Premature Evaluation: Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
Danger Mouse has somehow draped a blanket of Mr. Sandman drowsiness over The Odd Couple. It's not a boring album -- well, some of it is -- but there's a late-night a.m. radio haze to the whole thing, so that even the more uptempo bits like the proto Soul Train, Austin Powers-y first single "Run," hit like an old time, sepia-flaired party jam ... on opiates. No Harding Flash and Pattern Analyzer necessary. If you can keep your eyes open despite the muted, soothing tones of the production, there are some fine songs, shining moments. Everyone's going to want "Crazy," of course, but it's safe to say life would be fine if we never heard it again. Plus, we're happy to see Cee-Lo putting his soulful pipes to different uses and going elsewhere than St. Elsewhere. We're also glad, too, for some reason, that there isn't another Violent Femmes cover. (Somehow that just didn't age well.) Something like the lovely, downcast "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" sounds so old, it already feel sorta classic in a way that goes beyond retro. "Gettin' high because I feel so low..." Again, thanks Danger Mouse. Then there are 11 other tunes.
The album starts with what sounds like a film projector's flicker and then an upfront drum, bass, ooh ah voices, and a bell are layered. It's a great chance to see how much Danger Mouse threads into each track. More elements enter "Charity Case" as it goes along -- oh, that warm-ass organ, those hand claps, the female interventions -- but in other songs, things are already fully formed when the songs start, so this gives us a moment of skeletal clarity.
Sometimes it's just the production that's impressive -- like, the steamy hiss of "She Knows" is great, the song forgettable. "Going On" isn't perfect, but the clustered final symphonic minute or so are absolutely gorgeous. On "Blind Mary," they nail both the tune and the over-compressed, tiny feel -- it's toy-box oom pa pa. " The Mousing can also be subtle: "Neighbors" hits like solid, classic Motown-esque, but with a skeletal imprint of a choir flickering behind Cee-Lo's lead. The '60s sampling on "Surprise" has us thinking of "California Dreaming," the Zombies, and Turtles all at once.
There are flops, too -- Plodding "Would-Be Killer" and its hump sounds or the chirpy, lame "Whatever": "I don't have any friends at all / cause I have nothing in common with y'all...," "I love my girl more than I love myself, but she's goin' steady with someone else...." Goin' steady? Ugh. When he says "shut up mom" and "whatever, bitch," you might cringe. And, so, why does the beginning of "No Time Now" remind us of Dave Matthews? Not sure. But it does.
So, basically -- The Odd Couple's strange, slightly old-timey but futuristic, languid feel is great. The collection includes a few songs would be entirely forgettable if not for Danger Mouse's intervention, and a few just blow.
The Odd Couple is out 4/8 on Atlantic.
Posted at 6:44 PM in Premature Evaluation
Tags: Gnarls Barkley
even the more uptempo bits like the proto Soul Train, Austin Powers-y first single "Run," hit like an old time, sepia-flaired party jam ... on opiates.
Get your fucking head out of your ass.
Score = 1
This album is such a disappointment.
Score = -5
Dude you are so totally wrong about this album. This is my first GB album but it has got to be one of the best albums i have ever heard before. Every song is just freakin awesome. I have listened to this album within the last three days a total about seven times just because it is so freakin awesome.You must have been high or something when you listened to this album
Score = 0
Sweet album art regardless of the musical quality.
Score = 2
I always suspected they would be one hit wonders. Nice work on the Black Keys album tho
Score = -2
meh. the first four tracks are awesome, and the rest are just awful. what a bummer.
Score = -3
I know it's still way early, but 2008 feels like a big new music hangover compared to 2007.
And the upcoming release calendar isn't making me feel any more optimistic.
Score = -1
Wow, I guess I'm the only one who thinks The Odd Couple completely shits all over St. Elsewhere.
Score = 0
Well, the album is certainly better because where St. Elsewhere is a little easygoing and chartworthy, The Odd Couple is more about heart and hurt. So, I wouldn't be surpsied if it doesn't match the first album, but it isn't made to. Like I said in a review I wrote for it. The Odd Couple is just a way to see, now that Gnarls Barkley is popular in music, whether they will choose heart or chart, and they chose heart over and over on every song.
