The teaming of rapper/singer Cee-Lo Green and slick producer Dangermouse is a wet dream waiting to happen for the hipster/indie crowd. The irony, though, is that music lovers of all genres can appreciate the music on this album.
And though some may swear this is genius material, at the bare minimum, its diversity is a welcomed pleasure. The lead single “Crazy” sounds like it is straight from the late ’60s/early ’70s soul era and has an infectious catchiness to it. The rest of the album sways back and forth from upbeat to dark and somewhere in between.
Lyrically, Cee-Lo is very conceptual as he displays his range of emotions – from his joys to his personal demons. At times he raps, other times he sings, and sometimes he does both. Regardless, he puts all of his talents on display.
The other half of this group, Dangermouse, showcases his whole arsenal, proving that he can excel at hip hop, soul, rock, and pop. The duo even covers the Violent Femmes’ “Gone Daddy Gone”. The only downfall of this record is at times it varies too much. But overall, St. Elsewhere succeeds in being what it was meant to be: musical creativity from two creatively talented artists.
– Mike LaCroix
Gnarls Barkley (Atlantic)