The Lady Killer (Deluxe Version)

On his third solo release the multi-talented Cee Lo Green plays the persona of the “Lady Killer” to the hilt and comes up with a winning concept and a great batch of songs. Bookended by a couple of versions of the campy “Lady Killer Theme,” which sound like they were pulled from a spy movie spoof soundtrack, the album draws on classic soul and R&B for inspiration yet doesn’t come across as retro. There’s also hardly a trace of hip-hop, which is a change from most of his previous projects. He applies considerable wordplay and wit to hook-filled and irresistible songs that include hard funk (“Bright Lights Bigger City,” “Love Gun”), sultry soul (“Bodies,” “I Want You”) and contemporary R&B with classic horns (“Satisfied,” “Cry Baby,” “It’s OK,” and the insanely catchy kiss-off tune, “F**k You"). Green’s soulful and irrepressible voice is simply fantastic in this context. The Lady Killer is smooth, stylish, and a ton of fun.