Dr Dee- Damon Albarn

 8/10 
 Lucy in the Sky 

OMSG! this is an eargasm do not know how some people are talking shite about it. Perhaps idiots are not listening as what it is, a soundtrack of an opera so it obviously this is just  half the project, but what a fucking good half. It is inspiring and make your imagination go high just listen to  'The Moon Exalted' and then tell me if it doesn't take you anywhere.

This album is just the music of a story so it obviously can't be compared with chart music or what you usually listen on radio or even on your player.Every track on here was made to be played on 'Dr. Dee's opera but it follows that has some great folk-ish songs that you can play leaving the opera idea behind like 'Apple Carts' and 'The Marvelous Dream' that have been released like singles(or something) already, but there are more songs than you can listen like 'The Dancing King' which is such a TUNE and it has melancholy and a birdy ending. Even 'Saturn' can be a singles because it join the both sides the folk & African style and the opera music.


As for the opera songs we can highlight 'O Spirit, Animate Us' which is an exquisite piece of musical art. But the very distinguish is 'The Moon Exalted ' that could sound like it were two songs but at the end the conquer and melt in one beautiful song. 'Cathedrals' has a very deferent point which is to be opera but more "commercial" more like for a fairytale film.

There are also plenty of "pastoral" songs in the album which can be boring, but are better than go to church!.The music is magnificent the voices are weird but everything is relaxing, for example 'Tree of Beauty' is very quiet and sleepy.But There are also weird songs with a lot of African influence like ' Watching the Fire That Waltzed Away' which had a very interesting rhythm that put the fun fact in the album; theres also  'Point Star' an odd song that is almost out of context but somehow they managed it to made it part of the concept, and in a excellent way.

As often this is Damon Albarn working with a bunch of people so everyone should have credits here. The collective made a huge powerful sound.When Damon is not singing you still enjoying the music. The kind of music that make you sleep not because you are bored but because you are dreaming. The sound of the whole album is great just listen to 'Preparation' with a lovely African style or 'Moon (Interlude)' both say everything without a word. The flaunts and every instrument are admirable none overshadowing any one. An hallucinating great work.

The album in my opinion is amazing.The music is utter enjoyable and voices complement it. It grabs you and take to a different period of time and space or to a parallel world. Another good thing is that songs are short so the ones that for some people could be boring end fast. So don't be silly and don't mind the bollocks have a listen if you want and let your imagination fly.

To Listen: Apple Carts, The Moon Exalted,Saturn,The Marvelous Dream, Point Star,  Watching the Fire That Waltzed Away,The Dancing King

don't know (?) : Coronation

Go Hereto listen:
http://soundcloud.com/damon-albarn-official

or  here  (but don't read the stupid people comments):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/apr/23/damon-albarn-dr-dee-album-stream

"Your journey to the sun" Rocket Juice & The Moon selftitled album

7/10

Rated:Never Mind the Bollocks

To start, this album has been mostly slagged by idiots, specially by the NME that did a lame review where the bastard writer just wrote how much he hate Flea. But the truth is that Tony Allen,Damon Albarn & Flea made a good band alongside with all those african artists.

The album doesn't belong just to Damon,Flea and Tony, and think this is not a supergroup is Rocket Juice & The Moon and a self-titled album with a bunch of musicians working on it and The funk cosmic African sound is the work of everyone in the band you hear nobody outstanding which is fantastic. Is clearly how well they knew what they want and how they wanted to expose it. So we have to pay credit to every individual who worked on it.

From the first song of the album, '1-2-3-4-5-6' (in my opinion should been shorter) , it takes you through  an amazing African-ish galaxy journey, a psychedelic trip but very soft and relaxing which is very shown in 'Poison', best song of the album.It has no an explosive track but that's what make it so calm and beautiful, you even hear pieces of jazz that made you feel like in an animated film based on a outerspace New Orleans, very fun but classy.

Although it is a Damon Albarn band, it does sound like him but only have 2 songs featuring him,which is fine but too much instrumental stuff if some songs have at least few lyrics like 'There' it could be better. But the lack of lyrics works if you play the entire album because sound like a compilation of imported music mixed to be played by not only funk listeners. Is a exposure of Africa in their best and makes you want to know more about this kind of sound/music. For example the song 'Lolo' heated to take you to an African celebration and is rejoiceful.The sounds may not be new but are well done and made to take a taste of something out of the industrial music out there also sound very summer-y.

So to everyone that talk shit about this project, Grow Up! and give a chance. This is how a band sound when is having fun and to only to make money or because the record label want money.

Songs to listen: Poison, Chop Up,Benko,Lolo,Follow-Fashion,Hey Shooter,Check Out.

Not so good to listen on it's own: Rotary Collection, The Unfadable