Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I enjoyed this throwback to noughties rnb with the Timbaland beats, TI feature and overall feel. I feel like Cee-Lonis that guy who you invite to your party bc he’s just a nice guy, not interesting just nice.
Very basic rap album, mixes some soul here and there, didn't listen all the songs tho, pharrell collab is good
Meh. Pretty dull fare here.
Nothing here caught my ear. I don’t like his hits either though.
As far as soul goes, it's kinda mediocre. But then there were hip hop bits that were even mediocrer. Having a unique voice means you can usually find a niche and excel in it, but he didn't find it here
really good, very funky prod is so good with melodic rap by ceelo in the back
This is ... decidely nowhere near as soulful as I was expecting, honestly really quite disappointing. Sort of sounds like OutKast in places, but with none of the charm.
He's got some soul but not a huge fan of Cee-Lo. I so like how he was part of gnarls barkley then became a solo artist.
I always liked the song Crazy, which I think was my total exposure to Cee Lo Green. He is definitely a super talented dude, but damn this album sucks.
A LOT of duds on this record. However, Soul Machine into The Art of Noise might be the first track to use a neo-soul breakdown. For sure influenced TPAB. Other than that, terrible record. Would be a 1 withoout that.
first time listening to this one, and it was difficult on a number of levels. first, although it was the only version of the LP that came up on Tidal, it was the edited version of the album? the curse words were straight up edited out of the mix, so some songs were full of vocal gaps (like you'd hear on FM radio). I tried to correct course and find the explicit version, but by the time I realized what was up, the album had already lost me and I just wanted to power through and get it over with. anyone else feel like the first handful of tracks showed some promise (or at least were mediocre enough), and then this LP just got progressively more difficult to listen to? at first I thought I was gonna get some good Atlanta rap/soul, but that just turned into a lot of condescension, bravado, and sermonizing, and not in a convincing or entertaining way. sometimes felt like a public display of failure and I just couldn't look away. I guess I was blissfully unaware of Cee-Lo Green until "Crazy" hit the airwaves. "Fuck You" was also a huge hit. this album did not make me want to continue any exploration of his music. even when there were some cool production choices, they were outnumbered by cringeworthy decisions.
Wow, I found little to like or appreciate here, though I will say “Glockapella” is a great song title.
Having really only heard one song by him, this was an interesting mix of styles.
Yeah this didn't really work for me.
I know Cee Lo Green, but I didn’t know any songs on here. It was fine, but it was a long album. He had a lot of people featured on his songs that I know.
I actually enjoyed listening to a good bit of this album, but also hard pass on Cee-Lo being on a list of artists to hear before I die.
I mean, the mid 2000s were not completely devoid of quality music, but.... You didn't miss much if you slept through it.
Never heard this before. Only cee-lo I knew was fuck you. Obviously he did a ton of work with Outkast before this, and that sound definitely comes through. He is definitely a soul machine.
Nice change of pace from the things I know from Cee-Lo Green (Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy", and obviously "Fuck You"). It just didn't really stick for me.
I was ready to hate this, primarily I suppose because Green seems like a jerk. But it wasn't too bad, TBH; I generally liked the production. Green may still be a jerk, but on the basis of the music, this is a three.
2.5 - decent
vibes, geil, gute features
Great Opening and really positive message, a classic I can't believe I never heard about.
Liked it more than I thought I would overall
Why is this on the list? The Gnarls Barkley album was fine, but this is just nothing special.
Not an unpleasant voice but this one was very ignorable
I was expecting something so much worse than this, but this was quite listenable and even at times enjoyable.
At times when he “sings” he sounds like a member of the Lollipop Guild. And that’s pretty far away from being soulful.
