Cee-lo Green - The Lady Killer

Working against the monotonous tides of rap and hip-hop that have washed over the 2010 charts, soul singer Cee-Lo Green’s The Lady Killer—and its lead single “F**k You,” currently dominating clubs across the country—makes for a more-than-welcome movement in a fresh direction.

This huge-voiced crooner’s mainly been working behind-the-scenes in the hip-hop world for the last few years, collaborating with marquee names like Kid Cudi and, as duo Gnarls Barkley, producer Danger Mouse. But six years after his last solo release, Cee Lo Green… Is the Soul Machine, the smooth talker is back on his own, sticking to his roots without losing popular appeal. Funky and passionate, The Lady Killer’s catchy beats are infectious to the point where they’ll stick with the listener long after the album’s run its course.

Green hits with the facts straight from the start, telling the world as it is in “The Lady Killer Theme (Intro)”: “When it comes to ladies/I have a license to kill.” Proceeding with the fresh techno beats of “Bright Lights, Bigger City,” each sequential track takes a new turn; whether fast-paced or slow, every song’s dynamics are refreshing enough to stand on their own. The old school feel Green’s rocking proves perennial as it is woven through “F**k You,” “It’s OK” and “Old Fashioned.” Each song carries its own rhythm, soulful and drenched in the labor of love.

With the intimacy of the old-school coupled with Green’s suave and sexy voice, The Lady Killer is diversifying commonplace party music and broadening the scope of Top-40 hits.