Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 19 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. 100
    A single-disc equal of "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below".... Even if it only sold 14 copies, it would still be the best record of the year.
  2. 100
    A masterpiece. [May 2004, p.103]
  3. With a more succinct drollery and a better sense of studio control, Cee-Lo Green has outdone his fellow Atlantans [OutKast] on Cee-Lo Green is the Soul Machine.
  4. Cee-Lo is one of those rare artists who may indeed embody the fullest range of the black aesthetic (Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Thomas Dorsey, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Prince, are a few of the musical performers who come to mind).
  5. A major album from a major artist, Soul Machine works with a sonic, lyrical, and emotional palette that encompasses everything from joy to rage.
  6. A strong experimental record that draws on Cee-Lo's malleable style of rap... one of the year's strongest hip-hop albums to date.
  7. Half God's gift to hip-hop, half man of the people, he never quite puts all his good tracks together or across.
  8. 83
    It's a testament to both Cee-Lo's vision and the producers' artistic sympathy that the collaborations maintain a coherent, vintage R&B vibe. [Mar 2004, p.91]
  9. 80
    [A] full clip of club bangers and radio rockers. [Mar 2004, p.108]
  10. Once again Cee-Lo has recorded a peerless album, except this time he's recorded one that should connect, or at least deserves to.
  11. Part Sly Stone, part raving Baptist minister, Cee-Lo proves he's every bit as exceptional as his neighbours. [May 2004, p.100]
  12. 80
    His potent fusion of blues, R&B, funk, rock, gospel and hip hop has morphed his sound into something more Bobby Womack than Biggie. [Mar 2004, p.184]
  13. A gleefully non-conformist delight.
  14. There are chakra-smacking pleasures here that could only have come from an artist of Cee-Lo's expansiveness.
  15. At times, Cee-Lo does show the value of holding on to some of his rap. But he is more distinctive and effective as a singer, which makes part of this long, 65-minute CD feel like wasted time.
  16. The forays into "soul"... sparkle, as do his playful raps. But boast-heavy collaborations with Timbaland and Ludacris drag things down. [19 Mar 2004, p.66]
  17. 70
    Where his pals Outkast seem like genuine freaks of nature, he sometimes seems apologetically weird.
  18. The big improvement is in the songwriting: This time around, Cee-Lo works a memorable tune into almost every one of these eighteen overstuffed tracks.
  19. If labelmates OutKast had condensed Speakerboxxx/The Love Below into one LP, this is the kind of mixed bag it likely would've created.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. LarhondaC.
    10
    He is by far one of the best artist in the game today .
  2. roulak
    10
    rollin down the block the woofer hits the spot so u know who got the props rollin past the block nonstop, hip hop all day and night cause ceelo got the funk bumpin ride on bye i.e.[musical lyrical genius] Full Review »
  3. Its not a terrible album, I simply dont like it. Cee Lo Green is a great singer/rapper but I dont really like any of the songs on this album, I just dont like it in general but I am sure others would. Full Review »