On February 26, to be exact, Gnarls Barkley released “Pictures,” marking a bittersweet moment for the iconic duo and their long-term supporters. The slow-burning, hypnotic, autobiographical single is the duo’s, composed of vocal legend CeeLo Green and super producer Danger Mouse, first piece of new music in 18 years, and the lead single to their new LP, Atlanta. Unfortunately, just as this new chapter for the acclaimed duo was about to begin, they announced that this would be their final album as Gnarls Barkley, ending a partnership that began in 2006, produced massive hits like “Crazy,” and earned the duo commercial and critical success around the world. With the finish line of their collaboration in sight, Gnarls Barkley set out on their last journey as a duo on Atlanta, and thankfully, they’re picking up right where they left off.
The new and final Gnarls Barkley album, clocking in at 13 spell-binding, genre-pushing tracks, is the band’s first new LP since 2008’s The Odd Couple, although looking back on what this duo was is far from the point of Atlanta. This is not an album meant to tie up loose ends, nor is it a wildly successful musical group cashing in on the hot commodity that is nostalgia. This is old friends coming back together one last time to explore their relationship, an ode to the city that raised both accomplished musicians. Steeped in southern gospel and grooves that feel as if they have been here long before they were put on wax, Gnarls Barkley is stubbornly in the present moment throughout Atlanta. The duo analyzes the world around them and their place in it, and rather than wallowing in the hectic outside atmosphere, Green and Danger Mouse use the excitement surrounding their return as a chance to uplift.
Atlanta is the mesmerizing, psychedelic outing we all hoped it would be, and then some. The carnival ride that is this tracklist ebbs and flows with Green’s acrobatic vocals and Danger Mouse’s signature, palpable percussion. From the very first moments of “Tomorrow Died Today,” Gnarls Barkley makes their mission clear: Strike a balance between sonic exploration and inspired, urgent anthems. The album’s opener finds Green painting a bleak yet vibrant portrait of modern life, as he details the poison that plagues the society he loves. Despite the downtrodden lyrics, Danger Mouse’s production gives the listener a celebratory feeling, a juxtaposition that would prove to fuel Atlanta. The unpredictable “Perfect Time” features jittery instrumentation that softens the blow of Green’s lyrical battle with mortality. Still, a larger contradiction at play reveals why Atlanta is such a meaningful send-off for a beloved band.
For every moment of self-analysis, every song that peels back a layer of Green’s mystique, like the Hip-hop-heavy “Boy Genius,” Gnarls Barkley reminds everyone why their name stayed relevant during their 18 years apart. “Line Dance” is a groovy, club-ready piece of funk, “The Be Be King” is a love letter to self-preservation and confidence, delivered via Green’s cartoonish flows, and “Turn Your Hearts Back On” is a soulful reminder to find the joys in life. It is in these moments that it feels as if Gnarls Barkley is reaching out to the listener, assuring them that these songs, even the autobiographical ones, are specifically designed for longevity.
While it is fun to witness Gnarls Barkley maneuver from one mood to the next, this is not a case of a disjointed tracklist. The whole of Atlanta is designed as one last check-in from a storied musical act, a chance for one last statement from two of the most long-standing figures in contemporary music. These 13 songs don’t play as a farewell, but more as a reintroduction. Atlanta, with its mystifying tendencies, is something Gnarls Barkley wants you to carry with you throughout your life, as they dance their way out the door from one song to the next, not looking back but standing right alongside the listener, as we all enter the next phase of our lives.
