ARTIST: Cee Lo Green
ALBUM: The Lady Killer
LABEL: Elektra Records
RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2010
A Killer on the Loose
Photo by Annamaria DiSanto
Written by Michelle Oberg
The philosophical, walking metaphor, Thomas Callaway aka Cee Lo Green, is back for a 3rd go around at a solo album. Elektra Records’ funktastic Soul-dier collaborated with some of the greatest and most legendary production, writing, and musical talent in the music industry to create The Lady Killer. Released on November 9th, with the helping hands of Bruno Mars and his team The Smeezingtons, Fraser T. Smith, Salaam Remi, Paul Epworth, ELEMENT, and Jack Splash, he was able to make a record of neo soul, jazz funk, and R&B hits. Cee Lo is reintroducing music that hasn’t been appreciated since the days of Mr. Al Green.
Each track highlights a different 70s-early 80s inspired genre, while incorporating current sounds through computer synthesized beats and lyrics. This album is not an attempt to recreate the past, but rather pays homage to it and challenges future artists. Cee Lo has crooned his way to becoming a part of the next generation of influential artists. A force to be reckoned with, he knows his way to killin’ a lady. Each song creates nostalgic visions of emotions, like hopping in the back of a ’64 Impala and “necking,” proving his impeccable ability to conceive imagery through music.
The first single that was released, “Fuck You,” needs no introduction. Viewed over 18 million times since dropping onto the interweb on August 19th, the ballad urges you to move your hips, snap your fingers, and stand in a Supreme’s-esque line-up. The video’s perfect portrayal of those exact feelings is astounding. His voice and the overly embellished annunciations are on beat, in key, and lyrically brilliant. Bruno Mars’s aid in co-penning this piece was at first surprising, and then rationalized, if you know Mars’s background. The lyrics are entertaining, addictive, and grandiose, especially since a large percentage of the human population can relate to that feeling of instinctive jealous rebuttals toward dismissing “the ex.”
Having a woman, or two, step in to sing on a track is necessary to round out an album of this genre. “Please,” featuring 21-year-old Belgian, Selah Sue, is one of the slower tracks. It’s difficult to combat the art of “talk singing,” which is a major aspect of this tune, but he hypnotically prevails. Having Selah sing adds to the glamour; she sounds like the 10 year old version of Michael Jackson. This girl can sing! The other female accompaniment is by Lauren Bennett from Paradiso Girls on the song “Love Gun,” which feels like James Bond theme meets hip hop. Incorporating orchestral brass, background vocals and sounds, guitars, hip hop beats, and gun shots is the epitome of flawless production. Where some may find the abundance of those sounds unnecessary to put together, Cee Lo pulls it off with impeccable assurance.
The album favorite is “Old Fashioned,” and that’s exactly what it should be titled. Had it come out in 1990 it would have been The Righteous Brother’s replacement for title track on the film “Ghost.”
The Lady Killer, gets 5 stars for songs that will be replicated to dance versions and club hits. Cee Lo is brilliant in creating sounds in which he clearly knows will be mixed and played everywhere for all musical genres. Love the orchestral elements played throughout; stringed instruments are classic, and now making their use again in contemporary music. The lyrics and poetry, not to be confused with lyrics vs. poetry, speaks to the audience and the album leads you to believe that the night belongs to you. The bright, cheery, and hopeful messages of faith, belief, and success are uplifting. All the qualities you look for in a record of this caliber. Green has gone above and beyond all expectations.