Clearly a talented and unique dude but man. This guy is… a lot
Good grooves and Cee-Lo can belt it out. But man, that is alot of the soul machine. I could only take this in chunks. Good for a pop hit. Too much for a full album. 2.5
Thought this was quite enjoyable. Cut 4-5 songs from the back half and I could be rounding up. I think the bad reviews on this one are from "Crazy" PTSD. His voice can be a little much at times but the beats were pretty solid. 3.25/5
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine is an album i really liked a lot. I only really knew Cee-Lo for his really popular singles and his pop culture appearances and the latter had a very R&B like sound. While this album still has that R&B sound, it still has a lot of hip-hop elements which are handled really well here. The production on offer is off the charts good with so many amazingly produced songs. It could just be the fact that two excellent producers (DJ Premier and The Neptunes) offered their help here and did an excellent job as did all the others. It may not be my favorite hip-hop album but it is still a really good one. Best Song: Living Again Worst Song: Die Trying
Felt okay about this, nothing really stood out and felt a little goofy (the beats, production, skits, and rapping)
"it isn't rape if the person is unconscious" Cee Lo Green (2014)
Hmm 2004, sounds like it. Neptunes, Timbaland. Nothing wrong with it, but theres better soul, and better hip hop. 2.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No 59/239 (24%) Will I get: No
A big surprise
Im first like, noup really not my genre... A few songs in and Im still not convinced of even trying... still want to give it chance. Then 4 or 5 songs in, and it sure becomes more interesting, little more deep, little more interesting compositions. At least, avoiding me from giving it a one-star rating. I made it finally to the end, and surely can say I did not loose interest. Enough for a strong two star rating.
cee lo green is the sould machine. going into this album i was very hyped i had high expectations as its hip hop and i love hip hop but it kinda dissapointed me it had good beats the flow is fine but his is voice and the rapping is kinda ahh in all due respect i wouldnt really listen to this hip hop the beats are nice but overall wasnt as good as the ones before even though it wasnt my type of music overall rating 3/5
Cee lo green is the soul machine: This record has some nice beats and flows but overall it falls flat in lots of aspects. It's overall boring and doesn't have too much meaning or themes to it. Most songs are just flow and beats. Many filler songs and way too long. 3/5
Horrible Human Doesn't deserve the listen
CeeLo is such a good producer. The Album is all over the place tho
Good
1.4 One of the worst things I've heard in here for a while. I didn't hate *one* of the eighteen songs on here (all day love affair). Other than that... where to start: - the intro/outro. Why. - I was saying this to my wife the other day, but similar to a lot of hip-hop albums of the era, the incessant need to repeatedly remind us he is, in fact, Cee-Lo Green. As if the people dumb enough to listen to a Cee-Lo Green song might forget it's Cee-Lo Green (actually, he may have a point with that one..) - Childz Play. I actually shouted at my speaker to shut the fuck up before having to reach over to press the skip button. - the fact he calls himself the Soul Machine?! James Brown was not far off his death-bed, I wouldn't be surprised if this tipped him over the edge. I could go on but I don't want to waste any more ATP even remembering this exists.
too long, with a few bangers
Damn, people really hate this, huh? 5/5
Ok, but not for me
Love the beats on this
Tough on for me. Cee-Lo's voice works great when he actually sings, but it's straight up IRRITATING when he raps. Despite the name of this album there is very little soul on here, which is too bad because it's some of the few moments where this album almost shines. Typical 2000s R&B/Hip-Hop production here, which always sounds very contrived to me and makes this release blend in with all the other major-label pop from this era. Nothing special here.
Its oke
Like most people, I was introduced to Cee-Lo Green by Crazy. That song seems to tower over the rest of his career, it's all fine but he never really got anywhere near there again. Here he's producing a better than average album. Doesn't feel particularly innovative or interesting, but not bad. Hard to see how this deserves its spot on the list; there are lots of better albums in all the genres this crosses
I enjoyed the energy of the first few tracks and he lost me a bit in the middle when it became more rap (but that’s because of my preferences).
I like the backing tracks, but his voice and lyrics just grate on me. The groovy big band feel is fun tho! 2.5
I enjoy songs where he isn't rapping. Some good stuff in here that's overshadowed by songs I wasn't particularly fond of.
I do not like this
Horrible
Throw away pop/soul. Honestly baffled why it is on here but I didn't hate it.
p fun
I will say that Cee-Lo makes Jay-Z seem modest. So that’s something.
