Just as in a truly great film, where entertainment temporarily transports you beyond the familiar into a foreign reality, famed and seasoned musicians Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse team together as Gnarls Barkley and take you out of ordinary popular music trends into a new sound. In their appropriately named new release, St. Elsewhere, the pair opens with the stuttering sound of an old projector– introducing an album of retrospective music that isn't afraid to make some creative leaps.

St. Elsewhere is intelligent, fun, and fresh. To those of you hoping the record is a collection of 9-week chart topping pop singles, this one may not be for you. But don't despair; to those of you tired of Lil' Jon and chronically boring beats, this is most likely your type of album. St. Elsewhere is deeper than the catchy hooks and simple melodies of the "pop wave." Rather, the duo runs fast, electric beats, sings unusual and engaging lyrics, eccentrically glides on popularly avoided highs, and hums along on provocative lows to carry the listener "outside the box" and into new territory.

Immediately following the initial noisy projector, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse set the tone of the album to the tune of "Go-Go Gadget Gospel." Throughout the opening song, Cee-Lo sings an exuberant "I'm free!" in very high, crazed, wailing gospel tones while fittingly underscored by a supplementary Danger Mouse beat best described as supercharged conventional gospel. The sound is electric and original.

From there, the album explores many different sounds, with mostly great success and only a few duds– creatively inspired duds, though. "Gone Daddy Gone" explores hard, heavy electric guitar rock in its chorus but only results in a stagnant sound that makes the listener want to press "next" before the track is over. Although definitely a bit difficult to listen to after hearing the other tracks, "The Boogie Monster" very interestingly combines a sample entitled "Ku Klux Klan Sequence," intense whispers, and a deep soulful vocal and unison chorus line to signify old spirituals and work songs from days of the ugly past. Some of the most notable, excellent songs include "Smiley Faces," "Transfomer" and "Necromancing." "Smiley Faces" owns a catchy old-school beat mixed with Danger Mouse's innovative touch and a Cee-Lo vocal line reminiscent of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Next, when listening to "Transformer", you honestly feel like you're in the middle of a Japanimation cartoon full of bright and colorful action. The teamwork proves incredible again on this track with amazing "flow."

Luckily, the two artists are a great fit together. Between the fast, contagious rhythms, full background vocal lines, and Cee-Lo's wild, soulful tone, the album brings a fresh sound to the table that has not been heard yet from a popular artist. Hopefully we'll hear something from the duo sometime in the not too distant future. For now, the benefits far outweigh the few pitfalls on St. Elsewhere – this album is worth your time and money.