 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Plastic Beach
Common Sense Media says
Virtual band talks eco issues on slightly edgy CD.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this album's good points outweigh the bad. Skip tracks 3 and 12, "White Flag" and "Sweepstakes," because those are the songs that include bad language. Other than that, the songs are pretty clean and take a novel approach to tackling tough social topics. Kids might see the negative aspects of eating junk food and over-consuming, and find some interesting insight into the environmental movement here.
What's the story?
Garbage in the sand -- that's said to be Gorillaz's co-creator Damon Albam's inspiration for the band's third studio album, PLASTIC BEACH. Albam took the concept further by reportedly researching landfills and ecosystems to come to a realization that nature is adapting in a unique way to the effects that most see as exclusively detrimental. But this isn't a science journal article, and there's definitely plenty of music to be had on the album as well. Gorillaz is known for their guest contributors, and this CD does not disappoint, with Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, and Mos Def to name a few lending their talents to the release.
Is it any good?
Despite being a virtual band, Gorillaz consistently prove that they can make real music that doesn't hide behind techno tricks. Credit should go to the band for digging deep into social issues and staying optimistic without necessarily being patronizing or cliche. Some of the lyrics might leave you scratching your head ("We left the taps running, for a hundred years, so drink into the drink, a plastic cup of drink") but others shine with modern precision ("Your love's like rhinestones falling from the sky, that's electric, with future pixels in factories far away, here we go again, that's electric"). Although 2 songs are iffy, the rest are OK for teens, and may give them food for thought.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the environment and our culture. How does being connected to the Internet help fuel environmental causes, and how does our digital culture disconnect us from nature? What do you think about this band's concept that the two different worlds will somehow merge peacefully? Are you optimistic that the environment will be preserved for future generations?
What do you think about this "virtual band's" popularity? What do you think it means to the music industry to have a band so successful that doesn't rely on flashy images and sex appeal, but rather disguises itself behind fictional cartoon characters? Do you think because of the sales of this album that there will be more virtual bands "logging on" to the charts?
Families can talk about investigating albums for inappropriate content. Can your family come to a compromise if there are one or two songs on an LP that are inappropriate, but the majority of the album is okay? Does buying digital singles make it easier to pick and choose which songs are acceptable?
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AGE
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!
Great music, i love the gorillaz, 2D is epic win, there are brief swears, and some sexual stuff in some, but other than that 1 million stars!
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AGE
Good CD
Love it. Enough said. jk its a good CD except the swearing
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AGE
best album yet
Best album yet! only bad language in two songs. They take on eco issues without making it sound like a science report. If you take off those songs, any kid could listen to it.
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Kid, 12 years old
June 11, 2010
AGE
Slightly edgy, but mostly clean fun.
This is probably the most clean Gorillaz CD. With great, fun songs like "Superfast Jellyfish", poking fun of old breakfast commercials, to "Stylo", with a groovy bass line and unintelligible lyrics. 2D, Noodle, and Russel are pretty good role models, but watch out for Murdoc. He is a bit edgy. The song, "Sweepstakes", Mos Def says the F-bomb two times, but he's rapping so fast it sounds like "funky". "White Flag" might be for older kids, but if you have parental advisory, it'd be safer. This album is mostly candy-filled fun.
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AGE
Best cd of Gorillaz (so far)
This is third third and cleanest cd by Gorillaz. Yeah, there is some cursing "sh*t" in White Flag but that is the most noticeable curse on the album. Yeah, on Sweepstakes Mos Def says the F-word a couple times but he's rapping so fast it sounds like funky not the other word. The cd is positive over all, with messages of being "green-friendly" (per se) on most of the songs. But it is alot different from their past albums. This one is more techno, like the single "Stylo". but I play this cd for my little brothers (2 and 5) and they just love it.
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AGE
Good but not as good as demon days
Very good album
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AGE
what?
sex is never mentioned in rhinestone eyes.although other songs do cuss..oh yea and murdoc is an alchoholic satenest o.0
good as long as your kids know not to repeat certen lyrics
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AGE
3 Gorillaz Storyline References
Ya Know, It's Just like the Storylines of Gorillaz, Life with Russel and Noodle, and The Rise of Cyber Noodle.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 8, 2010
AGE
skip white flag and it's perfect for younger tweens
no, no, you got it all wrong. the refrences to condoms are in some kind of nature. it's in the phrases "some kind of plastic i could wrap around you" and "plastics and digital foils that wrap around the sound to protect the girls from the spiritual poison you spill at night" although the refrences sound so nonsensical that it will go right over your kid's heads. but the message about syntheic materials is still strong. there's no iffy content in rhinstone eyes but the phrase "sex on the beach gonna try for a baby" is actually in white flag. they rap so fast in sweepstakes that if there's any sign of iffy content it would be when you hear the word "mother", but you can still find the message about the lottery and gambling in there. the reason i said that there are bad role models is because most of the time the singer is singing in the "role" of the "villian", which might confuse younger kid's. example; "don't waste time witcho net, our net worth is set" "aim high, why not".
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| Artist: | Gorillaz |
| Release date: | March 9, 2010 |
| Label: | Virgin Records |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Parental advisory: | No |
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