From the moment you hear Cee Lo Green’s light-hearted spoken word intro on ‘The Lady Killer Theme’, you know you’re going to enjoy this record. Green’s first release post-Gnarls Barkley, The Lady Killer seemingly operates at a time when Motown still ruled the pop world. We might have heard all of this smooth, syrupy soul before but that’s no bad thing and Green adds enough modern flourishes and knowing wit to reboot it for 2010.
There’s a large dollop of Al Green, a touch of the exuberant energy of early Jackson Five and even a sprinkle of Burt Bacharach. It could be the soundtrack to a Blaxploitation rip-off of James Bond. Green himself remains in fine voice, reasserting his position as one of modern soul’s greatest singers. By the end, you’ll get the message: he likes the ladies but they can be an awful hassle. When the tunes are this immediate, melodic and downright fun, however, we can live with the old cliches. And, call us ‘Crazy’, but ‘Fuck You’ may just be the most infectious pop song he’s ever put out. A pity, then, that it’s been shoved to the end of the album in favour of a cleaned up version. Still, the tune demands radio play. As does most of The Lady Killer. It’s good to know there’s life after Danger Mouse.
KEY TRACK: ‘FUCK YOU’