Gnarls Barkley , The Odd Couple

Herald rating: * * * Label: WarnerVerdict: Follow up to mega-hit single and album leaves you expecting moreGnarls Barkley's Crazy was the Hey Ya! of 2006 and the album it came from, St Elsewhere, was a strange but infectious hit too.The duo, made up of producer Dangermouse and vocalist Cee-Lo, have come up with more of the same on the follow-up, although, apart from Going On, with its rousing beats and banter, and the sing-a-long Sly and the Family Stone influenced Run (I'm A Natural Disaster), there's nothing as devastatingly catchy as Crazy which is probably a good thing.The Odd Couple is a darker and more meandering journey but still uniquely Gnarls with Dangermouse's off-kilter beats and Cee Lo's pleading shouts on Open Book, the finger-clicking soul of She Knows, and the sunshine pop of Surprise.The most disappointing thing is how many of the songs end abruptly or fizzle out. You just expect more finesse from a craftsman and innovator like Dangermouse. In saying that, Gnarls have never sounded as beautiful as on Who's Gonna Save My Soul and the loping serenade of Neighbours.