Beats are fine, CeeLo's voice is kind of grating, the album is genuinely nothing special, no idea why it's here.
The Good: There’s no argument here as to who The Soul Machine is!!! The Bad: Us becoming confused as to what a Soul Machine is… The Ugly: Fucking cheesy early ‘00s photoshopping… The cover of the album should be changed to just nothing but a solid color… fucking keep it simple. Other than that… this album was a total waste of my time. I don’t know why I had to listen to this… maybe because of the Pass The Dutchie sampling? I will go and listen to the Musical Youth now, probably have a better time… 1*, not only because of the horrid cover art...
This was a not very good album. I didn't really like it. It was just a little too weird for me I guess. But like not weird I don't know. It just wasn't good
had a gosh darn tootin good time
Ok
Idk why this is part of this list
Honestly didn’t finish it, but there were a couple good songs on this. Cee-Lo rapping is not it, though.
Estaría 10/10 si durara menos, lo de en medio está medio tedioso pero en general chidito
Decent listen but think he has better albums!
I enjoyed this quite a bit. I particularly liked that with the different guest artists that there is a lot of variety in terms of sounds, lyrics, musicality.
Oooooh i know "I'll be around" I like this album, not much to say. I liked Cee Lo Green before
three out of five
I wasn't really looking forward to this one. And it didn’t get better when I did listen. The mix of rap/R&B wasn't great and Cee-Lo's voice gets really annoying after a couple of songs.
This was not great, there were a few songs that I was ok with but on the whole this album was a miss!
The next time I play "never have I ever" and someone says "never have I ever listened to a full Cee-Lo Green album" I guess I'll have to drink. This was long. Very long. I did like the sincere romanticism of "let's make it a blockbuster night" and the outro "What Don't You Do?...Fuck around." I'm not sure who Cee-Lo's audience is but I don't think it's me.
I like him as a feature artist.
Couldn't get through it. Just not my thing. Had it playing whilst on the dog walk and forgot I even had any music playing. Just totally tuned out
He really isn't. There is no soul at all in this album.
pas sûr pas sûr. Sa voix est clairement caractéristique, on reconnaît bien Gnarls, et il y a un certain flow. Mais je n'ai pas su m'y intéresser. Sûrement en large part dû au fait que l'album est looonnnnggg. J'ai pu reconnaître un sample et j'en suis bien fier. Sur Glockapella, Give Up the Funk (un autre album sur cette liste!)
Meh correct. Beau mélange de soul et de hip hop. Je connais mieux son album d’après.
Southern hip hop & neo-soul album, most certainly influenced by OutKast, that pulls from funk, pop, dance, rock music to many a fun, crunky hyphy kinda album. Some pretty good beats and Green had a unique voice that can be quite impressive when he chooses. That said, the vocals didn’t catch my interest that much, and with the long run time I was just kind of over this album. It’s fun but I’d seek out other artists if I’m wanting this style of music.
Wasn't sure at the start how much I was going to enjoy the album but I ended up REALLY liking it and hearing the influence it's had on modern artists. Standout songs included "The One" and "My Kind of People" where he interpolates "Pass the Dutchie".
Pure garbage album
it's meh. not much stands out and it's content to just hum along for a while. Neptunes and Timbaland production are both fairly underwhelming too tbh. deserves to be one of the 1001? no but maybe St. Elsewhere does
Unlistenable.
Not my genre
I just wanted to be done
Its a bit too long but the beats are great. If the list needed to have Cee Lo it should have been Goodie Mob or Gnarles Barkley over a solo album.
I'm a huge fan of Cee-Lo's second album, Perfect Imperfections, so I was happy this one popped up. It's okay, but didn't catch me like that one did.
Could not get into this ... maybe its his voice!
Ok 2/5
The only bit i remember is the Musical youth riff in one of the song. Nice tunes but I'm not going in for another listen any time soon
wowww every beat on this album is so new and different from every other song on the album however al the songs are harminous and play together so well, fuck celloo and his fat self not saying his name correctly on purpose
Zzzz
this was a good album, favorite song was I’ll Be Around
You have to deliver a lot more than this if you’re going to call yourself - and your album - the soul machine. Based on this, he is to a soul machine what a 1974 Casio calculator is to a MacBook Pro.
