I’ve been waiting for a good while now to download the new solo release from Cee Lo Green. At midnight, as November 8th turned into November 9th, I headed to Amazon and brought that sucker in. I’d heard the tracks already, for the most part, on music blogs and on Cee Lo’s website. But now that I’ve listened to it in its entirety, I have one thing to say: DAAAYUM!
Most of you, if you have been on the internet at anytime in the last couple months, have already heard the single, “Fuck You”. It’s a viral sensation that even got William Shatner to sing along (not too sure you could actually classify what the ShatMan does as “singing”, exactly, but whatever). But this tune, as good as it is, is only the tip of the iceberg. “The Lady Killer” is a great listen from top to bottom.
The whole thing hinges on Cee Lo’s unique voice. Some people like it more than others, but I friggin’ LOVE it. I could listen to this guy sing the phone book and walk away happy. He’s got a sweet soul croon, a snarling swagger, a haunted low-register rumble, and a seductive smoothness that all swirl around and vie for attention as the album progresses. His voice is more dynamic and interesting to listen to than many other performers I’ve heard on the radio lately, and it’s definitely the strongest element on this record.
The songs themselves are a mixed bag, with James Bond-ish secret agent-type flourishes, dance grooves, and lots of old-school soul/R&B. In some ways, the album feels a bit lightweight, especially when you compare them to Cee Lo’s rap work with the Goodie Mob, or his journeys into sonic and emotional weirdness as a member of Gnarls Barkley, or even the darker terrain covered in his own earlier solo work. But if you can set aside those comparisons and just listen to the album for what it is, it’s a lot of fun. You can dance to it, sing along with it, get a few laughs from it, and you can even make sweet love while it plays in the background. I reckon you can’t ask for much more from music than that.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Fuck You” (duh!), “Old Fashioned”, “No One’s Gonna Love You”
BUY IT! At Cee Lo Green's official site At Amazon
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