CRAZY - GNARLS BARKLEY
Operating under the phonetically fun moniker Gnarls Barkley, Atlanta rap shaman Cee-Lo (Goodie Mob) and producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse (”The Gray Album,” Gorillaz) have already made U.K. history. “Crazy,” initially a digital-only release, became the first U.K. single to hit No. 1 solely on download sales. Stateside, the uber-catchy crossover smash has debuted on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart at No. 29 and is now ready to groove at R&B/ hip-hop and top 40. A tantalizing neo-soul jam with a string-laden chorus, “Crazy” finds a smooth-voiced Cee-Lo conjuring Al Green over Portishead-meets-PlayStation beats full of warm nostalgia. The dance-pop gem is highly contagious: Triple-A (adult alternative album) darling Ray LaMontagne already has offered a man-with-guitar version.–Billboard
