Here it is: Damon Albarn's next solo album has been announced. The "sort of folk soul" project (as he described it to Rolling Stone), made with the help of XL Recordings head Richard Russell, is called Everyday Robots. It's out April 28, Revolt reports.

Following the success of Damon Albarn’s Monkey: Journey to the West, ENO presents the London premiere of Albarn’s visionar y new opera Dr Dee. Although largely unknown today, Doctor Dee was the quintessential Renaissance Man. From astrology to alchemy and physics to philosophy, his thirst for knowledge was insatiable and, as a key advisor to Elizabeth I, he is credited with providing much of the intelligence which shaped ‘the British Empire’ established under her rule. Dee also dabbled in the occult and, ultimately, this fascination destroyed him. Conned by a deranged medium, Dee’s career ended in disgrace and sexual scandal and he died discredited and penniless. This fascinating figure is bought to life by the extraordinary talents of composer and musician Damon Albarn, and director Rufus Norris. Albarn’s music is an ingenious mix of pop vocals, much of which he will perform live on-stage, with contemporary orchestral music played on 16th-century period instruments. Rufus Norris’s staging presents five centuries of English history and the three realms of earth, heaven and hell, with the virtuosic flare which has secured him a raft of awards and five-star reviews from London to Broadway.

As reported, the curiously-named supergroup made up of Damon Albarn, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen are readying an album. The self-titled release (Rocket Juice and the Moon), which will feature contributions from such guests as Erykah Badu, Fatoumata Diawara, M.anifest, Cheick Tidiane Seck, and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is out March 26 in the UK and Europe and March 27 in North America via Albarn's imprint Honest Jon's-- find the tracklist below. (Pitchfork)

意境——秋日海港 这是一张属于秋天的专辑。忧郁、怀旧、感伤却又平静淡然。既有繁华逝去的悲怆，又有时光沉淀的收获。所以，在聆听这张《The Good, The Bad & The Queen》时，你所感受到的不会是懵懂的少年站在空旷的原野上为赋新辞强说愁，而是一个中年男子漫步在英国的小镇上，徘徊于傍晚的港口边，平静地思索着人生，偶尔会忆起年轻莽撞的过往而微笑自嘲，偶尔会为人类无休止的争战而忧愁，他给自己套上沉重的责任感，同时向往着平静、自然的乡村生活。 阵容——元老精英 blur与Gorillaz的主脑Damon Albarn、The Clash的贝司手Paul Simonon、The Verve的吉他手Simon Tong、Fela Kuti的鼓手Tony Allen，以及天才混音DJ－Danger Mouse，如此的阵容能让你想到什么？“活化石”级精英乐队？各大牌不甘示弱互拼技艺的摇滚秀？不，也许正是因为他们都已经不再是轻狂迷茫的青年，懂得淡然，懂得低调，所以懂得好音乐需要有主次详略。Damon平静舒适的吟唱与Paul低沉稳重的Bass作为主线贯穿始终，出挑而令人无法忽视。而Simon清冷的吉他与Tony的鼓则一直中规中矩，毫无逾越之感——当然，最后一首颇似即兴Jamming的《The Good, The Bad & The Queen》是个例外，几位精英各自拿出看家本领你追我赶，互不相让，愈演愈烈的节奏不停地挑逗着听者的神经。 Damon Albarn——灵性依旧 Damon究竟有何种魄力，能够号召起一众乐坛前辈为他献技？我想大概是他作为音乐主创者一直以来所保持的才思与灵性。上个世纪末那些出色的Britpop名团中，我之所以对blur偏爱有加，就是因为他们音乐中那挥之不去的灵气。直到Gorillaz时期，转变了音乐风格的Damon依旧是才思满溢，丝毫没有枯竭的征兆。而此次走独立路线的The Good, The Bad & The Queen依然保持了无限的新鲜感与相当的水准。Damon式音乐花哨而不繁复的编曲背后，是一众英伦老炮经过岁月的磨砺而沉淀下的才情。 音乐——萧瑟隽永 整张专辑的怀旧气息很浓重，正如开头所说，给人一种漫步于秋日夕阳中英国小镇的海港上的感觉。专辑中的各首歌曲水准相当，没有相比之下特别出挑的——其实我宁可说，首首皆为精品，以致于使整张专辑显得没有高潮与低谷。歌与歌之间巧妙的过渡与衔接也是这张专辑的出色之处，连贯性很强——一口气听完整张专辑，倒像是只听了一首歌。编曲华丽却并不冗杂，Paul的bass始终是最夺人耳线的主导。歌词方面，Damon表达了他对人类生活的高度关注——战争、爱情，以及对平静安稳的幸福的追求。 The Good, The Bad & The Queen——好人、坏蛋还是皇后一样都是人，一样都做着生存所必须做的事，与其为了虚浮的名利而身心交瘁，倒不如甩掉包袄，呼吸一下乡野的新鲜空气，活出自己真正想要的人生——安然、幸福.

“Journey To The West”中文翻译过来其实就是“西游记”，这张专辑是基于出于华人导演陈士争之手的同名音乐剧——《Journey To The West》的一张音乐专辑。这部音乐剧从08年6月起在欧洲巡回演出，明年将会去北美上演。这张专辑或者说这部音乐剧之所以会被公众关注还有很大一个原因是这个外国版的《西游记》请到了Blur乐队的作曲主唱Damon Albarn，以及Damon Albarn的搭档Jamie Hewlett分别来作曲和做舞台服装设计。而Damon Albarn和Jamie Hewlett 正是风靡全球的虚拟电子乐队Gorillaz的两位首脑。 虽然是外国人制作，但是整张专辑都是由中文来演唱的。风格也是与Gorillaz的风格大不相同，但是为了看看外国人是怎样理解中国的文化还是可以尝试一下这张专辑的。 转载自