Score = 1
surprised you guys are talking about this before the new Portishead leak
Score = -1
as someone mentioned earlier, I love the album cover. :)
not liking the first single. meh.
Score = 1
hey hey, what's all this hatin'? I only got into GB last few weeks and have to say I quite like this album. Nothing special, but just as good as St. Elsewhere.
Score = 1
That's nice. Now can you guys prematurely evaluate how awesome the new Black Keys album is?
Score = 0
I hear you Greg.
2008 is shaping up to be the year of slim pickings. I remember that by this time in March of '07 I had already heard 15 albums that could be removed from my constant rotation. Can't say the same of '08, but the prospect of a new Menomena or Wolf Parade album this year gives me some hope.
Score = -1
**sorry, meant ...could not be removed from my constant rotation.
Score = -1
i'm just stoked about a new my morning jacket release this spring
Score = -1
@ Mike:
Thanks for the tip!
Score = -1
I think its highs are not nearly as high as the first album, but the lows aren't as low either. Its a mid-tempo, slightly boring, but more consistent album. It may be played as background music around the house, but little else. Nothing jumps out as great, fun, or catchy, but it lacks the truly wince-inducing tracks the first one had.
Score = -1
"going on" is the best song on the album
the odd couple doesn't have the immediacy of st. elsewhere, but it's still great. they've done what every great band does, make a completely different album than their debut, and, as we can see, it's ostracizing "fans."
Score = 2
I agree with Mike. Let's talk about the new Portishead.
Score = -1
new menomena album?
in 08?
doubtful.
Score = 0
odd couple, for me, shits all over st elsewhere.
the hooks are catchier, the subject material is weirder, and the strangeness of the music is way more interesting than st. elsewhere. songs like "transformer" and "feng shui" soudned like vocals and music being slapped together. "would be killer" is great too.
it's catchy, with a bit of weirdness, and a healthy dose of strange dark humor. I like it. It'll get better with the summer.
Score = 2
The more I listen, the more I like it. There's a couple snoozers, and at least one downright stinker ("whatever"), but a bunch of great songs. "Open Book" gives me chills.
Score = -1
I think its highs are not nearly as high as the first album, but the lows aren't as low either. Its a mid-tempo, slightly boring, but more consistent album. It may be played as background music around the house, but little else. Nothing jumps out as great, fun, or catchy, but it lacks the truly wince-inducing tracks the first one had.
Posted by: Nylund at March 8, 2008 11:28 AM
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To me, that post is fairly accurate except the background part. I like this album better than St. Elsewhere, by far, and I like that album, mucho. The tone of this album is definitely more consistent where as St. Elswhere was scattered.
A few faves are Who's Gonna Save My Soul (looping in, now), Goin' On, Open Book, and Neighbors, which I think needs a vid. Even Run sounds better in perspective of listening to the whole album, now, to me. I don't like it as a single, though. Who's Gonna... shoulda been the first single, to me, to go completely against what they started off with in Crazy.
Me likes, mucho. Classic album for me and the rotation is heavy right now, for me.
Score = 1
"2008 is going to be the year of slim pickings"
please
we have been spoiled with great music so far
vampire weekend's self titled debut
drive-by truckers' brighter than creation's dark
british sea power's do you like rock music
gnarls barkley's the odd couple
black keys' attack and release
bon iver (even though that was released last year) - for emma, forever ago
evangelicals' the evening descends
stephen malkmus and the jicks' real emotional trash
atlas sound's let the....
blood on the wall's liferz
nick cave (dig, lazarus, dig is amazing and i hope you guys do a premature evaluation on it)
my morning jacket on the way, along with jamie lidell
and the roots' new album looks/sounds like it could be awesome
slim pickings? please and this is just this spring!
those who say slim pickings aren't listening and are waiting for the music to change to their standards while artists are releasing great albums
to that i say - look again, listen again and enjoy the great music being thrown at you every week
Score = 0
Gonna have to agree that there have been some great releases this year. Just as many as there were last year at this time. Everyone has different tastes, but I've already got 3 or 4 albums with a lock on my Top 10. Also, think The Odd Couple is another amazing album. It's just different than St. Elsewhere. That's all.
