Reviews

This is exactly what Hip Hop needed; a good kick in the ass. The funny thing is, Gnarls Barkley isn't truly Hip Hop. The album "St. Elsewhere" is a mixture of good old funk and soul, mixed in with a little rock and old school R&B. The album is even listed under Top Electronica Albums at Billboard.com. In this world of labels and "types" of music, it cannot be pinned down into one specific genre.

Cee-Lo (formerly of the rap group Goodie Mob) and Danger Mouse (producer of The Grey Album) are both entrenched in the hip hop world. That is where we were first introduced to their sounds, but it doesn't define who they are as artists or limit them in anyway. As Cee-Lo said "we are fans of MUSIC. Not just Hip Hop”.

What this album does is show artists and fans that originality pays off. You don't have to make or listen to the same thing over and over again, just because that's what's hot (see Hyphy, Snap and Southern Hip Hop). Be yourself, make good music and eventually people will catch on. At least in a perfect world!

I first heard the song "Crazy" way back in November of 2005 on BBC Radio One. It blew my mind that this incredible song was a secret to most and was quickly becoming a hit overseas. When it began to bubble up across sites like MySpace, I thought it had a fighting chance in the US. But were music fans ready to accept this eclectic sound that could not be placed in a box? I wasn't so sure.

Move forward to August 11, 2006. "Crazy" is now at the top of the charts, including radio spins, record sales and downloaded ringtones. The song has been played across almost all radio formats from pop to rock to urban. Slowly but surely, people have caught on and accepted it for what it was: Good Music.

We reached Avalon for the all-ages show at about 7:30, after grabbing some drinks at a nearby club. We ended up missing the opening act, which ended up being a new hybrid group formed by Rahzel (formerly of the Roots). I was a little disappointed, because Rahzel always has something unique to display on stage. It didn't matter though, as we were there in plenty of time to see GB open their show.

Just as he did at Lollapalooza the weekend before, Cee-Lo and crew came out in full tennis whites. He practiced his forehand as "We are the Champions" blasted through the speakers. The infectious sound of "Go-Go Gadget Gospel" kicked in, as the crowd nodded their heads and waved their arms in unison. The band was on point with each track, adding uniqueness to each song, while still being as perfect as the original. There was a 4 person string section, three backup singers, a keyboard player, bass player and guitar, while Danger Mouse banged on the sampler and some other contraptions I couldn't quite make out. Cee-Lo stands at about 5'4", but he commanded the center of the stage like the giant gun image behind him.

To tell you the truth, I don't remember the exact song order, but it doesn't really matter. Each song was a perfect interpretation of the original. "Gone Daddy Gone", the Violent Femmes cover and the second single off of St. Elsewhere, truly hit 11, just as Cee-Lo predicted. "Transformer", "The Boogie Monster" and "Who Cares", (some of my favorite songs from the album,) all banged with equal intensity. Soon we approached what appeared to be the final track, with an insane version of "Crazy". This is when all the recent fans and teeny bops began to sing along with each word. I have heard this song approximately 2,000 times, but I have not grown tired of it…and I'm not sure that I ever will.

The whole crew left the set and I was pretty much satisfied with that being the end of the show. Of course, I should have known better, as the concert veterans I was with "guaranteed" there would be at least another 10 minutes. They were correct.

What appeared to be a perfect ending was soon topped by a ridiculous version of "Smiley Faces". I can pretty much say this is my new favorite GB tune. As cliche as it sounds, it really does make you want to sing along and put on a smiley face (please feel free to give me some shit for that one). This might have been a subliminal message by Cee-Lo and the crew. At this point, I could not have cared less that I just spent $40 for about an hour-long show. It was well worth it.

-Written by Dj RyB