Collaboration is the name of the game with this album. De La Soul returns from “Feel Good Inc.” to appear with Gruff Rhys on “Superfast Jellyfish”— a prime track for heading down to the beach. It’s rich, cheeky and just plain fun. Mos Def lends his talents to two songs on the album. Snoop Dogg shows up on “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach,” which serves as a welcome mellow start to the album.

Then there are other oddities that end up right at home among the rest of the mix. “White Flag” starts off with an Bollywood-esque tabla interlude — courtesy of the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.

Later on the album Lou Reed and Bobby Womack appear, and the title track reunites Paul Simonon and Mick Jones from The Clash. But the undertones from the Gorillaz are woven throughout the album, despite the joint influences.

“Stylo,” the first single from “Plastic Beach,” is a curious melding of a slowed-down grubby, funky beat, paired with Bobby Womack’s random spoken-word chorus. The video fittingly echoes this; we see the band speeding down a desert road in a muscle car riddled with bullet holes. The band members look just as haggard and run-down as the car. Bruce Willis makes a cameo in the music video.

The real treat in the video, though, is when band members Noodle, Murdoc and 2D transform into 3D. This is the first time we’ve been able to experience the virtual band interact with our reality and not just in holographic or cartoon form. The fourth member, Russel, is absent from the video and Noodle is an android.

But this is the Gorillaz, and it’ll all make sense eventually. Since the band is made up of fictional characters, the added enjoyment is in its dramatic and quirky storylines. It’s amusing to watch it all play out.

Eclecticism has always been the Gorillaz forte, and “Plastic Beach” is no exception. At times, the album seems a bit distracted, but each track is solid and unquestionably theirs. Despite the collaborative fingerprints throughout, they don’t smudge the gestalt of the album.

So regardless of where you’re headed for spring break, take a vacation, relax, and bask in the light of “Plastic Beach.”

Although performance arts courses are not offered at SCAD Atlanta and even though many of the cast members had previous theater experience, they all gave heartfelt performances.

The lack of experience did not diminish the dialogue, and it was even an advantage, according to Kat Reynolds, who was both director and a performer.

“We actually wanted women who were non-performers,” Reynolds said. “This was important because the author [playwright Eve Ensler] wanted the actors to make use of note cards, as well as have the least amount of rehearsals necessary to create a bond between the cast.”

Reynolds went on to explain that throughout December, they all met for three hours, once a week. Rehearsing was kept minimal to evoke the most sincere feelings and reading by the cast, rather than chance the degradation of the dialogue through memorization. The intentional unpracticed delivery provided for an ideal atmosphere.

Julie Sharpe gave a hilarious and on-pointe delivery of the monologue, “My Angry Vagina,” which consisted of a brazen-yet-poetic laundry list of the tribulations women face just because they’re women. Among them, the sadistic nature of tampons; the ludicrousness of letting your boyfriend “tell you you’re supposed to smell like rose petals” down there; and the cold, awkward atmosphere of gynecological visits.

In, “The Vagina Workshop,” a woman speaks about having “vaginal wonder” after unwittingly discovering herself during a seminar. Delivered with exceptional poise and restraint by Nandhini Mehra, the woman’s monologues speaks of participating in guided workshop exercises, which brought to her mind “how the early astronomers must have felt with their primitive telescopes.”

Mehra joined the cast with her friend Silvina Guerreiro. “We got involved after seeing posters around school,” she said. “And they needed someone with a British accent.”

The play oscillated scene to scene, from extremes of somber confession to hilarity. A piece detailing horrendous violence committed against women in Bosnia left some audience members breathless and stunned. Other scenes took our breath away for different reasons, such as the monologue of a lawyer-turned-dominatrix who was addicted to the sound of women moaning.

Tears of sorrow mixed readily with tears of laughter in this inspiring, professionally amateur performance, given by a gifted cast of women.

Editor’s note: The article was corrected to accurately reflect the previous acting experience of the cast members.

For everything cliché that can be said about Valentine’s Day, it’s still a great opportunity to spend time with that special someone. Spontaneity and romance are gifts from the heart, not the wallet, so here are six suggestions for charm and bliss that will leave you with enough leftover cash to buy food next week.

