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If you haven’t already heard, Gnarls Barkley came out with a new album on Tuesday. It’s called The Odd Couple, a reference to the classic 1968 movie. It’s a fitting title for the two man crew of Gnarls Barkley, made up of Danger Mouse and Cee Lo.  As I’ve written before in my picks for the best recent albums, you guys know I’m a big fan of Danger Mouse’s Jay-Z/Beatles mash-up project The Grey Album. Well, Danger Mouse brings the same level of innovation to The Odd Couple, creating a terrific funky/rock/soul soundscape to swing to. My favorite song is “Going On,” featuring forceful organ cords in the background, with catchy electric guitar riffs and soulful singing and rapping. I’m digging the cover art, too. Here’s an interesting fact: in an interview, Danger Mouse compared himself to the film director Woody Allen. He said he wants to make personal, instantly recognizable music, just like a film auteur like Woody Allen makes personal and recognizable films. He’s striving to apply the film auteur theory to his music, so it’s no surprise that he’s one of the most innovative people in the music business today.

Get the full album on iTunes.