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| The Odd Couple | 
 enlarge | Artist: Gnarls Barkley
Label: Atlantic
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $7.88
You Save: $11.10 (58%)
New (57) Used (23) Collectible (1) from $7.74
Avg. Customer Rating:  64 reviews
Sales Rank: 645
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 460236
UPC: 075678994692
EAN: 0075678994692
ASIN: B0013H8QEG
Release Date: March 21, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Same day shipping. Free upgrade to 1st class mail for all CDs. Professional packaging material. Friendly customer service.
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| Customer Reviews:
Crazy But Not Quite Like "Crazy" March 25, 2008
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
The exprimental 2006 collaboration between R&B singer/Rapper Cee-Lo (ex Goodie Mob) and Producer Danger Mouse who worked with Gorrillaz and the world's most reserved Rapper/Producer MF DOOM (who always wears a mask not to reveal his face) proved successful. The odd couple known as Gnarls Barkley scored one of that years biggest hits with "Crazy" from debut album St. Elsewhere The music they delivered was odd, witty, playful and very exprimental with samples from all kinds of genres. The paranoid hit "Crazy" had sampled some obscure Spaghetti Western from the 60's and further proved what you can do if you have fantasy, humour and alot of time on your hands. The rest of the album had it's moments aswell even if the oddity that you found on song number 12 was a bit too much in my opinion. However, "Crazy" became the only hit from "St Elsewhere" and the album eventually sold almost 4 million copies, far more then they ever thought it would do. Gnarls Barkley had no other choise then to get back into the studio and record it's successor, "The Odd Couple" and it's released just two years after.
Before getting into their new album let's start by saying that the whole point with their debut album was to explore new territory, not only musically but also within themselves and to have fun during the process. And "St Elsewhere" succeeded with finding new angles of two very strong personalities and also to make remarkable music that was both unique and challenging. That "Crazy" became such a big hit and closely associated with them was just a bonus and perhaps at times even a liability. On their sophmore effort they don't try to re-create "Crazy" nor making overly commercial radio singles, instead they dig deeper into their creative minds and the end result is something rather diffrent with alot of dark midtempo's that are innovative but take more listens to enjoy. Having said that, the album is still unpredictable, charming and funny at it's best and should atleast make some people content. The album gets a good start with "Charity Case", a beautiful slowtempo with distorted female vocals. Next up is "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" a somber slowtempo which feature a very powerful performnce by Cee-Lo but the song itself is dark and depressing. "Going On" is most likely about dying. It got this very catchy electro beat sound on it's hook and I'd say it's one of the best and most engaging songs. "Run" is the closest you got to "Crazy" cause it's the only uptempo this album offers. It got this 60's rock feeling mix with dance music and surely got the hit potential aswell. The lyrics go like "You can't win child,
/We've all tried too/ You've been lied to/ It's already inside you
/Either you run right now, or you best get ready to die" I'm not sure wether the songs refers to running away from danger or run to the floor to dance? That's the brilliance of GB's unpredictable lyrics. "Would Be Killer" on the other hand is just to dark and obscure when Cee-Lo sings he's some kind of evil-minded serial killer. Infact, he sound rather evil here. "Open Book" feature tribal drums and a hard electro beat and plenty of shouts of desperation. Another really odd number. On the 60 pop esque "Whatever" Cee-Lo sounds whiny for the major part and sings about a lonewolf kid that doesn't have any friends. The song is actually whatever to me. Cee-Lo offers some of his best lyrics on "Surprise", yet another 60's sounding pop/soul song. The lyrics here are ironic but that's not surprising?.
Breakup song, or is it about death again? "No Time Soon" is exprimental and melancholy but this time it works rather well cause of it's beautiful sound. "She Knows" seems to be a love song or something in that way, it's slow but forgettable. I couldn't quite figure out wether "Blind Mary" is a love song about a blind girl or to a certain Mary Jane. It's anyone's guess. I found the lyrics "She's my friend she doesn't judge me/ She has no idea I'm ugly/ So I have absolutely nothing to hide/because I'm so much prettier inside" to be rather funny actually. Aparently Cee-Lo got issues with his neighbours aswell on the next song called "Neighbour", when everything was already going wrong atleast he could have been more lucky with this. The song is once again sang in a melancholy and somewhat sarcastic mood. "A Little Better" seems to be about dying too. Not too remarkable, but it's sang in a faster way then most songs here. With 13 songs it closes the album.
