B-sides and demos compilations are inherently
dubious—they're essentially clearinghouses for second-tier tracks. Add
some remixes of well-worn singles, and they become essential for diehards only. Gorillaz'
double-disc D-Sides, an extension of the hit Demon Days, isn't as bland as that
description suggests, but like 2002's G-Sides, it lacks the luster of
the studio album that inspired it.
The remixes disc is mostly redundant, with three
versions each of "Dare" and "Kids With Guns" by the likes of DFA, Soulwax, and
Hot Chip. Since Gorillaz songs are essentially cut-and-paste endeavors to begin
with, adding bleeps and a new bassline doesn't mean much, and often detracts
from the group's appealing, eerily detached aesthetic. The B-sides and demos
are more interesting, though "People" is just an inferior draft of "Dare," and
"Rock It" sounds like a failed experiment unsuccessfully gussied up for a
second chance. The rest of the disc should have a familiar appeal for Gorillaz
fans, though a few standouts—particularly the fuzzed-out "We Are Happy
Landfill" and "Hong Kong"—are distinctive enough to make D-Sides more than just a
collection of table scraps.