St. Elsewhere

by

Gnarls Barkley

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Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse's album is an album that I have been looking forward to for a while, and it was definitely worth the wait. While it is not the style that I expected, it is every bit as good in quality as I could have hoped for. I have been a fan of Cee-Lo's entire career, from his days as a street poet in the Goodie Mob to his soulful solo albums, and I have thoroughly enjoyed Danger Mouse's production on the Danger Doom collaboration with MF Doom and his other works with Gorillaz. In a collaboration between the two, I expected solid and original hip hop production and Cee-Lo's signature fusion of rap and soul. As soon as I popped "St. Elsewhere" into the player, I was blown away. No song is ever worth skipping, and the production fits the singing perfectly. It is hard to nail a genre to Gnarls Barkley. Cee-Lo's happy and silly singing is close to soul spanning over many generations, and Danger Mouse's intricate and many layered beats are reminiscent of soul, funk, jazz, rap, and rock at various times. He serves as an entire band for the singer. Cee-Lo fans expecting his street-conscious rap lyrics of the past will not find them here, but will instead be fulfilled with very funny, soulful, deep, and great lyrics sung in his high yet raspy voice. "St. Elsewhere" is an album that will appeal to many different types of listeners, and I'm sure both Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse will increase their audience here. Both of their huge efforts are evident. "St. Elsewhere" is also great because every song is the right length, averaging two and a half minutes, so that nothing is too much, yet every idea is explored sufficiently. It is the first album of its kind and really shines.

The album opens with the beautiful trumpet line on "Go Go Gadget Gospel", a spinning, joyful song that Cee-Lo puts everything he has into. "Crazy", the album's single, has flutes, violins, and drumkits in the instrumental, and Cee-Lo's heartfelt verses about love and relationships are worth your ear over and over again. "St. Elsewhere" has a wonderful slow trumpet line, sad and encouraging lyrics, and is great overall. My favorite track is "Gone Daddy Gone", a very catchy rock song. The electric guitar and drum instrumentals keep my head bobbing, and the bullhorned verses complement it well. "Smiley Faces" is a very reminiscent track with excellent background voices and music and lyrics that keep you listening. "Boogie Monster" is a completely fun and silly track, with creepy music but hilarious lyrics with a twist ending. "Feng Shui"'s silly and random lyrics fit Danger Mouse's blissful yet simple production. "Just A Thought" is the deepest track lyrically, where Cee-Lo admits "I've tried everything but suicide...but it's crossed my mind." The drum and guitar paint as gloomy a picture as the lyrics do. "Transformer" has organ and horns, and a chorus that you'll try to sing along to and find yourself unable. "Who Cares" sounds like a song by the Beatles, seriously. "On-Line" has whispery, seductive singing and a soulful back. "Necromancing" begins with the Marvin Gaye-styled introduction ("Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up") and turns into a story of sexual indulgence. The album ends strong with "Storm Coming", a cool bluesy track, and "The Last Time", with a beautiful chorus and beat.

"St. Elsewhere" bends the music landscape and creates something like we've never been exposed to before. It takes experimental to the next level (think Andre 3000's "The Love Below" to the tenth power), yet is not too indulgent either, leaving the listener completely satisfied at all times. Anyone would love this, you could play it for the kids in the car, and I'm planning on giving copies to my rock-loving father, jazz and blues-loving grandfather, and R&B-loving sister. Gnarls Barkley has created a masterpiece in "St. Elsewhere" that I highly recommend to any type of music listener.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good album, and I've always loved Cee-Lo as well as Danger Mouse's production, but comming together to form the group Gnarls Barkley, just doesn't seem to mix for this reviewer. Cee-Lo has had a sucessful career ever since hes left Goodie Mob, realeasing two albums. Hooking up with Danger Mouse to create "St. Elsewhere" just didn't seem to mix sucessfully. Probably becasue Cee-Lo sings completely on this album, and hardly lays down any rap vocals (something that he's been known for doing). The first single "Crazy" is a nice song to listen to, sounding like pop music from the 80's. My favorite track is "Smiley Faces" where Cee-Lo matches Danger Mouses production perfectly.

Speaking of Danger Mouse, his production is nice. I really didn't get into him until the "DangerDoom" album. Everything that he's made goes along with the concept of this album. Some of his beats are fast paced, like the song "Crazy", that will have a lot of people catching a musical vibe from.

A lot of these tracks had my head nodding briefly, but I just couldn't get into the album. Maybe I just can't accept the fact that Cee-Lo will never be the same since he left the group Goodie Mob. He's strictly pop now with this album, and holds a sucessful career since branching out. Less than 35 minutes long, makes the album seem kind of short. I'm sorry people, but I just wasn't feeling this album from an experimental standpoint. If you have a taste for experimental pop music more than I do, I highly recommend this to you.

Other notable tracks: Go-Go Gadget Gospel, Feng Shui, Who Cares?, and On-Line