I see, so this is who taught ERBoH guys to rap It has quite a few duds, but it has some pretty good songs too. Averages out I like his rapping
Actually really enjoyable. Happy. Bright.
this album is frozen in 2004 and has not aged well. the feeling this album induces is sitting on my floor playing video games at 2 am listening to a radio station with an unhinged talk show that I should not have been listening too at that age. The production value is decent featuring a lot popular artists at the time. Stanf out tracks: The Art of Noise My Kind of People Childz Play I Am Selling Soul - Did we just get some jungle beats/ break core?
God awful
Childz Play has to be top 5 worst songs I've heard on this generator period. I hate this dude.
I actually think this album would do significantly better on the ratings if it wasn’t by Cee Lo Green. This is a really fun album with good beat production and lyrics. I know there’s usually a lot of hate for rap on this site but this one feels like it’s getting more than the standard dip.
Ok this is why I'm doing this exercise. Don't know squat about this guy, and thought that it was going to be shitty gangsta rap from the album cover. Wrongo! Super cool Atlanta (I'm guessing) vibes here with immaculate production. I can't even pigeonhole what genre of music this is... a cool blend of soul, hiphop, bit of funk, and some Caribbean stuff? Dunno, but I'd buy this in a heartbeat.
Not the best representation of millennium hip hop. But there are some strong features, Timbaland, and Pharrell beats on this.
A bit of a mixed bag here. 'The Art Of Noise' intro sounds like a less sophisticated version of 'Rock Your Body' with Justin Timberlake. 'The One' sounds like a generic early 2000s hip-hop song. 'I Am Selling Soul' is a Shaft-like 70s disco song. What I'm saying is it was hard to get a grip on this album being all over the place thematically. I wasn't particularly fond of CeeLo's rap either. It was nasal and felt.. uncool somehow. Maybe the cover art of the album added to the uncool image. There were some stray songs here and there that were decent. 'All Day Love Affair' comes to mind. But overall I'm not sure why this is something I need to hear. It doesn't feel focused enough, which makes it hard for me to remember what a typical CeeLo album sounds like. Weak 3.
I will always be grateful to Cee-Lo Green for his live cover of “The Reckoner”, which I found on YouTube late one night. This was my introduction to Radiohead and to one of my favourite albums of all time, “In Rainbows”. I mostly know Cee-Lo Green from his hit “Fuck You” and his work with Gnarls Barkley. In those, he doesn’t really rap—which is probably for the best. Cee-Lo’s rapping here is pretty awful, especially on tracks like “I Am Selling Soul” and “Scrap Metal”. His voice just doesn’t suit the lyrics, and the flow isn’t really there. The R&B sections are easily the strongest parts of the album. “My Kind of People” was probably my favourite, although that might be partly due to the hook borrowed from “Pass the Dutchie”. You get all the usual names you’d expect on a 2000s R&B/rap album, including T.I., Ludacris, and, of course, Timbaland. Overall, it’s quite a forgettable album. Strong 2 stars.
Longer than the bible and feels longer than that Ella album. A struggle to get through one listen
Zdecydowanie nie moje klimaty, ale jak na hiphopowy album to nawet dla mnie miał fajne momenty
Not bad. Mix of old school hip hop with some poppier sound.
