The Band of Brothers

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Lore & Background

The album's name was inspired by Albarn and Hewlett's first visit to Amber Fort in Jaipur and a mountain they visited in western China during the production of Monkey: Journey to the West. Thematically, it is a cohesive work exploring death and the afterlife through the band's fictional characters. Hewlett emphasized that listeners are 'supposed to listen to it from beginning to end,' aiming to counteract modern scrolling culture. The project features posthumous appearances from Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, David Jolicoeur (Trugoy the Dove), Tony Allen, Proof, and Mark E. Smith, utilizing unused or alternate vocal takes. Albarn stated, 'I just thought, if we're going to talk about the subject of death, I need some people who are dead to help me talk about it.' The linear notes dedicate the album to both fathers, Hewlett's late mother-in-law Amo, and past collaborators including Lou Reed, Ibrahim Ferrer, Ike Turner, Terry Hall, MF Doom, and Craig Duffy.

In Their Own Story

In September 2025, The Mountain was debuted in full during a 'mystery show' at the Gorillaz 25th anniversary 'House of Kong' exhibition. Eight days later, the band announced the title, cover art, and an initial release date of 20 March 2026, which was subsequently brought forward to 27 February 2026. The opening track, 'The Mountain,' began with a recording of a musician playing a Rajasthan folk song on a ravanahatha near Amber Fort, later re-worked by Albarn in his hotel room and recorded with the Hindu Jea Band Jaipur; it features Dennis Hopper's vocals from outtakes of 'Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head.' The lead single, 'The Happy Dictator,' was inspired by Saparmyrat Nyýazow (Türkmenbaşy) and Turkmenistan's ban on bad news, featuring Sparks after they left a note in Albarn's dressing room at Primavera Sound. 'The Moon Cave' references David Lewis-Williams' book given to Albarn's father before his death, incorporating unreleased vocals from David Jolicoeur and Bobby Womack.

Reader's Guide

This album serves as a deep dive into the band's most personal work to date, produced by Albarn, Remi Kabaka Jr., James Ford, and Samuel Eggleston. Key listening highlights include 'The Empty Dream Machine,' which features Black Thought, Johnny Marr, and Anoushka Shankar; this track references Asha Bhosle's 1971 song 'Dum Maro Dum' and a real-life incident where Albarn lost his gold tooth in Miami while eating burritos. The song 'Orange County' was inspired by a planned collaboration with Peso Pluma that fell through, though it features Anoushka Shankar, Kara Jackson, and alternative production by Bizarrap. The second single, 'The Manifesto,' includes an uncredited appearance by flautist Ajay Shankar Prasanna and utilizes an unused freestyle from the late Proof. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200, earning Gorillaz their third UK number-one album.

Did You Know?

• The album title was inspired by a visit to Amber Fort in Jaipur and a mountain in western China.
• Damon Albarn specifically sought out unused vocal takes from deceased collaborators like Bobby Womack and David Jolicoeur to address themes of death.
• Albarn lost his gold tooth in a waste container in Miami while eating burritos, an incident referenced by Black Thought on the track 'The Empty Dream Machine'.
• The lead single 'The Happy Dictator' was inspired by Turkmenistan's former dictator Saparmyrat Nyýazow banning all bad news.
• The album features posthumous appearances from Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, David Jolicoeur, Tony Allen, Proof, and Mark E. Smith.