Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer

listening to this on NPR here
Bright Lights Bigger City, after the intro feels like a Michael song, and has some trademark charisma we love Cee-Lo for.
After that, though, we get Forget You. I'm not sure why we need the radio edit and the full version on the same album. It's a little embarrassing to listen to, and is pretty much solid filler.

The next track, 'Wildflower' is a sensitive melodic operatic ballad to his girl. It's the longest song on the album, clocking in at barely over 4 minutes. I'll get over the strings, eventually.

Bodies, the 5th track, starts with an obvious hip-hop beat produced by The Neptunes. Yet another smooth sultry tune.

But suddenly, 'Please'! There is no end to the sultry tunes of Cee-lo. Selah Sue, the guest singer on the song makes a splash and would have stolen the entire song if Cee-Lo wasn't the vocalist he is.

After Please comes Satisfied, and we've been growing more upbeat since Wildflower. The horns and strings make it feel like a stadium song. Despite the attitude and sound, the lyrics pertain to being, of course, satisfied.

Slowing down again, I Want You retains the horns and continues the theme that Cee-Lo is a lady killer. If it wasn't obvious by now, he's made it clear here.

This is getting silly, Cee-Lo. Cry Baby shows Cee-Lo is the most sensitive of lady killers. The horns make yet another show and herald in a dramatic ballad worthy of your tears.

Fool For You gets funky and personal. Cee-Lo sure loves his horns. With more brass, Cee-Lo wails passionately in the way he does over more orchestration. Highlight song so far. (Also EWF fuck yeah).

It's OK is a reminiscent diddy where Cee-Lo pines over yet another lady. Almost a less spiteful version of Fuck You, even keeping the spirit and vibrato Cee-Lo voice in. Needs more of this on the album.

The 12th of 14 tracks on The Lady Killer is Old Fashioned. Fitting to it's name, we get an old fashioned two-step slow-dance song. If this album goes anywhere, this song will be a prom-night favorite, as well as an intimate love lullaby.

Apparently they felt that the outro to the album needed to be the second to last song... Sadly, this song doesn't get a title, and relies on the momentum of the rest of the album for it's movement.

And if Wikipedia is to be trusted... Fuck You! The pop-hit barely-safe-for-radio tune that got Cee-Lo more fame than Crazy did. The charisma, story telling, and brutal honestly forces us to overlook the brashness and give Cee-Lo our full attention.

'n

Gnarls Barkley - St Elsewhere

Personally, I think this is one of the best albums recorded in the preceding decade. A lot of people would disagree with me, (ie. everyone), but honestly, the 14 tracks on this album are like fun condensed into musical form. A lot of people would consider this album old news. I know it's old news. But it really is a remarkable album, so I'm gonna review this shit anyway.

You'd all know Crazy by now. Some of you may even know Smiley Faces, or you might even own the album. 5.8 Million people do, after all, not taking into account those dirty thieves who downloaded it. But this review is for the poor fool who hasn't bought this album yet. Because you should probably listen to this, hypothetical guy.

The album starts off strong with the standout track Go-Go Gadget Gospel, with Cee-Lo Green (the singer on the album; there is no person by the name of Gnarls Barkley) singing, "I'm freeeeeeeeee!" in his demented, brilliant voice. It almost sounds like it was recorded in a church, it's got so much soul. Crazy follows: you'll all know that track by now, and you'll know if you love it or hate it.

From then on, from the title track to Just A Thought, the album's strongest stretch gets all up in your ears. There is honestly, in my biased-as-fuck opinion, no song in that stretch that isn't perfect. Even the minute-and-a-half long rap about furniture arrangement. The album hits a slight blip with Transformer, a twitchy, uncomfortable track that feels like Danger Mouse, Cee-Lo's collaborator in this, just felt like fucking with the pitch for shits-and-giggles. Which would have been fine if it had turned out as a good track, or if they had left it off the album altogether. But they didn't, which sucks, I guess.

Transformer almost seems inconsequential in light of what comes next. Five tracks follow it, one about apathy, one about being totally on the line (appropriately titled Online), one about fucking dead people, one about, uh, storms, and one about how fucking great dancing is. All of them fantastic. It's St. Elsewhere's complete lack of pretensions that make it such a fun album; it revels in the simple pleasures.

Like fucking dead bodies.

-K

Get it.