1. Bundle up and see the pandas. Zoo Atlanta offers 50 percent off regular admission through their Cheat on the Chill promotion if the temperatures drop below 45 degrees. Forecasts show temps in the mid-40s all weekend. Even though some animals are not out during the winter, the $9.50 price seems well worth it. If it’s warmer, tickets are still reasonably priced at $14.99 with your college ID. For more information on Cheat on the Chill, visit the zoo’s Web site or call 404-624-9453. Zoo Atlanta is located at 800 Cherokee Ave. SE.

2. Forget the roses. Pick up a bamboo plant, instead. Hardy and easy to care for, bamboo will live on as a symbol of your love long after cut flowers have withered away. Most local florists carry bamboo plants in small, portable vases, but the plants can also be found at local stores like Kroger, Home Depot or IKEA. Be sure to top it off with a mushy, handwritten note.

3. Celebrate the Chinese New Year. On February 14, The Michael C. Carlos Museum will celebrate the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day with a performance of “Three Chinese Love Songs” by Bright Sheng. Tickets are $4 and the show starts at 4 p.m. Go early to explore the museum before enjoying the romantic concert performance. For more information, call 404-727-4282. The Michael C. Carlos Museum is located at 71 Kilgo Circle.

4. Draw each other. Set up some romantic candles to get your chiaroscuro on. As weird as it might sound, drawing each other makes for an interesting icebreaker and you will see more of the other person than you did before. Even if you struggled through drawing classes, this will make for a hilarious memory. But don’t laugh too much.

5. Make war, not love. “Dr. Seuss Goes to War … and More” opens on Valentine’s Day at The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Although it may be little off the beaten path when it comes to date-worthiness, the subject matter will definitely keep the conversation flowing. Admission is $5 for students. Check the museum’s Web site for hours or call 678-222-3700. The Bremen Museum is located right next to Spring House at 1400 Spring St. NW.

6. Read some poetry. For that extra special touch, write something yourself. However, if your rhymes are more nursery than lyrical, borrow from the best. Anything from Pablo Neruda’s “100 Love Sonnets” is a fail-safe. From “100 Love Sonnets”: “I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where/I love you simply, without problems or pride/I love you in this way because I don’t know any other way of loving.” Swoon de la swoon!

Gone are the tender, hesitant vocals; they’ve been replaced by odd assertions, dark whispers and in-your-face eccentric thoughts that harbor unsettling elements on every track. “IRM” wanders heedlessly on the line of the surreal. And while Beck’s hand is detectable throughout the album, it serves primarily as a ground for her otherwise day-dreamy cloud walk through clear and stormy.

Beck and Gainsbourg collaborate on “Heaven Can Wait,” but the nature of this track is most fully revealed in the jarring, yet inviting, bizarreness of the music video. The song poses a carefree and upbeat attitude, yet the video speaks of everyday instances misshapen and malformed, so they are alien and familiar at once. Its brevity belies its impact, as the collection of scenes is the equivalent of experiencing an entire art gallery in less than three minutes. The real disconnect is the abruptness and lack of resolution. As a cinematic device, it develops a yearning for more. A yearning that is never fulfilled.

In a later track, “La Collectionneuse”, Gainsbourg strikes this chord again, but in a more subtle, meditative way than the video’s abusive push-pull. Lyrics like, “I add up all these moments/In a long narrow ledger/Decimals of pain/Integers of pleasure,” add to the album’s essence — little bits of otherworldly thoughts that are recognizable yet irresolvable.

Even though “IRM” seems trapped in this emotional, dream-like netherworld, it meshes and plays well, just as Beck and Gainsbourg’s collaboration does. It sounds both candid and elegant. “Time of the Assassins” demonstrates this the most. In it, Gainsbourg muses, “And can something change/And still feel the same/The beginning’s the end/I start all over again.”

“IRM” was released Jan. 28 and is available streaming on Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Web site.

Give it a try. You’ll feel right at home in a place you’ve never been.

But even among the band’s dissidents, Vampire Weekend’s latest album, “Contra,” is seen as a significant step up from its first attempt. The gestalt of the album seems appropriately engineered for both the intent musical analyst — as it’s lyrically rich — and likewise workable as mindless white noise.

The tracks incorporate random elements and blend clever, careful wordplay with pseudo-intellectual namechecking. The lyrics cover everything from feudal Japan (“Your Tokugawa smile/And your garbage style/Used to save the night”) to a typeface (“She’d never seen the word BOMBS blown up/To 96 point Futura”) and natural toothpaste (“But she use real toothpaste/Cuz if that Tom’s don’t work/If it just makes you worse/Would you loose all of you faith in the good Earth?”).

