Toe Jam Mondays: Vol 19 – Cee-Lo Green
I was feeling a little uninspired this week. I had a couple new albums in rotation, but nothing was getting me giddy with excitement – nothing I was dying to share with you. Then mid-week, there it was – an email from Bodden with news of Cee-Lo Green’s newest release The Lady Killer. I had totally forgotten that this album was on its way. It was the best news of the week. Once I got my hands on it, I couldn’t stop my finger from hitting the REPEAT button. In this case, Cee-Lo was truly a Lady Killer, slaying my ear-drums and almost putting a stop to my heart with an album that was so refreshing.
Cee-Lo’s insanely catchy single “Fuck you†has been floating around the radio and Internet since late this summer. This song was so good and caught on so quickly with music fans, Cee-Lo had some pretty big shoes to fill with the rest of his album. The album opens with “The Lady Killer Theme†and from that moment on you know there’s no need for Kleenex filler – Cee-Lo slips in those big shoes like they were custom made for him. Starting with a James Bond-style monologue about his license to kill when it comes to the ladies, Cee-Lo then moves into a Charlie’s Angels/Secret Agent type of beat. This guy is smooth.
Even though he’s out of the gates with an aggressive take on relationships, he goes through many emotions on this album. Check out the blatant song “Bodiesâ€:
“The choice is yours, need I remind you that I’ll have no remorse. Here’s a kiss, sweetheart, this won’t hurt a bit, I can kill it with kindness or murder itâ€
Cee-Lo Green – Bodies
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/05-Bodies-Produced-By-Salaam-Remi.mp3|titles=Cee-Lo Green – Bodies]
Then on to the more sensitive, Motown-style “Old Fashionedâ€:
“People, they gather round and they wonder how are we in love right here and now. I just smile cause true love doesn’t go out of style.â€
Cee-Lo Green – Old Fashioned
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/12-Old-Fashioned-Produced-By-Alan-Nglish-Co-Produced-By-Salaam-Remi.mp3|titles=Cee-Lo Green – Old Fashioned]
One thing is very clear from start to finish – not only is Cee-Lo a lady killer he’s a lover of the ladies too.
In an interview with NME magazine, Green describes his third release as “mood musicâ€. Kind of like foreplay for the ears, I guess. And with the late 60’s soul vibe, I think he nailed it. Since the album was a long time in the making (relative to industry standards), Cee-Lo had a 70-song catalogue to choose from. He decided to make the album a bit of a journey – in his own words “a sexy, sophisticated night in the life of the lady killerâ€. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Every song on this album is catchy, soulful and strong. I definitely recommend grabbing this one, but you might want to warn roommates and friends that Cee-Lo will be blaring for the next couple weeks.
Let me know what you think! Are you feeling his soulful sound? Have you heard the whole album? I would love to know your thoughts.
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