{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use British English|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox album | name = Democrazy | type = EP | artist = Damon Albarn | cover = Albarn Democrazy.jpg | alt = | released = 8 December 2003 | recorded = June–July 2003, various US hotels | venue = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Lo-fi|electronic|indie rock}} | length = 29:30 | label = Honest Jon's | producer = Damon Albarn | prev_title = Think Tank | prev_year = 2003 | next_title = Demon Days | next_year = 2005 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Damon Albarn solo | type = EP | prev_title = | prev_year = | title = Democrazy | year = 2003 | next_title = Dr Dee | next_year = 2012 }}{{Singles | name = Democrazy | type = EP | single1 = A Rappy Song | single1date = 8 November 2004 }} }}
'''''Democrazy''''' is a 2003 vinyl-only double EP of demos by Damon Albarn, frontman of British rock band Blur and the virtual band Gorillaz. It was released through Honest Jon's record label.
==Background== Albarn recorded these songs, which are little more than demos, during the US leg of Blur's tour for ''Think Tank'' in various hotel rooms. He then decided to issue the result, on 8 December that year, in a double 10" vinyl set on his Honest Jon's label. On 22 December Albarn showcased the demos at a live gig in London's Neighbourhood club.
Some of the EP's tracks were later finished and repurposed for Albarn's other projects; the track "I Need a Gun" was used as the basis for the Gorillaz song "Dirty Harry", which appeared on their 2005 album ''Demon Days'', while the track "Half a Song" was repurposed 20 years later as "The Ballad" appearing on Blur's ninth studio album ''The Ballad of Darren'' (2023).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/blogs/music/track-by-track-blur-ballad-of-darren | title=Blur's 'The Ballad of Darren': Dive into our track-by-track }}</ref> The track "A Rappy Song" has often been mis-labeled as an unnamed Gorillaz' track featuring Bootie Brown and Cee-Lo Green, however the song is little more than a remix made by a fan.
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 45/100<ref name="mc">{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/democrazy/damon-albarn/critic-reviews | title=Damon Albarn – Democrazy | publisher=Metacritic | accessdate=22 February 2015}}</ref> | rev1 = ''Cokemachineglow'' | rev1score = 25%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/605/damon-albarn|title=Damon Albarn - Democrazy|website=Cokemachineglow|last=Hepburn|first=Peter|date=20 July 2004|access-date=22 November 2025|archive-date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006062227/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/605/damon-albarn|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Dotmusic'' | rev2score = 3/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/l_reviews_a/31677.html|title=Damon Albarn - ''Democrazy''|website=Dotmusic|last=Mulvey|first=John|date=December 4, 2003|access-date=November 22, 2025|archive-date=12 March 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312014306/http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/l_reviews_a/31677.html|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Guardian'' | rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="guardian">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/dec/05/popandrock.shopping4 | title=Damon Albarn – Demcorazy | work=The Guardian | date=5 December 2003 | accessdate=22 February 2015 | author=Petridis, Alexis}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Mojo'' | rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>Aside from a handful of instrumental snatches... Democrazy's main events are six or seven tantalising sketches. [Jan 2004, p.96]</ref> | rev5 = ''NME'' | rev5score = 2/10<ref name="nme">{{cite web | url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/damon-albarn/7240 | title=Albarn, Damon : Democrazy | work=NME | date=12 September 2005 | accessdate=22 February 2015 | author=Beaumont, Mark | archive-date=16 December 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061216052518/http://www.nme.com/reviews/damon-albarn/7240 | url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev6score = 3.2/10<ref name="p4k">Gilchrist, Jedediah. [https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/99-democrazy/ Damon Albarn – Democrazy review] Pitchfork. 2 March 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2011.</ref> | rev7 = ''Q'' | rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>A rare peep at the methods of a great songwriter. [Feb 2004, p.98]</ref> | rev8 = ''Stylus'' | rev8score = F<ref name="stylus">{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/damon-albarn/democrazy.htm |title=Damon Albarn – Democrazy |publisher=Stylus Magazine |date=10 December 2003 |accessdate=22 February 2015 |author=McKeating, Scott |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120636/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/damon-albarn/democrazy.htm |archivedate=4 March 2016 }}</ref> | rev9 = ''Uncut'' | rev9score = 6/10<ref>A rare and fascinating glimpse into the raw stuff of the creative process. [Jan 2004, p.103]</ref> }}
The EP received mixed-to-negative reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 45, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on 9 reviews.<ref name="mc"/> Alexis Petridis of ''The Guardian'' described the album as "occasionally brilliant and frequently irritating beyond belief" and wrote: "It is packed with interesting ideas, but is founded in an appalling self-importance."<ref name="guardian"/> Mark Beaumont of ''NME'' panned the album, describing it as "the half conceived, cottonmouthed rubbish."<ref name="nme"/> Pitchfork Media critic Jedediah Gilchrist stated: "He's already recorded such a wealth of great material that no mystique remains, leaving no real reason for anyone—including the most dedicated fan—to seek out these poorly produced musical shreds."<ref name="p4k"/> Scott of ''Stylus Magazine'' wrote: "Serving as nothing more than a temporary diversion or side note to his fully realised work, this is worth a cursory listen for the insight alone."<ref name="stylus"/>
==Track listing== ===Disc one=== # "I Need a Gun" {{small|(demo version of "Dirty Harry")}} – 1:25 # "Reedz" – 1:22 # "Half a Song" {{small|(demo version of "The Ballad")}} – 1:06 # "Five Star Life" – 2:45 # "A Rappy Song" – 1:40 # "Back to Mali" – 1:04 # "I Miss You" – 2:21 # "Hymn to Moon" – 1:01
===Disc two=== # "Dezert" – 2:51 # "Sub Species of an American Day" – 2:25 # "American Welfare Poem" – 3:06 # "Saz Theory Book" – 2:35 # "Gotta' Get Down With the Passing of Time" – 2:17 # "End of Democrazy" – 3:39
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs release|560952|type=album}}
{{Damon Albarn}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2000s demo albums Category:Damon Albarn EPs Category:Songs written by Damon Albarn Category:2003 debut EPs