Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Rating
RIYL
BlackaliciousCee-Lo Green
Outkast
Gorillaz
Tracklist
1. Go-Go Gadeget Gospel2. Crazy
3. St. Elsewhere
4. Gone Daddy Gone
5. Smiley Faces
6. The Boogie Monster
7. Feng Shui
8. Just a Thought
9. Transformer
10. Who Cares?
11. On-Line
12. Necromancing
13. Storm Coming
14. The Last Time
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It’s no secret that Danger Mouse is one of hip-hop’s most eccentric producers. It’s no secret that Cee-Lo Green is one of hip-hop’s most eccentric emcees. And it’s a no-brainer that these two eccentrics would team up to produce a totally eccentric yet brilliant album.
In 2005, we saw Danger Mouse team up with MF Doom for Danger Doom’s The Mouse and the Mask, which was, again, a spectacular collaboration between two of hip-hops greatest visionaries. In 2006, we get to be the fortunate listeners of the Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse collaboration through the form of Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere.
Just know that every track on St. Elsewhere wins a gold medal in its own right. Blending hip-hop, pop, and soul, Gnarls Barkley produce an accessible and enjoyable product for a wide range of listeners. While St. Elsewhere would most likely be classified as hip-hop, the album can reach pop fans, old school soul fans, and indie fans. It’s an original album that, in all actuality, is only loosely tied with hip-hop. Although there’s no denying Danger Mouse’s sensational and creative hip-hop beats, Cee-Lo does very little rapping, more frequently displaying his powerful and unique soulful voice. Cee-Lo shines on every track, most notably on the album opener “Go-Go Gadget Gospel,” Gnarls Barkley’s first smash single “Crazy,” and the lyrically sharp “Just A Thought.”
On the other side, Danger Mouse once again proves he is the most creative, accessible beat-maker in the biz. Even on the Violent Femmes cover “Gone Daddy Gone,” Danger Mouse transforms the song into a brand new entity, making the track one of the album’s best, if not, catchiest tracks.
And unlike many hip-hop artists and groups, Gnarls Barkley knows what “dynamics” means. They have catchy, up-beat songs; they have chill, groovy songs; and they have slow, introspective songs. Not many hip-hop duos can pull that off, while still being accessible to a wide audience.
Even if hip-hop ain’t your cup of tea, give Gnarls Barkley a listen because it has something for nearly everyone. The combo of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse results in an easily better album than that of The Mouse and the Mask. This is the best mainstream hip-hop/pop/neo-soul album you’ll hear all year, so take the time, do yourself a favor, and check it out because it is both creative and lively. This is all you could desire from a summer album.
--Kamran Rouzpay
Comments
Atascadero, CA
Decoymusic.com (CEO/Founder)
Blue Reef Design Studios (Web Development)
http://aarontroy.tumblr.com
The Great North Woods
Darla Farmer
RIYL:
the Beatles
Tom Waits
Murder By Death
A Whisper in the Noise
the Blood Brothers
Bedford, OH
That's not to put down the rest of the cd (because it's all wonderful to my ears)... I just can't stop listening to Transformer.
rasta
Northampton, PA