St. Elsewhere

Albums this hip don't usually spawn chart-conquering singles. But the success of "Crazy" should guarantee that this genre-bending record escapes the ghetto of 'underground cool'.

Gnarls Barkley are ex-Goodie Mob soul eccentric, Cee-Lo and underground masher-upper extraordinaire, Danger Mouse. While the latter is no stranger to infamy, being the man responsible for the legendary Grey Album bootleg, this is essentially Cee-Lo's first real taste of the mainstream, and it's about time too.

"Go Go Gadget Gospel" kicks St. Elsewhere off at full steam, with Cee-Lo hollering from the depths of his belly, as frenzied samples and beats clatter below. As the album progresses, DJ Danger Mouse's eclecticism astounds; calculated pinches of Motown, Flamenco, Funk, Dub and D'n'B all get thrown into the mix, without ever sounding overcooked.

On "Necromancing" Cee-Lo declares what is in effect an album mission statement, 'The production is progressive...the chords are cold-blooded murder." If there's any justice in the world, this album should sell by the truck-load.