Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple – Round two from the dynamic duo. I was so proud that St Elsewhere garnered commercial success for a under-appreciated Southern rapper and a dj who’s love of the Beatles was outlawed. “Crazy” was undeniable and eventually won the world over, thus re-establishing my faith in the world. However, ostensibly, The Odd Couple will be a harder sell for the masses. Not worse, just harder.

The defining and most beloved feature on the first album was the pace. “Go-Go Gadget Gospel” starts off everything in a whirlwind. And it worked. Extremely well. The odd noises, the hand claps, the gospel choir, the general cacophony was awakening and the world seemed refreshed (if but briefly) from the highly staged/coreographed/produced/manipulated world of pop music (most visibly seen in hip hop these days…). We all were thankful for the unlikely duo and their tendency for tongue in cheek costume humor ( I saw them perform in their tennis whites). That said, it did create a precedent for Gnarls Barkley as the indie world heros come to save us all from staid rock and formulaic hip hop and keep us dancing for the forseeable future. The Odd Couple is a departure from this precedent which will catch most off guard and probably turn most off. It’s a slow album. A few bits of sunshine creep in, but for the most part, the party is over and Cee Lo is having a big think about it all. The music is much more focused but lacks the dynamism from St. Elsewhere. Maybe it all makes too much sense. And maybe we don’t want Gnarls Barkley to make us think too hard. Which is a shame, because Cee Lo is at his best as a soul shattering crooner. “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” could easily stand up with an Otis Redding track. But I can’t see it having much commercial success. “Run” is the accepted first single and may be the only song that can stand up to radio/video airplay. A Justin Timberlake cameo also helps But again, the general feel of this album is a bit of a Debbie Downer. An impeccably consistent one, but none the less, down.

I enjoy it, but I do struggle to get to the end. I recognize it’s beauty, but it’s hard for me to pinpoint it as a consistent listening choice. Still, it is exceptional work from unlikely collaborators. I hope this concept continues to spread and bend the common notion of what is commercial.

Tags: Gnarls Barkley, New Issue