Gorillaz - The Singles Collection 2001-2011 (8 x 7" single box set) Vinyl rip in 24 Bit/96 Khz + CD-format

It is no great surprise that a group designed as a concept would eventually specialize in concept albums, so when Gorillaz abandoned the giddiness that fueled their 2001 debut in favor of dense dystopian dance-rock operas, it seemed logical and the transition was eased by Albarn’s cunning knack for sharp crossover singles. Released in 2011, The Singles Collection 2001-2011 rounds up 15 of those singles – including remixes of early hits “Clint Eastwood” and “19/2000” and “Doncamatic,” which was added to later pressings of 2010’s Plastic Beach, but nothing from their iPad-recorded 2010 detour The Fall – and they make for an impressively consistent body of work, with Gorillaz finding many variations within their blend of Brit-pop, hip-hop, dance, and rock. In this context, it is clear that the three singles pulled from Plastic Beach – “Stylo,” “Superfast Jellyfish,” “On Melancholy Hill” – didn’t reach the same heights as those from Gorillaz and Demon Days because they were cobbled by a certain dourness – a quality lacking from the singles from the similarly pessimistic Demon Days and from “Doncamatic” – yet they don’t offer a sour coda on this Singles Collection; instead, they indicate the complexity of this cartoon pop group, which means this compilation isn’t merely a good collection of hits, it’s a fine introduction to the multifaceted pleasures of Gorillaz.–Allmusic

Tracks:

Disc 1

1 Clint Eastwood 5:54
2 Clint Eastwood [Ed Case/Sweetie Irie Refix/Edit] 3:40

Disc 2

1 19-2000 3:28
2 19-2000 [Soulchild Remix] 3:28

Disc 3

1 Tomorrow Comes Today 3:15
2 Rock the House 4:09

Disc 4

1 Feel Good Inc 3:42
2 DARE [Radio Edit] 3:32

Disc 5

1 Dirty Harry [Single Edit] 3:49
2 Kids with Guns 3:45

Disc 6

1 El Mañana 3:50
2 Stylo [Radio Edit] 3:52

Disc 7

1 Superfast Jellyfish 2:54
2 On Melancholy Hill [Radio Edit] 3:27

Disc 8

1 Rhinestone Eyes 3:20
2 Doncamatic 3:19