the Automator” Nakamura.

The band is comprised of four very odd cartoon characters - 2-D, a cute, spiky-haired lead singer and keyboardist; Noodle, a 10-year-old Japanese girl who plays guitar and is portrayed stereotypically; Murdoc, a twisted-minded bassist - think Shaggy, from Scooby Doo, listening to AC/DC on heroin - and last but not least, Russel, a rapper/drummer who brings phat beats to the band.

The band’s debut album brings in surprise vocal guests from Cibo Matto’s Miho Hatori, rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Ibrahim Ferrer of Beuno Vista Social Club, and various members of Tom Tom Club.

Gorillaz’s single “Clint Eastwood” is already on the charts in the UK. This song emits a trippy, spacy sound with a hip-hop beat from vocalists Albarn and Del tha Funkee Homosapien. It’s an odd combination, but somebody had to do it.

The sixth track, “Man Research,” has a great electronic beat, while the next track, “Punk,” has a Clash-like sound.

The best song on the album has got to be “Rock the House.” Complete with a trumpet, a flute, a hip-hop sound and a rapper, it sets itself apart from the rest of the album. And don’t forget “Latin Simone,” a Cuban/Latin song that contributes to the album’s diverse sound.

Though some of the tunes are a bit slow at times, the behind-the-scenes concept and action is just simply amazing. This 15-song album is a mixture of everything that’s good about the music business.

Already released in the UK, Gorillaz’s debut album will hit U.S. music racks June 19. Until then, make sure you visit the band’s Web site, www.gorillaz.com, for a complete comical history and information about Gorillaz, and also to catch a clip of its live performance.