Damon Albarn Makes New Album, Artistically

There is a thin line between Amazingly Artistic and Kind of Crazy, and Ex-Blur comrade Damon Albarn is pushing it with his latest release. My estimation has him on the road map somewhere between “more artsy than you” and “more artsy than everyone,” which is the closest town to the border I’m aware of.

Aside from continuing his investigation into Asian music and culture, which he delved into during his recent involvement in the circus-like opera Monkey: Journey To The West, the explorative front man is incorporating around 130 people in his latest venture, including a 100-piece Chinese choir and an orchestra. The project has no title yet, but is due for release sometime in June, NME reported Monday.

Talking about the title, however, Albarn hinted at the possibility of more monkey involvement. “There's a monkey or two in there at least – a bit like Gorillaz as well. It's not an opera [though], it's a proper record." He then ground out his cucumber-sized spliff, sprouted wings and soared up through the skylight.

Personally, I believe Albarn could be committed to a psyche ward and spouting proto-hominid lore from inside his straight jacket, and it would still be worth listening to. What he really needs to do is get the straight-ahead-rocking Graham Coxon back on board to even his keel, and they can go about producing more trippy, impetuous rock music. But this will do for now.