St. Elsewhere:Gnarls Barkley

Artist: Gnarls Barkley

Date Released: May 9, 2006

Label: Downtown

Produced By: DJ Dangermouse

Tracklisting:
 * 1) Go-Go Gadget Gospel
 * 2) 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) Online
 * 12) Necromancer
 * 13) Storm Coming
 * 14) The Last Time

Review: Being an avid Cee-Lo fan since his first nasal-soul choruses on Outkast’s Southernplaylisticadillacmuzick and a Dangermouse fan since his sorely overlooked collaboration with Jemini, I was sold on the very idea of Gnarls Barkley before I even heard the first sampled snare. After hearing their first insanely popular single, “Crazy," I was ready to deem them the saviors of popular music. But the first time I heard the entire album, I was a bit disappointed.  Now after multiple listens, I am beginning to realize the genius of simple hip-hop flavored pop tunes and the tenacity and replay value of a two-and-half minute flare of catchy hooks, dusty breaks and Cee-Lo’s multi-faced personalities.  DM samples a barrage of late 60s European pop and lays down his always clever drum programming to once again create an amazingly catchy and effective backdrop for his emcee.  Cee-Lo croons, raps, scats and growls from one octave to the next and keeps the subject matter unpredictable and fresh.  This is an album that should not be over-scrutinized or read to deeply into; taken at face value, it’s one of the most enjoyable listens to come out in a long time. Mpardaiolo