This is sound of DJ Danger Mouse getting his just dues. After creating the Grey Album, and following it up by being the producer of Gorillaz (which, no matter who is involved, is always going to seen as a Damon Albarn project), Gnarls Barkley is when Danger Mouse comes into his own.

It helps that “Crazy” is a single of utter brilliance. Cee-Lo’s vocals are the finishing touch on a warm base of soul. Of course, the problem with St. Elsewhere appearing after such an unbelievable slice of warm sound is that the rest of it doesn’t quite match the heights of that song, which manages to encompass soul, pop, and a Beatles-like melody all in one.

It’s strange that “Gone Daddy Gone” by the Violent Femmes is covered as well – and that it’s done in such a copycat manner. You’d expect Danger Mouse to mess with the rhythm, but instead he plays it straight. Far better is “Smiley Faces”, another instant pop confection, while “The Boogie Monster” has really great production. “Who Cares?” is another clear album highlight.

The biggest problem with St. Elsewhere is that it’s not as varied as you might necessarily come to expect. But perhaps there was sense in that decision too – having Cee-Lo as the voice throughout the album means that it has a consistency more appropriate to a pop release than a hip-hop one. For, make no mistake, St. Elsewhere is very much a pop-focussed release, akin to Moby’s Play. Expect it to be just as popular and as inescapable as that release too.