Democrazy

Democrazy is a 2003 vinyl-only double EP of demos by Damon Albarn, frontman of British rock band Blur and the animated group Gorillaz. It was released through Honest Jon's record label.

Democrazy
EP by
Damon Albarn
Released8 December 2003
RecordedJune–July 2003, various US hotels
Genre
Length29:30
LabelHonest Jon's
ProducerDamon Albarn
Damon Albarn chronology
Think Tank
(2003)		 Democrazy
(2003)		 Demon Days
(2005)
Damon Albarn solo chronology
Democrazy
(2003)		 Dr Dee
(2012)
Singles from Democrazy
  1. "A Rappy Song"
    Released: 8 November 2004

Background

Albarn recorded these songs, which are little more than demos, during the US leg of Blur's tour for Think Tank in various hotel rooms. He then decided to issue the result, on 8 December that year, in a double 10" vinyl set on his Honest Jon's label. On 22 December Albarn showcased the demos at a live gig in London's Neighbourhood club. One of the songs, "I Need a Gun", was extended and performed as "Dirty Harry" by Gorillaz on their album Demon Days. The track "A Rappy Song" has often been mis-labeled as an unnamed Gorillaz' track featuring Bootie Brown & Cee-Lo Green, however the song is little more than a remix made by a fan.

The songs on Democrazy are very sketchy, and some of the songs are unfinished in the way that they simply end by turning off the sound completely.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic45/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[2]
NME2/10[3]
Pitchfork Media3.2/10[4]
Stylus MagazineF[5]

The EP received mixed-to-negative reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 45, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on 9 reviews.[1] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian described the album as "occasionally brilliant and frequently irritating beyond belief" and wrote: "It is packed with interesting ideas, but is founded in an appalling self-importance."[2] Mark Beaumont of NME panned the album, describing it as "the half conceived, cottonmouthed rubbish."[3] Pitchfork Media critic Jedediah Gilchrist stated: "He's already recorded such a wealth of great material that no mystique remains, leaving no real reason for anyone-- including the most dedicated fan-- to seek out these poorly produced musical shreds."[4] Scott of Magazine Stylus Magazine wrote: "Serving as nothing more than a temporary diversion or side note to his fully realised work, this is worth a cursory listen for the insight alone."[5]

Track listing

Disc one
  1. "I Need a Gun" (demo version of "Dirty Harry") - 1:25
  2. "Reedz" - 1:22
  3. "Half a Song" - 1:06
  4. "Five Star Life" - 2:45
  5. "A Rappy Song" - 1:40
  6. "Back to Mali" - 1:04
  7. "I Miss You" - 2:21
  8. "Hymn to Moon" - 1:01

Disc two
  1. "Dezert" - 2:51
  2. "Sub Species of an American Day" - 2:25
  3. "American Welfare Poem" - 3:06
  4. "Saz Theory Book" - 2:35
  5. "Gotta' Get Down With the Passing of Time" - 2:17
  6. "End of Democrazy" - 3:39

References
  1. "Damon Albarn - Democrazy". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  2. Petridis, Alexis (5 December 2003). "Damon Albarn - Demcorazy". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  3. Beaumont, Mark (12 September 2005). "Albarn, Damon : Democrazy". NME. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  4. Gilchrist, Jedediah. Damon Albarn - Democrazy review Pitchfork Media. 2 March 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  5. McKeating, Scott (10 December 2003). "Damon Albarn - Democrazy". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2015.


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