you could've give me 50 attempts to guess what this would sound like ( OR even describe post-listen) and I could not even approach the reality- other than EXTREMELY 2000s. Some catchy stuff though
"Cee-Lo Green...Is the Soul Machine" is the second studio album by American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor CeeLo Green. Neo soul and hip hop are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was produced by Green, Traxx, the Neptunes, Timbaland, Jazze Pha, Organized Noize, Charles Pettaway, DJ Premier and Locksmif. Commercially, the album reached #13 on the US Billboard 200. The album opens with a guy talking to a kid declaring he's the king of soul machine. This leads to the song "Soul Machine." Women repeating "What? What?" A handclap beat. Horn fills. People talking in the background (that's throughout a lot of this album). CeeLo comes in rapping in a high voice stating that he's here to deliver the soul. Timbaland produced the first single "I'll Be Around." Horn-synth pulses and a Latin-esque beat. CeeLo rapping. There's a chorus. Timbaland with a deep voice. CeeLo will always be there for you. The second-single "The One" has a chorus repeating "You're the one girl." A swirling, catchy and melodic synth riff. There's also a sample of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Devotion." "Let's Stay Together" slows down the beat. A soulful groove and melody with the synth/organ. A song that features Pharrell Williams who also produced it as the Neptunes with Chad Hugo. The music on this album has mostly a soulful melody with a hip hop or handclap beat. There's also songs with Latin and dance beats. CeeLo raps, sings and talks. There's lots of production especially with the background and chorus vocals and the party-like atmosphere with people talking in the background. I think the multiple producers and guest singers really helped keep the variety between the songs and limit any perceived overproduction. Overall, this is a decent album. What are the chances I'd get two neo soul albums back to back. Well, I guess 100% now.
Actually really enjoyed this! I was thinking it'd be two start at best going in but I was proven wrong. A great vibe and real Outkast big boi vibes throughout, which I love
Well, this album is pretty much what was kind of popular at around the time when it came out, but I feel like it's a bit meh nowadays. Overall, it's decent having it in the background while I was doing stuff.
The man has a point
The soul machine lives up to his billing. Thanks to Pharrell and other guests, I had a bopping good time on the best tracks but this could have used lots of cuts to make it tighter. Top tracks: "Let's Stay Together," "The Art of Noise," "Childz Play"
mehhhhhh
--Soul Machine...groovy --The Art of Noise...I go in and out between liking and disliking his voice. it's certainly versatile --Living Again...cool piano here. this is fun --I'll Be Around...fun but forgettable --The One...head bopper --My Kind of People...some nice horn usage here --Childz Play...another solid beat. lots of cool things happening here --I Am Selling Soul...an odd diversion --All Day Love Affair...nice and mellow. blockbuster video reference --Evening News...didn't like it at the beginning but "The Return From Ashes" sample won me over --Scrap Metal...he keeps trying to throw out new and interesting ideas but this LP is already feeling long and we still got a while to go --Glockappella...I don't buy the gangsta attitude --When We Were Friends...nice production but real cheesy --Sometimes...I like the flute sample --Let's Stay Together...not bad but could be easily edited out from an already bloated album --Die Trying...ends on a high note
Want to learn more about this artist. Google “Ceelo green unconscious”
This was fine. I liked All Day Love Affair.
I can’t take a full album of CeeLo.
Few moments pointing back to the Goodie Mob Ceelo and ahead to the mainstream CeeLo drag this up from a 1.
Was not expecting to see this album in here. A couple solid songs but man is his voice grating.
A soul/hip hop album that was kinda forgot by people is an automatic 2.
Not really my thing
6/10
what an actual nothingburger of an album. a one hour nothingburger. at least some of the other nothingburgers are short.
Cee-Lo Green seems like a nice guy with a very healthy ego (which isn't quite justified based on the music he's made here.)
I’d rather listen to a hamster being run through with one of those little plastic cocktail swords. You know the ones that make you feel like a giant pirate? Yeah, you know thx ones.
He has a great voice and this is a decent if pedestrian album. Unfortunately, it’s legacy is tarnished.
The album was Ok. It was fun, but I didn't really engage with it. Listening to this I can see where Gnarls Barkley comes from, I think I prefer Gnarls Barkley
he sounds like a mini man
Not sure why there’s so much hate here, this wasn’t bad! Very 2004 album cover though
Average rap
聞き苦しくないまあまあのヒップホップアルバム。しかし今後はこのリスト経由でしか聞かれないと思う。
Great mixture of hip hop/R&B. Enjoyed.
Another album that I can only describe as mediocre, unfortunately.
3/10
yea Cee-Lo is still not for me. But I can see this hitting for people that are more inclined to that mashup of soul and hip hop.
Lame
Ok R&B
Звучание кайфовое, но к голосу очень сложно привыкнуть, не мое... Фиты прикольные, медлячки ничего, читает норм, поет норм, но этот противный голос...
