Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections

[Tito]

Arista


It's easy to feign surprise at the splankadelic splendor of Cee-Lo's new solo joint. Feign yes; feign convincingly, no, considering the eclecticism that has been bubbling underneath the surface of his group, the Goodie Mob, from the beginning (the disappointing World Party not included). There were even stray rumors about the great "lost version" of their masterful Still Standing, an adventurous, eclectic collection that caused their label to point them back toward the lab.


With that in mind, the only question Cee-Lo Green and his Perfect Imperfections really answers is the one concerning the source of all that genre-pushing impetus. Not to mention the one about whether Cee-Lo was in danger of becoming a hook-singing guest-starring southern version of Nate Dogg. With him manning the boards, rapping and singing (and sing-rapping), this is all his show, a peek inside the head of a restless hip-hop synthesist.


Though not a perfect release - "Spend the Night in Your Mind" drags, "Country Love" could have done without the John Popper caterwauling, and Cee-Lo's preachy tone on  "Young Man" ("I wish you would do more than keepin' it real/why don't you try being true") is trite and preachy - there are enough high points to place Cee-Lo Green right up there in the Dungeon Family hall of fame. It's certainly wide ranging enough: "Super Chicken" and "Live" are driving soul-rockers worthy of, say, Betty Davis; "Closet Freak" spins off a Motown-style horn figure, while "Basehead Jazz" trades in dreamy soundscapes worthy of a Bill Laswell release.


Besides his internal musical Cuisinart, which has allowed him to synthesize everything from the Doors and Motley Crue to Stax-influenced soul, Cee-Lo's strongest points are his vocal flexibility  -- flirting with both rapping and singing with a panache few can match -- and his inner spiritual compass.  The former gospel singer is at his best when he waxes introspective, as he does on "Getting Grown," where he admits his own inability to identify all but the most ephemeral life answers. In a hip-hop world in which philosophical certainty has become a cliche, hearing lines like "Life is learning as you go" is refreshing. Judging from the evidence on Cee Lo Green, it's certain he'll follow his own advice.
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Pick it up,it's tight!

[S.G.V.]

i might buy this album...im not sure....i dont like all this futuristic shit the dungeon fam is doing...what happend to the old school laid back pimp shit they used to spit?.....outkast used to amazing...atliens ruined it for me.....goodie mob is the same....cool breeze is still tight...but he hasnt dropped a new album....so cant speak on that......