“Horchata” starts the album with mellow Caribbean-inspired electro beats that layer and evolve as the song progresses. The drumbeats that follow the chorus provide a pleasant contrast with both the toy piano accompaniments and the beat drop-off after it ends. It makes it a prime opening track to set the album’s pace.

“White Sky” initiates with a curious Tetris-like beat — appropriate, given the retro-gaming title of the album. It also successfully blends musical elements. “Holiday” is audibly more tame in comparison, but it is still chock-full of brilliant wording.

In a word, “California English” is weird, but in the best of ways. Never would it seem that the contrast of Auto-Tuned lyrics and orchestral melodies would mesh, but it synthesizes for an enjoyable sound fused with a rolling, playful drumbeat woven throughout the track.

“Taxi Cab” is a cooldown from the anxious, playful pace of the previous track, and the toy piano returns with a vengeance. Despite the subdued pace, the lyrics reveal something significantly less childlike and naive: “You’re not a victim/But neither am I/Nostalgic for garbage/Desperate for time/I could blame it on your mother’s head/Or the colors that you father wears/But I know that I was never fair/You were always fine.” The words come like moments-too-late-thoughts — the sort of familiar mind fodder that only comes once a relationship has crumbled.

“Run” seems like a continuation of this same runaway train of thought, but bends itself into a slightly more upbeat theme.

The rest of the album is just as solid. And although VW’s cunning lyrics seem compulsory — like they’re trying a bit too hard to come up with another word for one they’ve already used — “Contra” demonstrates a polished, clever charm. Vampire Weekend still possesses a sharp delineation between the lovers and haters, but both may admit “Contra” is a tuned and developed composition of musical and lyrical fun. It stays true to the band’s unique quirky and playful sound.

The album was released Jan. 12, and is available streaming for free at the band’s Web site (http://www.vampireweekend.com).

Sounds

Vampire Weekend‘s much-anticipated second album “Contra” drops Jan. 12. Check out the band’s tasty first single (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e0u11rgd9Q) as a warm-up for its April 8 show in Atlanta.

Brave the cold before winter and class work really start coming down, and see RJD2 as he brings his instrumental hip-hop beats to The Masquerade on Jan 16 ($17, 8 p.m., 695 N. Ave., 404-577-8178).

February 9 brings the release of Hot Chip‘s new album “One Life Stand.” And if the group’s single “Take It In” is a litmus test, Hot Chip’s signature layered, swelling beats have been refined (this time with a little less disco behind them).

Sights

“Brief Interviews with Hideous Men” — a film adaptation of a variety of relationships men have with women — is coming to Midtown Art Cinema for one week only (January 22-29). It is directed by John Krasinski who plays Jim on “The Office” (Cost varies, but before 6 p.m. is cheaper, 931 Monroe Dr., 678-495-1424).

For that rich local flavor, treat yourself to “Satryitown: A Short Film About Cabbagetown,” playing at Eyedrum on February 5 (Free, but donations accepted, 7:30 p.m., 290 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E., Suite 8, 404-522-0655).

For something a little less provincial, catch Tim Burton’s take on “Alice in Wonderland,” out March 5. Sure to be an avant-garde delight, the film stars the always-crazy Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and newcomer Mia Wasikowska as Alice.

Events

Take shelter with the works of one of the most influential architects and furniture designers at the Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture exhibit, but catch it quickly before it departs January 16 ($5, with your student I.D., 11 a.m.-5 p.m., The Museum of Design, Marquis II Tower, 285 Peachtree Center Ave., 404-979-6455).

Thaw yourself out with a steamy cup of organic coffee at Java Monkey’s Open Mic Poetry event held every Sunday night (free, 8pm, 205 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, 404-378-5002). Or drop in any other day of the week for the delicious snacks, free Wi-Fi and its prime studying spots.

To really get your blood boiling, experience Henry Rollins, former Black Flag lead singer and peerless rant-and-rave humorist on February 28 at the Variety Playhouse. His unique blend of stand-up and spoken word is a must-see ($25, 8pm, 1099 Euclid Ave. NE., Atlanta, 404-524-1923).

Despite the burgeoning of other French artists in the 11 years since Air’s debut, the duo is still among the crème de la crème of French beats. The playful and experimental tunes put Air ahead of the pack, and “Love 2″ shines as a prime example of its eclectic style.

