A Greater Escape

The self-titled debut LP by The Good, The Bad & The Queen, released in 2007, is a far greater achievement than might be expected, given the group's lineup. Masterminded by ex-Blur frontman Damon Albarn, the group also includes Paul Simonon (former bassist for The Clash), Simon Tong (second guitarist in The Verve), and pioneering drummer Tony Allen (Fela Kuti's saving grace). Although that does sound like a supergroup, seriously: when was the last time Simonon's name was attached to something forward-thinking (Havana 3AM anyone?)? And, sure, I liked Blur when I was in my late teens, but I haven't been able to revisit much of their output in the last 10 years. The idea, however, that Tony Allen's peerless drumming is what would give relevance to this gang of British Pop used-to-be's is entirely wide of the mark. In the footage I have seen of the group, Albarn is clearly having some "classic British bad teeth" issues. The guy is clearly a lifetime away from chasing the pop stardom he once achieved in Blur. His songwriting for The Good, The Bad & The Queen inhabits a distinctly melancholy universe, while the album somehow comes off as uplifting. It is precisely this tension that makes the LP such a success. A moody affair from start to finish, the album features many inspired textural effects from Albarn and Tong, using organ, melodica and general atmospheric sound to enhance the pop group structure. Simonon plays to his strengths, keeping a steady, dub-inspired feel throughout, reminiscent of "The Guns Of Brixton". This helps to ensure an ominous tone, and also gives Allen room to flourish. Having said that he is not the focal point of the group, Allen's effortless-sounding rhythms certainly add a unique feel to many of Albarn's strong songs. His playing has a feel that sits in a strange zone in between a shuffle and a straight four, and the complex rhythms he invents sound as if they just tumble right out of his head. Several of the songs either feature no drums at all, or include Allen only in codas. The sparse nature of the instrumentation allows for each nuance that IS added to have maximum effect. The idea that Dangermouse has done post-production sounds like a nightmare, but he also shows restraint and only adds to the affair, especially on "Herculean". It's curious that although Albarn had a hand in starting the Honest Jon's label (which co-released this LP with EMI), he doesn't merely draw on it's roster, or it's World Music leanings, for The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Although Allen is an Honest Jon's mainstay at this point, the rest of the lineup have been brought into what must have been a truly unique and challenging situation. Rather than sounding like Albarn's reflection of the Honest Jon's universe, this LP simply sounds like the product of a man who has matured, and is drawing on seemingly disparate elements to realize a unique vision. I really hope it's not a one-off.