Odd Couple

It's hard enough to follow up a successful debut album, but try following up a boundary-breaking blockbuster of a debut album. The duo of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse became a household name as Gnarls Barkley in 2006 with their frothy blend of pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Two years on, THE ODD COUPLE stands up proudly alongside its predecessor. The basic recipe hasn't been drastically altered--Danger Mouse's skittering beats and snap-crackle-pop production still provide the perfect platform for Cee-Lo's mighty, soulful wail. If anything, the pair have refined and sharpened their approach to a razor's edge. The key is the way the musical flavors intersect: the Arthur Lee-meets-N.E.R.D. stroll of "Surprise," the jubilant jumble of gospel/soul/synthpop on "Going On," the Otis Redding-shares-a-treadmill-with-Outkast feel of the single "Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)." The cumulative effect is one of a group whose trick-bag has a never-ending supply of happy surprises. Take that, pessimistic sophomore-jinx predictors!