Friday, July 2, 2010

Damon Albarn and the UK Chinese Ensemble - Monkey: Journey to the West (2008)

This is the eponymous soundtrack of the stage show that bills itself as a "circus opera," another project by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the masterminds behind Gorillaz. The musical is an adaptation of Journey to the West, a 16th Century novel by Wu Cheng'en, but this is nothing like that cast recording of Les Misérables that you claim not to own, kids. If per chance you're feeling hesistant, check out this track, "Monkey Bee." It'll give you an inkling as to what you're in for. This record can be approached three ways, the first being fluent in Chinese. In the event you're not, it can be fun to go on Wikipedia and do some light reading so as to grasp the plot and know what's going on from track to track. The third (and easiest) way to approach it is simply clicking play and letting your mind go on the journey your ears present it with. Knowing the plot is fun, but it's not essential to enjoy this wonderful fifty-nine minutes and thirty-one seconds.

For fans of: Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, Demon Strings