Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo: an odd genre-bending couple

Gnarls Barkley’s latest release, “The Odd Couple,” is about as dark as Courtney
Love reciting Edgar Allan Poe. The opiate-induced blend of Danger Mouse’s
sopping trip-hop beats and Cee-lo’s martyr-gospel voice pulls at the bloodiest
heartstrings while being lively enough to remind us why the band’s last album,
“St. Elsewhere,” was so successful.

“The Odd Couple” starts burnin’ right off the bat with “Charity Case,” a killin’
dirty south-influenced tune impossible to classify. Residing somewhere in the realm
of post-modern funk and trip-hop, the infectious Black Eyed Peas drumbeat and
the “Oh! Chaaa!” vocal pattern does well to set the album’s positive vibes. The
lyrics foreshadow the pain Cee-lo lays on our ears in almost every song.

“Don’t wanna bother you baby, but I’m bleeding too. Are you needing me, like
I’m needing you? Even my shadow leaves me all alone at night. Guess I need to
start to take my own advice,” Cee-lo sings in “Charity Case.”

It’s evident Gnarls still seeks that flavor of catchiness that made “Crazy” such
a smash hit, especially in “Run (I’m a Natural Disaster)” and “Charity Case.” The
songs feature driving grooves – chock-full of festive percussion and background
vocals that are typical of hit singles – while keepin’ it spooky with tense climactic
chord progressions and frantic vocals from Cee-Lo.

Danger Mouse’s producing shines and reeks at random times. Sparsely sampled
gun-cocking sounds come off as worn techniques, while the retro guitars and
rhythmic flavors span decades, adding to this mysterious genre that Gnarls Barkley
is on the forefront of developing.

In keeping with the constantly shifting realm of electronica, “No Time Soon”
combines elements of trip-hop, industrial and Nintendo music with a heartwrenching
introduction complete with lush gospel-choir harmonies.

“Open Book” opens with an arrhythmic Squarepusher-esque drum ‘n’ bass beat,
dreamy strings and oddly tricked-out chorus backgrounds. That big-city-slick
sound engineering is annoyingly present throughout the album, hindering the
enjoyment of otherwise well-produced songs.

“Whatever” screams teenage angst and unresolved torment.

“Talk to my counselor ’bout how I feel. Everyone agrees I could use some help. I
love my girl more than I love myself. But she’s goin’ steady with someone else.”

Indeed. Sounds like the lyrics were dug up from a high-school diary and put
to early-’90s Seattle heroin rock to reach a younger crowd. Some things are better
left buried.

Gnarls’ “Surprise” is probably the most chronologically diverse tune on the
album. Background vocals, a la “California Dreamin,’ ” and a drumbeat almost
identical to “Charity Case” keep us torn in a vast rift residing somewhere between
the surfer ’60s and Outkast-dominated 2006.

Grade: C+

Download (don’t steal): “Surprise” by Gnarls Barkley