Spacemonkeyz vs. Gorillaz

When the Gorillaz project was first introduced, the possibilities seemed endless. Who knew Damon Albarn, Dan the Automator and company would actually milk it so desperately with only their first album? With a certified hit record and a B-sides compilation already under their belt, a remix album wasn't so hard to predict. What is most surprising is that Laika Come Home is actually quite good, and that all of this cashing in the group is doing is working. Most likely because it was left in the hands of dub act Spacemonkeyz, all of the songs actually sound authentically theirs. Every song originally appeared on the Gorillaz album, so the fun of making comparisons is present. Highlights include the ska-flavoured "Lil' Dub Chefin, the nicely tweaked version of "Clint Eastwood," aptly titled "A Fistful of Peanuts," and the eerie "Dub 9." All Gorillaz need now is a live album and a DVD before they'll have to actually start work on a second album.