With its cinematic origins The Odd Couple is the natural title for the second album by a pair who seem to spend as much time in wardrobe as the studio and
whose recordings are often compared to film scores. Their greatest hit, 2006’s “Crazy” was even built around a chunk of a spaghetti western soundtrack. Yet
after the success of 2006’s excellent St Elsewhere, the collaboration of singer Thomas “Cee-Lo Green” Callaway and producer Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton
has become a permanent institution.
Two years on, The Odd Couple stands up proudly alongside its predecessor. The basic recipe hasn’t been drastically altered–Danger Mouse’s skittering beats
and snap-crackle-pop production still provide the perfect platform for Cee-Lo’s mighty, soulful wail. If anything, the pair have refined and sharpened their
approach to a razor’s edge. The key is the way the musical flavors intersect: the Arthur Lee-meets-N.E.R.D. stroll of “Surprise,” the jubilant jumble of
gospel/soul/synthpop on “Going On,” the Otis Redding-shares-a-treadmill-with-Outkast feel of the single “Run (I’m a Natural Disaster).” The cumulative effect
is one of a group whose trick-bag has a never-ending supply of happy surprises. Track Listing SIDE A
1. Charity Case
2. Who’s Gonna Save My Soul
3. Going On
4. Run (I’m A Natural Disaster)
5. Would Be Killer
6. Open Book
7. Whatever
SIDE B
8. Surprise
9. No Time Soon
10. She Knows
11. Blind Mary
12. Neighbors
13. A Little Better
