Review: Gnarls Barkley

Review: Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls Barkley 'The Odd Couple': Aidin Vaziri | There are rumors about people flying to Thailand to request full lobotomies in the hope of eradicating "Crazy" from their lives. That hasn't discouraged Gnarls Barkley from returning with a second album of songs built on the same basic formula: futuristic hip-hop beats, Cee-Lo Green's sad-sack Stax vocals and an irresistible retro-soul sheen. There are variations, to be sure. Some of the tracks on the Grammy-nominated duo's new disc are faster ("Run"), slower ("Surprise") or a touch more ominous ("Charity Case") than the prototype, but you have pretty much heard this stuff without actually having heard it. And for all the unbridled creativity on display, it's still hard not to walk away without smelling the vague stench of novelty in your hair.