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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

St. Elsewhere
by Gnarls Barkley


8.3

based on 37 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 70 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The Odd Couple

MUSIC:

This is the highly-anticipated debut release for the pairing of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo.

LABEL:	Downtown
RELEASE DATE:	09 May 2006
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rap, R&B, Indie

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Entertainment Weekly

St. Elsewhere is a bumpy but mesmerizing ride.

100

Los Angeles Times

Every song on this exhilarating debut... is almost as good as its first hit, "Crazy." That's saying a lot. [6 May 2006]

100

E! Online

Weird, wonderful and, yes, super.

100

Slant Magazine

As we approach the halfway point of 2006, it's unlikely that a more vivid or arresting debut will drop this year, marking St. Elsewhere as not only an audacious accomplishment, but one of the year's best.

Dot Music

Both artists have stepped outside their regular roles to make what feels like a genuinely instinctive, love-fuelled record that zings with an enthusiasm for all spectrums of music.

Filter

More soulful and funky than any of Dangermouse's previous efforts. [#20, p.101]

cokemachineglow

It is often silly, occasionally ridiculous, always catchy as hell, and as loose as an album with this kind of production credit can be. What more could we ask from a pop record?

The Onion (A.V. Club)

St. Elsewhere deftly balances solid songcraft with free-floating weirdness for a project that's suavely international but unmistakably American.

Stylus Magazine

With “Crazy,” the duo hits its apex without really shrouding the rest of the album.

The Guardian

Theoretically the album should sound like a mess - and occasionally it does, not least on the twitchy and irritating Transformer. But for the most part, the mass of disparate sounds are perfectly bound together by some astonishing songwriting and Green's haunting, sorrowful voice.

musicOMH.com

Although this isn't a flawless album, it will undoubtedly be a huge hit and keep many people company through the long hot summer months ahead.

New Musical Express

You certainly won't hear much else at the moment as inventive as this.

PopMatters

The collaboration between sound technician Danger Mouse and astral soul brother #1 Cee-Lo Green is scatterbrained and compulsive, a collective of voices in varying degrees of twitchy, restless (in)sanity competing for one mind.

Paste Magazine

It’s all over the place in the best possible way.

The New York Times

A manic, twisted soul album that's part nostalgia and part dementia.

All Music Guide

With the help of Danger Mouse's platinum ear and intricate vocal productions, Green is revealed as a top-notch post-millennial soul singer.

Lost At Sea

Throughout, Cee-Lo’s crazed Muddy Waters-meets-Al Jarreau tenor drools soul and exudes liquid-nitrogen cool.

Q Magazine

St Elsewhere rivals Gorillaz' Demon Days for sheer inventiveness. [Jun 2006, p.109]

Drawer B

Each listen reveals depth and texture that allow the hooks plenty of room to breathe.

Spin

High-energy electro eccentricity. [Jun 2006, p.80]

Urb

Elsewhere is exactly what you thought it'd be: a daring piece of work from two artists not afraid to take chances that pay off. [May 2006, p.81]

Vibe

It sounds like Cee-Lo has found his sonic better half in Danger Mouse. [Jun 2006, p.162]

Mojo

A loose lyrical thread (mental instability), an unrestrained creativity and an enviable sense of musical freedom are the only things holding it together. [Jun 2006, p.104]

Pitchfork

As scattershot and weirdly limp as parts of this are-- two guys just knocking things together, seeing what happens-- well, it feels better to hear someone trying.

Drowned In Sound

It's no contender for end-of-year honours, but so far as pop goes in 2006, this may well be the pinnacle.

Playlouder

It's hard not to feel that the mystique is so damaged by the poor execution of the opening, that the rest of 'St. Elsewhere', however good, struggles to catch up.

Rolling Stone

There's a creeping dementia to all of St. Elsewhere. [4 May 2006, p.56]

Under The Radar

Even if their craziness is a bit affected, try as they might, they can’t disguise a fine pop record underneath that freaky makeup. [#14]

Tiny Mix Tapes

St. Elsewhere's triumphs are besmirched somewhat by its flubs.

Dusted Magazine

It may fall short a few instances, but it’s a record with genuine ingenuity.

Delusions of Adequacy

As is to be expected in any collaboration of this type, there are a lot of good ideas to be found, and it’s worth hearing, even with a few missteps.

RapReviews.com

A strange and unique album that is more rock and pop than anything most rap fans are used to.

Billboard

Some of the record gets bogged down in its own deliberate weirdness.

Prefix Magazine

A disappointing missed opportunity.

Blender

It's always peculiar, and often a mess; it's also occasionally brilliant. [Jun 2006, p.142]

Uncut

DM's production is unfocused but showy and the album's postmodern lurches suggest a frustrating attention defecit disorder. [Jun 2006, p.90]

NOW Magazine

It's a disappointing underachievement.

The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 70 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Eddie W gave it an8:
A versatile album with great singers. The only thing I thought was lacking is "substance", this CD is more fun than serious and that of course it's not bad. Entertaining, that's for sure!

Kenan D gave it a10:
Sound from the another planet. Great album !

montysano gave it a7:
A fine, somewhat crazed, piece of work. I love the music. But "St. Elsewhere" is a prime example of the overuse of compression in digital music. At higher volumes, it just sounds awful, and for somone who likes to listen loud, that's a drag.

! ? gave it a9:
Great album, just short.

Reuben F gave it a7:
A slick polished album from duo Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. 'Crazy' is the highlight, sounding like an instant classic, though it wears a little thin after a few plays. Interesting to find a cover of a Violent Femmes song on the album, who happen to be the first band I ever saw live, back when I was just 13. The album does not really live up to the standard of the lead single, which is a pity. I love the artwork though.

Vicky M gave it a10:
I love this cd and it flows and I go far away with it... as a fan of Joni Mitchell who experimented a lot with different syles of music, but stayed true to herself I can really appreciate this sound, the music and lyrics really make me feel a lot of things I have not felt in a long time, a strange and wonderful awakening to my spirit!!!

Nicole D gave it a10:
Great, simply genius album. The high energy only adds to its overall appeal. One of the year's best by far, with songs like "Smiley Face's" that make you wanna get out your seat and jam. Loved it loved it! Keep Rocking, Rapping, Popping Gnarles Barkley because this album breaks into all music genre's with ingenious ease!

St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley

St. Elsewhere
by Gnarls Barkley