Gorillaz And Arcade Fire Released New Anti-Trump Songs And Both Underwhelm

A new Gorillaz song is a reason to celebrate in itself, and the same goes for a new Arcade Fire song. Both of them in the same day is borderline lunacy, and yet here we are, and it’s ultimately disappointing.

Talk of Damon Albarn’s fifth LP under the Gorillaz moniker started back in October 2015, and nothing could have prepared us for the curiosity that is “Hallelujah Money” — although the track will not be featured on the new album, according to its press release. Featuring Benjamin Clementine — more so Clementine featuring Gorillaz — the arrival of the duo’s first new song in six years the day before Donald Trump’s inauguration is no coincidence.

“And I thought the best way to perfect our tree / Is by building walls / Walls like unicorns / In full glory / And galore / And even stronger / Than the walls of Jericho,” Clementine sings in the song’s first verse, obviously referring to Trump’s campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S. Mexican border. In the song’s video, Clementine creepily stares into the camera, while all manner of bizarre images flash behind, the final clip showing SpongeBob SquarePants crying and running away from the screen.

While both tracks could certainly fit right at home in some sort of dystopian film, it’s hard not to feel entirely underwhelmed by both tracks. Both instrumentals remain static throughout the course of the songs, providing very little incentive for the listener to return to either. Albarn is barely even visible in his own track, and Clementine doesn’t come across as either delightfully villainous or righteously inspiring. Butler and Staples literally repeat the same phrases over and over again throughout “I Give You Power,” and while the track is a little groovier than Gorillaz’s, it all sounds like a forgettable “Gold Digger” ripoff.

While 2016 was a great year for protest music, Trump’s presidential election is guaranteed to propel protest music throughout the next four years, and at some point, it’s all going to get boring, and, frankly, just bad. That doesn’t mean there won’t be some incredible songs of political importance from here on, just as these tracks don’t reduce the brilliance of either artist, but when Gorillaz and Arcade Fire both fall short within the first month of 2017, things aren’t looking too great.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.