The highlight of “Love 2″ is the album’s ninth track, which is also its first single. “Sing Sang Sung” vibrates with carefree sensitivity, pairing restrained, upbeat guitar riffs with a lush, downtempo melody. Wedged between the cotton-candy weight of the melody and the fluffy chorus are melancholy lyrics: “What are we doing here my friend?/Take a breath push your pain away/Nothing lasts it’s better that way/It’s better that way.”

Despite this, the sound is overall fun. This is also captured in the music video, which offers is ethereal, trippy and, at times, downright weird. Throughout the animated video, a black dot travels through scenes similar to levels of a Super Mario Brothers Game. The dot bounces off oddly shaped mushrooms and winds through a repeating set of women’s legs. (Check out the video here.)

“Eat My Beat” follows “Sing Sang Sung” with a bit more auditory variation and substance. It serves as the feisty, uptempo second wind of the album before it winds down with “You Can Tell Everybody,” the pleasant afterglow that features a lilting, melodious beat layered atop a rolling drum line. Air also mixes a harp with its signature androgynous vocals in that song.

Following “You Can Tell Everybody” is  “African Velvet,” with a hint of rock and a smooth finish.

However, the album isn’t perfect. “Do the Joy” lacks the umph apropos for a leading track and falls flat under the grogginess of its fuzzy undertone. The song “Love” is heavy with repetition and sparse in lyrical diversity but it catches up in pace with a catchy hook.

“Heaven’s Light” follows a couple tracks later with a piece more true to Air’s musical style, which melds a rising cadence with a sense of emotion and urgency as it progresses. It’s a nice beat to chill to.

“Love 2″ feels a bit domesticated when compared to the untamed “Moon Safari,” Air’s 1998 debut album, which is rich in sexy, quirky dance beats perfect for any Parisian nightclub. Even the band’s 2007 album, “Pocket Symphony,” incorporated the use of traditional Japanese instruments amidst an introspective, electro-pop exploration.

But the tracks on “Love 2″ are varied enough to suffice. Some of the tracks are enjoyable as weightless background music and others are memorable enough to get stuck in your head.

Air has always successfully taken inspiration from a variety of musical styles to create something different and fresh. A sprinkling of synthpop, a bit of bossanova, a pinch of psychedelic ambient — whatever the flavor, “Love 2″ is littered with countless auditory morsels.

Books:

1. “The Year of the Flood” by Margaret Atwood (September). The remnants of humankind are forced to commingle with mutants in the aftermath of a natural disaster. (Get your hands on a copy before Atwood comes to Ivy Hall in February to lecture.)

2. “The Adderall Diaries” by Stephen Elliot (September). Part memoir, part crime-thriller, part something else, this book is full of surprises from an author whose addled imagination blends with a bizarre real-life case of a computer programmer who murdered his wife.

2. “The Art Student’s War” by Brad Leithauser (November). Set in Detroit in 1943, this is the story of an art student who dreams of the day her canvases will line the walls of museum. But, in the wake of World War II, the student finds herself entangled in the stories of the soldiers she is asked to draw.

Movies:

1. “The Invention of Lying,” with Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais (October). Here, lies are a thing of the past and everyone tells the honest, brutal truth — that is, until the main character figures out how to lie.

2. “Where the Wild Things Are,” directed by Spike Jonze (October). Author Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book is transformed into an engaging film that mixes puppetry, computer-generated imagery and real actors.

3. “The Men Who Stare at Goats” with George Clooney and Ewan McGregor (November). The plot makes this film well worth the cost of a movie ticket. Clooney and McGregor are involved in a top-secret military division that uses telepathy to kill goats.

Music:

1. “La Roux” by La Roux (September). This quirky British duo’s debut album glows with pop-goodness as they pay homage to and modernize the icons and styles of the ’80s. (Give a listen to “Bulletproof.”)

2. “Backspacer” by Pearl Jam (September). Pearl Jam’s new record is controlled chaos made audible. Clocking out after only 37-minutes, the time restraint amps up the frantic pace of the album. (Check out: “The Fixer,” the speedy opening single from the album.)

3. “Embryonic” by the Flaming Lips (October). The Lips are back with this trippy double album, and it’s possibly their weirdest yet. (See example: “I Can Be a Frog,” featuring the animal-noise vocals of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O.)