So much happened with Gorillaz and their magical song machine between the release of the video for "Strange Times" and our wordy review of the Robert Smith collab. The beloved virtual band announced that Song Machine would be made into an album or rather a "season," called Strange Timez. Before it released on October 23, the video for "Pink Phantom" featuring rapper 6lack and Elton John in a "Benny and the Jets"-style ballad.
Before the album dropped, the heavily-anticipated, band member-curated "Song Machine Mixes" finally showed up on YouTube. When the album finally did drop, Gorillaz held a live "Song Machine With Friendz" Zoom listening party with Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett and many of the artists featured on the album such as Leee John, Kano and St. Vincent. Finally, shortly after the release, the next video for "The Valley of the Pagans" featuring Beck popped up in a GTA-style run through LA while Beck and 2-D alternately berate the city's vapid populace.
Far from being caught up, Song Machine Episode One: Strange Timez has a full ten more tracks (including "Pink Phantom" and "The Valley of the Pagans) on it for us to go over, so in the interest of saving wordcount, let's dig right in.