Much has already been said about The Good, the Bad and the Queen on the web, but I still think they're subject worthy of discussion. It seems to me that, for most people, this band falls into a love it or hate it camp.

Put me in the former.

I admit, my first impression wasn’t exactly favorable. When you take into consideration the level of talent involved in the project, you can have very lofty expectations. But I think those expectations can prevent you from appreciating the quality of work they produce.

Take first, the members. Damon Albarn is, in my opinion, one the best songwriters to emerge in the past 20 years. His work in bands like Blur and the Gorillaz speaks for itself with its catchy hooks and lyrics. Then you have Simon Tong of the Verve who, while probably less well known, is a talented musician who uses an interesting variety of rhythms and sounds in his work. Tony Allen is probably the most underappreciated member of the group. His work with Fela Kuti  is amazing and perhaps worthy of a post later on…And then of course there is Clash bassist Paul Simonon, who is known for his strong reggae/dub influence. Don't forget that the album was produced by Albarn favorite Danger Mouse. With a crew like that, you can see why expectations are high.

The GtBatQ’s record is definitely on the dark side, which is really kind of surprising giving the upbeat influences from the members. Initially this put me off of it. There were catchy hooks on songs like “Northern Whale”, “Herculean” and “History Song” but really nothing that jumps out. What’s more interesting is the different styles and tempos. Take for example “80s Life” which is sort of an eerie waltz; exactly the eclectic sound that a band like the GtBatQ can pull off.

But really the more you listen to it; the more clever you notice the music is. It is really an interesting blend of sounds. You take dark pop and rock melodies with dub bass and Afro-beat rhythm and you start to see something.

This really hit me seeing it live at the 9:30 club. Despite the Post review, I thought it was a very entertaining show. Simonon clearly has an amazing stage presence, which is saying something as he really doesn’t sing lead. Nevertheless, there he was with his black fedora and cigarette dancing over the stage with an aura of cool that was unquestionable. Watching the band interact you could tell they were on the same wave length. In some of the later numbers such as “Green Fields” and the self-titled track as well as the unreleased “dog house” you could see the parts working beautifully as parts of the song almost broke into jam sessions with the group.

Allen in particular, I think, stood out. In an age where most rock drummers who have talent just flaunt it with crazy double kick drum solos or unnecessary fills, Allen blends in to the rest of the sound in the band. He knows when to play a really simple beat so as not to overshadow the rest of the parts in a song. At the same time, if you listen to some of the drum parts you can hear some great, complex beats. It just shows how it can all come together.

If you want to truly appreciate it, you should see the live show. It definitely influenced how I saw the band.

Take a listen and share your thoughts.

Listen/Download the concert in Washington via NPR here.

The Good, the Bad and the Queen - History Song

The Good, the Bad and the Queen - 80s Life

The Good, the Bad and the Queen - Herculean

 -- Kevin