Overall, Some people are gonna love this and say it's ultimately one of the most exprimental, creative and original albums of the year, while others will say it's too exprimental, too somber and lacking from the obvious big hit single. At times this album is absolutely brilliant and it feels more coherant then their first one with it's themes and sound, on other occasions it's just to "artistic" and there are a few songs that could have been left out. Some more uptempo's wouldn't hurt and I miss Cee-Lo rapping. But the final outcome of this album isn't surprising me alot, Gnarls Barkley doesn't compromise nor settle for pretty radio hits. This project is all about exprimentation and getting the best out of themselves. And they suceed with that for the major part. However, It does have it's points with rich sound, smart lyrics and alot versatility in Cee-Lo's vovals. If you feel like this is what you asked for from the start, you should give it a try but people that expected them to make more songs like "Crazy" should be forewarned. Final rate 3'5. I certainly hope to hear more from them in the future.
 Barls Gnarkley April 5, 2008
5 out of 12 found this review helpful
I don't like the term "sophomore slump." I feel like a lot of bands that experience this either only have one good album in `em or are victims of unwarranted high expectations. We won't call Gnarls Barkley's new record "The Odd Couple" a sophomore slump, then, in the hopes that they can again reach the greatness of "St. Elsewhere." Their new album, "The Odd Couple," suffers from the black plague of pop music: mediocrity.
Gnarls Barkley was (is?) by no means a mediocre band. Their explosive pop single "Crazy" is the best song of the post-millenium decade, and will likely remain so. Their debut album is a wild romp through psychedelic soul, hip hop, punk, electronica, you name it. They are pioneers of this strange new breed of pop music that is seeping out of the ashes of the digital wreckage like a post-apocalyptic super-species. But this is not why their first record was good. It may be why the band appeals to such a broad audience, but it is not why the album is good. "St. Elsewhere" is good because it has good songs. The title track and others were like nothing you'd ever heard before. They were crafty, catchy, and fun, yet could be heavy and heartfelt. Pop music with substance was a breath of fresh air. Cee-Lo is a great singer and lyricist, and Danger Mouse's personality is equally present in beat form.
"The Odd Couple" continues the tradition of the first album, showcasing the band's melting pot of style. It just doesn't have as good songs. Not bad, either. Just kind of insignificant and, what was that word?... mediocre. There are no alarms or surprises on this record. It's too heavy on preach and too low on sweets. It lacks the craftiness and hooks and instead spotlights Cee-Lo's lessons on how much more spiritually enlightened he is than you.
Even the title of the album was kind of disappointing. Gnarls Barkley is known for their appropriation of other duos in pop culture, dressing up like "Doc" and "Marty McFly" from the "Back to the Future" series, or like characters from "Napoleon Dynamite" or "Star Wars." It's certainly fun, but for the title of their second and much-anticipated album, it's just too obvious, too easy. It's as if not much thought was put into it, and the lackluster hooks support this. Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo are certainly an odd couple, but come on, tell me something I don't know.
Dissapointed After High Expectations April 9, 2008
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
Amidst a few standouts (neighbor, run), this album really let me down. I was hoping for too much i guess. It just doesn't seem to go anywhere. The down-tempo ones are boring and the up-tempo stuff isn't catchy enough. You can't understand Gnarls on most songs, there's no lyrics inside the booklet, the hi-hat sounds lifeless in most loops, and where are the melodies? St. Elsewhere felt like he was on the brink of a dramatic shifting of the musical landscape, The Odd Couple feels like he forgot what he had going for him...
 Cee-Lo Green back in form April 21, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Ever since Cee-Lo was still rap-singing for Goodie Mob I loved this guys voice and great ability to flow. Having bought "Soul Food" and "Still Standing" from Goodie Mob it was clear to me that "Gnarls Barkley" at least needed a chance to earn respect. Their debut "St. Elsewhere" was cool and very successful worldwide, as is their sophmore release "The Odd Couple". Standout tracks are the first four plus "Surprise", which I absolutely love. Congrats to Cee-lo and Danger Mouse for putting it down once again. Check it out for yourself.
St. Elsewhere Part II (& Better) April 24, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Odd Couple sticks pretty close to the formula that was established on their debut. Dangermouse does his best to incorporate every instrument known to man in his beats & Cee-Lo is at his paranoid best. The 1st three tracks flatter to deceive as they almost sound conventional but Dangermouse throws a curve ball on "Would Be Killer" & "Open Book" just to remind us that this is after all a Gnarls Barkley release. Beyond that however the weirdness fades and tracks like "Surprise" sounds like nothing more than two hip-hopsters experimenting with a bit of rock.
Lyrically Cee-Lo plays the role of paranoid mad man but every once in a while, as on "Blind Mary" he throws in a bit 'sweet & innocence' in the mix. The same 'sweet & innocence' that is found in movies like 'There's Something About Mary'
Ultimately it is the fact that Gnarls Barkley do not break any new ground that make this a better, albeit less challenging, affair. They stick to the script with great effect making for an album that you can listen to from front to back and then repeat.
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