Gorillaz scale new heights and vibes on 'The Mountain.'

Phot by me, from a long-ago Gorillaz tour.

I’ve been a fan of Gorillaz since the days of digging through the bins at Virgin or Tower in 2001 to get the first CD singles the band released. Back then they were often cheekily described by the music press as Damon Albarn’s attempt at a new millennial Archies. This was obviously an overly simplistic view given the band is still going strong 25 years later, but while the earlier albums seemed to have poppier singles and more cohesive themes, the last couple releases have played more like worldly dance parties or collected vibes. And their latest release The Mountain definitely falls into the vibes over “potential hits” camp. And I think that’s OK! Albarn clearly relishes his role as a bandleader unrestricted by any single genre, and has enjoyed slathering on the guest artists and co-contributors to his songs under the Gorillaz moniker. I might miss some of the quirkier sounds that turned into hits, but I’ll take the consistently rewarding sound baths we’ve gotten in recent years and happily submerge myself in them.

It did pop into my head during Gorillaz’s first appearance on Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago that most Gorillaz fans probably don’t know who Albarn is, even as the group grows only more popular with each release. And I did wonder how many sharp-eyed folks unfamiliar with the people in the band saw the promo clips for that episode featuring Alban and Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett, and then wondered why Hewlett wasn't on stage for the live sets. That made me giggle a little.