Baš se vidi Pazina vremena
Not my usual sort of thing, but fun and catchy.
It was fine but nothing stood out
Quite good! "Soul Machine" and "The Art of Noise" were definitely a surprise!
Drar (og sikkert tar) noen linjer han her. Flyter bra
Timbaland beats are good
Pretty good fun
This album was fine? A bit all over the place. I find Ceelo to be really gross as a person, which I think influenced me to not like some of the explicit lyrics.
Found it pretty boring, struggled to make it to the end. Don’t really love his voice, and it was all just kinda mediocre to me.
“Hey, what album is next” “It’s one by Cee lo Green!” “Oh! Is it a Gnarls Barkley album? Or one with Goodie Mob, or the one that has Fuck You on it?” “No. It’s the one where him and ludacris interpolate carol of the bells, he raps over an Aphex twin type beat, does slam poetry, and has a song called glockapella” “what”
Huh…I didn’t know he rapped.
It's a shame what the singer did after this
My first impressions of "Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine" were of a varied, interesting, and occasionally funky record. However, that initial intrigue failed to sustain itself, and the album eventually devolved into an inconsistent listening experience. The production is serviceable, yet often marred by harshly programmed beats that sit too forward in the mix. On tracks like "Living Again," the percussion is aggressive to the point of distraction. Even on "All Day Love Affair", arguably one of the album's highlights, the percussion (whether sampled or programmed) feels "off." This lack of cohesion is likely a symptom of having a bloated roster of producers; one wonders how many hands are truly necessary to steer a single project. Vocally, Cee-Lo fluctuates between excellence and the annoyingly comical, particularly on "Childz Play". The hip-hop elements feel largely unsuccessful and clumsy, especially when Cee-Lo handles them himself. A track like "When We Were Friends" is a prime example of a solid song ruined by an unnecessary rap verse that disrupts the flow entirely. Clocking in at over an hour, the album outstays its welcome by a good 15 to 20 minutes. There is charm to be found here, and had the weaker tracks in the second half been trimmed, this could have been a tight three- or even four-star album. While it has its moments, its inconsistent production choices and the lack of focus means it ultimately isn't for me. Two stars. 1 "Intro" (3/5) 2 "Soul Machine" (3/5) 3 "The Art of Noise" (featuring Pharrell) (3/5) 4 "Living Again" (3/5) 5 "I'll Be Around" (featuring Timbaland) (2/5) 6 "The One" (featuring Jazze Pha and T.I.) (3/5) 7 "My Kind of People" (featuring Jazze Pha and Menta Malone) (3/5) 8 "Childz Play" (featuring Ludacris) (2/5) 9 "I Am Selling Soul" (2/5) 10 "All Day Love Affair" (3/5) 11 "Evening News" (featuring Chazzie and Sir Cognac The Conversation) (3/5) 12 "Scrap Metal" (featuring Big Rube and G-Rock) (2/5) 13 "Glockappella" (2/5) 14 "When We Were Friends" (2/5) 15 "Sometimes" (1/5) 16 "Let's Stay Together" (featuring Pharrell) (3/5) 17 "Die Trying" (2/5) 18 "What Don't You Do? (Outro)" (2/5) Total - 44 Average - 2.44 219/1001 123/219 albums reviewed were new to me.
This is fun - better when he's singing than rapping. Could do with an edit, but the production is great
This is a solid album, produced very well and with a singer that has some talent - but maybe not as much as he himself wished he had. Some tracks work great, others don't, and the obligatory spoken word track feels like the same empowerment black music stuff you heard a million of times.
NGL this album was waaaay better than I thought it was going to be. I've always liked Cee-Lo Green because he's no 1 trick pony. He's a great singer but also can rap a little to keep it interesting. I wouldn't call myself a "fan" but I definitely have liked multiple projects he's been on... And this The Soul Machine delivers that early 2000s Atlanta sound, with an all star cast of contributors. Production from Pharrell, DJ Premier, Timbaland and more set the tone and features from Ludacris, T.I. and more take it over the top. Luda's verse was actually pretty great and Cee-Lo is just doing his thing from the jump to the finish. One thing I will say though, while there's a bunch of great material here it runs a little long. He could have cut 4 or 5 songs and it would have been just as effective if not stronger.
