Gorillaz Album: “Laika Come Home”

...and that's ok, too.

Let's review the flaws, first:

1) Its the same songs, AGAIN.

2) Its nothing like the source material.

OK, downsides listed. Perfectly respectable downsides, yes, we all already own these songs once or twice. However, true to roots dub, that's sort of the point and its well represented here. And, since it is well represented here, its nothing like the original rock songs, its not even like the hiphop songs, its dub.

You get dub (real dub, not electronic thumpathumpa crap) when a producer would take the source material and manipulate it to create fresh music for the sound systems. Vocals out, lead insturments out, rhythm in. Up the bass, up the drums, and let it roll. Punch in a riff, punch in a word, then out again and run the whole thing through more reverb than you can shake a stick at. That's what you've got here. And its not just dub, but its fantastically well done dub. Its an album that's tuned for raving Gorillaz fans, dub fans, and ideally for people who are both. Or will become both.

This may not be the record for you, thankfully Amazon provides you with sound samples. Use them. What you hear is what you get, so stop whining about how much it sucks cause its the same songs over again or because its a style you don't like.

The progression of my purchase: this album, then gorillaz 1 & 2. Yeah gorillaz know how to kick it, but this album? I go through life with a soundtrack, and this cd isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. Cmon, lets face it y'all, there is more to reggae than we think. This is just a step in a new and right direction. Mixing the low bass and mystical fog feel of dub with the feel good sound of reggae, and a splash of dance, this is it. There's nothing better than a 20 minute instrumental, with smooth tunage and sounds out of nowhere to mezmerize the soul.

If you dig this, you should pick up the Dead 60's dub/extended version of their only album. Plus, Reggae From Finland, out last year. Soul Captain Band, and a plethora of dub djs (plus hot smart women) make Finland worth visiting..

So yeah, buy this. And Spacemonkeyz? PLease make more of this!

this CD blew me away... when my friend, juanki, first told me about it, i thought they were most definetely going to KILL the original gorillaz songs, but I was dead wrong. Hypnotic beats, and slow melodies make the gorillaz come alive, like something out of Dub Side Of the Moon (Easy Star All Stars)... any gorillaz fan, or reggae fan alike will definetely LOVE this album

As you'd expect with a cd that doesn't even list the name of the big band first, "Space Monkeys vs. Gorillaz: Laika Come Home" is like eating just the complementary rolls at a steakhouse. Sure, they're delicious, and there's nothing wrong with it, but the experience could be so much better with some of the restaurant's trademark meals. Such is the case in the Gorillaz eatery.

Some of the tracks fall flat, such as the lack of the spooky background voices in "New Genious". The real problems are mostly due to monotony and similarity within the tracks, most noticeably the first two, both of which go the reggae angle, almost identically. The only reggae track which doesn't overstay its welcome is the mix of the top single, "Clint Eastwood". Rasta's an everpresent theme throughout the album, but luckily, other tracks make up for the sins of the others.

"Banana Baby", a remix of "Tomorrow Comes Today", is the first great track of the album, beginning with a haunting and everlasting techno beat which can never seem to get enough steam, thankfully. "P45" offers the most energetic and perky Gorillaz track since the "19/2000" remix from the Ice Breakers commercial. "Dub 09" somehow manages to be even creepier than "starshine" the track from the self-titled cd from which it was mixed.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, the metaphorical steak dinner is the first cd, the self-titled, best selling tribute to 2-D, Noodle, Russel, and Murdoc. "Laika Comes Home" is a good cd, and while it isn't nearly as good as "Gorillaz", and probably not quite as good as "G-Sides", Gorillaz still prove their abilities. Listen to these two back to back, and when Gorillaz begins to add more menu items, you'll be sure to return for seconds.

You will enjoy this Album, especially if you enjoy Reggae.

While randomly going through CD's on sale at a store (somewhere in India) I saw this one for about $7. For 7 bucks, it wouldn't hurt to listen. Having heard it, the experience was worth more (maybe the full price too).

The background is traditional Reggae rhythym, yet each track is contemporarily styled and fused with different Instruments. I guess this is a hallmark of the SpaceMonkeyz. I often find myself listening to this album alongside tracks from Willie Williams, Max Romeo, UB40 and even Pink Floyd amongst other artists that have a strong anchoring in easy tunes and rhythyms. The mixes were all originally part of the Gorillaz album from 2001 (except perhaps one track at the end). Even if you do own the original album, buy this one, it is very different and will not fail to surprise you.