First, he's got the new Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, nearly finished. According to a Guardian interview, it's the "most pop record [he's] ever made" and features guest turns from Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Barry Gibb, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, and the Horrors. (De La Soul are on there too.)

 

Then there's the previously reported opera he's working on with Watchmen scribe Alan Moore, as well as a new trio with the suddenly ubiquitous Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fela Kuti percussionist Tony Allen (who previously worked with Albarn in the Good, the Bad and the Queen).

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/audio/2009/nov/28/showing-off-damon-albarn

Man, Damon just keeps on pumping out material.

Damon Albarn has revealed Gorillaz' third album will be called 'Plastic Beach'.

 

Speaking to Paul Morley, he explained the album is nearly finished – and he has plenty of other projects that are also nearer fruition.

 

He said: "This whole Gorillaz album, 'Plastic Beach', which is nearly finished now, started off as 'Carousel'. [it's] sort of about the mythical aspects of Britain. Obviously, because it's Gorillaz we've moved it to a different place, but it still maintains a lot of that melancholy."

 

Albarn explained in the Guardian interview that his intention was to make a very pop record in reaction to The X Factor's domination of the genre.

 

"I'm making this album the most pop record I've ever made in many ways, but with all my experience to present something with some depth to it," he said.

 

"I've tried to connect pop sensibility with trying to make people understand the essential melancholy of buying a ready made meal in loads of plastic packaging. People who watch X Factor might have some emotional connection to these things, that detritus that accompanies what seems the most essential thing in people's lives these days, the celebrity, the voyeurism."

 

The album, which is due out next year, will feature the Syrian National Orchestra – "I've done so much orchestra stuff for it, and I'm only going to use a fraction of it," he explained – while Albarn admitted he was unable to get legendary crooner Engelbert Humperdinck involved, admitting "you win some and you lose some".

 

Alongside Gorillaz, Albarn explained that his next project will be with graphic novelist Alan Moore on a commission for the Royal Opera House, plus he is "making an album with Tony Allen and Flea which I've nearly finished, hopefully the end of this year… and I'd like to do another The Good, The Bad & The Queen album if we get the chance, because we’re all really good friends".

Pop = eugh

I am pants shittingly excited for the new Gorillaz album.

 

you miught look down on "pop" which I guess I can understand. but how can this not inspire confidence that it's going to be amazing:

 

"I've tried to connect pop sensibility with trying to make people understand the essential melancholy of buying a ready made meal in loads of plastic packaging."

This is great news. A new Gorillaz album soon! Can't wait for it as the last two were fantastic especially Demon Days. I'm relieved that Blur didn't reform in a way because it would have got in the way of Albarn's projects.