Over the past few years, neo-soul has become a tired genre. With the exception of ambitious efforts from artists like Erykah Badu, the genre’s more pop-friendly contenders (Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse) lack creativity; meanwhile, its traditional mainstays (Raphael Saadiq, Maxwell) seem content to endlessly rehash retro song structures and instrumentation. It’s due in part to this stagnant musical climate that Cee Lo Green’s new album, The Lady Killer, is so refreshing — or at least part of it.
First off, Cee Lo deserves props for sneaking a song called “Fuck You!” into the Billboard Top 40. Novelty aside, “Fuck You!” is a tremendous song. It’s an energetic combination of Motown and modern hip-hop that’s clever and, most importantly, a lot of fun. This, ultimately, is The Lady Killer’s greatest strength: While the album is very much indebted to the sound of traditional ’60s soul, it reinterprets the genre in a way that’s modern as well as respectful.
After a cheesy but charming introduction, the album opens with “Bright Lights, Bigger City.” The delightful dance number pairs Cee Lo’s relaxed vocals with bright synthesizer and a bass line reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Other highlights include the endearing ballad “Old Fashioned” — which layers the singer’s adaptable tenor on top of old-school doo-wop — and the almost-too-smooth soul jam “I Want You.” These songs, along with most of the album, represent some of the catchiest, most gleeful music Cee Lo has ever released — including his smash hit “Crazy” with Gnarls Barkley and his two previous solo albums.
The album’s downfall is its inconsistency. During the album’s midsection, tracks like “Bodies” and “Satisfied” seem lazy, as though Cee Lo — recognizing the automatic charm of his vocal chords — decided to take it easy and reproduce the same tired throwback style. Most of these tracks have similar lovelorn lyrical content and ’60s musicality.
While perfectly enjoyable, they lack the tongue-in-cheek genius that made “Fuck You!” and “Bright Lights, Bigger City” stand out against other neo-soul jams.
If the singer had kept his momentum throughout the album, it could have been exceptional. But even if Cee Lo is guilty of including filler, The Lady Killer still exudes plenty of magic — expletives included.