Score = -1
Attack and Release in fucking incredible.
http://www.theblackkeys.com/
Score = 0
I'll admit that nothing here has that instant hit quality that "Crazy" had (admit it - when you first heard it you thought bit was from 1970), but the album's not horrible. One wonders if it comes off as horrible as backlash for the summer where "Crazy" was so damned omnipresent.
DwD
Score = 0
This album is fantastic. I think I like it more than St. Elsewhere. To me there are two or three songs that are average, a few really good tracks, and the rest are all good songs. I actually like Whatever, although my favorite tracks are Blind Mary and Charity Case. Neighbor is nice too, though. How can you not like this album?
Score = 0
the albums just about as solid as St. Elsewhere, which is what makes it so disappointing.
I for one wasn't expecting an album full of 'Crazy' esque songs, but this album just feels kind of forced in parts.
Score = 0
"shits all over St. Elsewhere"
rotfl
Score = 1
Lovin the lo-fi sounds - Dangermouse is on a roll
Bring on the Beck album
Score = 0
Listen to ceelos lyrics you idiots. this man is beyond his time and at the same time retro. Do you understand this music is ttrancending the past and future!. This is a great album unlike anything ever! this is art in its finest. Let these be two white guys ...this album would have been compared with one of the greatest of all times. Keep doin your shit gnarles hope to work with you all some day
Score = 2
Some of you People just dont get it! Album is pretty awsome! Big up to Danger Mouse and Cee Lo
Score = 0
Mouse made this album for producers, not for mediocre music critics.
Try sitting down and making just one of the instrumentals on this album, then come back and try to write a shitty review.
Score = 1
Gnarls Barkley have been overrated since day one - at least in my opinion. St. Elsewhere had about 4 songs that I will still listen to. Sounds like this one will be the same. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse should go back to doing what they do: Cee-Lo - the Goodie Mob; Danger Mouse - innovating.
Score = 0
Stereogum, I can understand if you dislike the album (although I am throughly impressed) but it seems foolish to claim that danger mouse "saved" it. As far as I know he's not a producer here (although, yes, he does) but is more a member of the band. So if there are qualms, I would argue that he shares 50/50 in the blame.
Score = 0
I'm not the kind of person who listens to a new disc over and over. I ususally listen to it once, maybe twice, and then file it away in the collection. If it makes a good first impression, I'll usually pull it out again a few days later and listen to it occasionally from then on out.
Then I got "The Odd Couple." I LOVED "St. Elsewhere" and was - I'll admit - nervous that "The Odd Couple" wouldn't stack up. I listened to it for the first time last night. Then again in the car on the way to work this morning. And then again in my classroom while my students were doing quiet work. And then again in the car on my way to my other teaching gig. And then again on the way home. And then AGAIN this evening. This has to be a record for me. Six listenings in a 24 hour period is, as far as I can recall, completely unprecidented for me.
All this is just to say that this album ROCKS OUT LOUD. Brilliant from start to finish. There are so many little moments that make the album so rewarding (such as the sample from the song "St. Elsewhere" during "Going On").
Score = 1
Who's Gonna Save My Soul as the question
Going On is this album's thesis...
Run is the kaleidescope club anthem, that seeks to lightly zap us forward
Would Be Killer - ...inverse pessimism = optimism (dark tinted optimism.. angst driven hope)
Open Book - sleeper track of the album ... number 6 is the inside-out expose of soul
Whatever - whatever
Surprise - did you know we could do that?
No Time Soon - how drab days feel with a lover lost in mind... kinda like Would Be Killer, but a lil more sob soaked...
She Knows- A GB response to Jay-Z's "I Know"
Blind Mary- youthful coping mechanism, think devin the dude at a wind-up toy- fair
Neighbor- you always wanted to be just like GB, dont'cha!!!
In actuality, life feels a little bit better... and yours should too... :"you don't have to be grown to grow" One step at a time...Going On.... pain in me...tryna gain...refuse to die in vein...soul...gold... "this is where I've been, and when adversity comes...etc." YOU GET IT.
-brilliantly subtle and microcosmic. insideout, past present and futuristic, in the sense that's not too far away... it's inside of u! rock on children
Score = 0
ceelo is a genius!...goin on is just about the best thing he's ever done.
Score = -1