Gorillaz Animated Music Video Depicts Urban Decay In Michigan
By @GeorgeJFox
Amid singing pizza, deformed monsters and golfing on asteroid belts the urban decay setting of Gorillaz new music video for their song "Saturnz Barz (Spirit House)" could seem merely peripheral.
Typically never seen in their videos or performances -- the British virtual band kept up the tradition with this almost 6-minute, 360-degree animated video posted to YouTube Thursday.
It begins with a computer-generated setting seen in many Detroit communities, an abandoned block with a single boarded up home complete with overgrown lawns, long forgotten for sale signs and lots of trash. Like a cliche horror movie, the band pulls up and approaches the creepy rundown home, rings the doorbell as a stormcloud bursts overhead. Each member enters and goes their separate ways. The thing they are drawn to -- be it a bed, a fridge, a bathtub or a record player become their nightmare. Watch it in 360 here.
Was it all a dream? Who knows? They leave the house in search of breakfast and drive through more former residential areas marked for development and surrounded by jam packed freeways.
Why Detroit? Maybe it will be revisited as more music and videos are released.
Bass Tzar Run on the Michigan license plate is visible at the end. It's a loose anagram for the name of the video "Saturnz Barz".
The music video shot to #1 in YouTube trends Thursday. A tweet from the band points to YouTube contributing to the the cutting edge video production, but details are sparse.
Watch #SaturnzBarz Spirit House NOW! ???? to @YouTube for making this a reality.
— gorillaz (@gorillaz) March 23, 2017
360: https://t.co/gdb8atNanw
2D: https://t.co/ytzDG94lO9 pic.twitter.com/yY1rzy9YZ2
This is Gorillaz first album release in 6 years. "Humanz" will be released April 28.
Here's the track list.
1. "Ascension" feat. Vince Staples
2. "Strobelite" feat. Peven Everett
3. "Saturnz Barz" feat. Popcaan
4. "Momentz" feat. De La Soul
5. "Submission" feat. Danny Brown & Kelela
6. "Charger" feat. Grace Jones
7. "Andromeda" feat. D.R.A.M.
8. "Busted and Blue"
9. "Carnival" feat. Anthony Hamilton
10. "Let Me Out" feat. Mavis Staples & Pusha T
11. "Sex Murder Party" feat. Jamie Principle & Zebra Katz
12. "She's My Collar" feat. Kali Uchis
13. "Hallelujah Money" feat. Benjamin Clementine
14. "We Got The Power" feat. Jehnny Beth