Vibes: 0 Instruments: 1 Production: 0 Emotional Value: 0 Storytelling: 2 AC: 0 Stand Outs: The Art of Noise, All Day Love Affair Overall: 0.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There was nothing I liked really about this album. It felt busy, it dragged on, and the guy seems so full of himself. The only good song on the album featured Pharrell (probably the only reason it was good).
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Wanna Be Machine
Kung Fu Fighting brooooo, finally something that is not rock!!
Little T-rex arms sure can dance
So much fun! Nostalgic throwback party vibes
bello eh ma troppo lungo
Even the wiki article simply says "this album sure does exist alright". Essential, my left foot. This is plain as shit.
If I could give it less, I would.
The album flatlined until the vocals broke through and I started liking the guy, this insecure but mostly good-natured voice, authentic in his awkwardness and optimism. Even when he acts hard he’s really offering us a hug. Musically, it's mostly a coma soundtrack broken up by kitschy, baroque noir streaks like the squashed horns of “Evening News”.
Heralded with some of the most foreboding phrases from the early 2000s: "Timbaland"; "The Neptunes"; "Pharrell"; "Ludacris"; "Atlanta-based rapper"'; this is fucking dreadful. Pretentious, arrogant munchkin vocals irritate me for more than an hour. Yuck.
The core sound of this album is early aughts southern hip hop, but a lot is done with that sound. There are smooth tracks, and bangers. There are also some adventures, like the techno opening to "I Am Selling Soul" and the late night jazz of "Evening News." Cee Lo's vocals can't quite keep up though. His singing is great, and there are times when it mixes well with the rap verses. But his rapping is a mixed bag. The second half of "I Am Selling Soul" is fiery and creative, but more often his flow is choppy. The lyrics cover standard hip hop tropes without much of a personal touch. This is a fun album, with some surprises, and it doesn't sound dated despite being very influenced by the sounds of its time. But there's not enough substance to sustain it.
There is nothing good to say about it. Calling oneself the soul machine and release this is ironic.
This was fine. I guess. I've heard worse.
At times, this album was pretty good. Mostly, though, it was just the same thing over and over. I don't think there's anything special here.
This shit sucks!
Quite boring. I like Gnarls Barkley better. Hell, I even like his other album with Fuck You on it
Thumbs up for Art of Noise, meh for almost everything else
CRAZY albumvalg for den her kunstner!! Jeg tror ikke engang Gnarls Barkley er på?? Et rigtigt 00'er R&B album i den forstand at det er alt for langt, beats er 50% jams og 50% mega datede. Cee Lo har en virkelig fed stemme, og jeg synes faktisk han bærer solonumrene meget godt, og features (særligt Ludacris og Pharrell) er gode, så det bliver en lille 3'er i stedet for en stor 2'er
Jeg tror ik jeg synes det er voldsomt essentielt, men helt fin plade
This album is so fucking annoying - I don't even know where to start. Probably with his voice.. A summer single; fine.. A whole album? Fuck off.
I don't know if Cee-Lo Green is the Soul Machine, but this album kept me interested. Maybe a 3.5?
na
Idk why these reviews are so miserable like do yall even jam fr??? Its not groundbreaking but it was a fun listen, I thought the Intro and Outros were adorable, but I think Live Again is the best track on the album. I saved 13/18 songs so 4 stars ⭐️
Not my thing but even so it’s pretty bland.
this was way more fun than i expected it to be ngl
I couldn’t wait for this to be over - so much so, that I couldn’t even finish it. It sounded so promising, so funky and fun, but it just made me feel… stressed out.
Ich hab’s ganz gern gehört. Produzentenliste über krass.
Not good but not bad some interesting production style and beats here. Just don't really know why it's on this list
It's funny that most of the poor reviews here aren't even about the album. They are about CeeLo's height, weight, personality, other projects, it completely other people. The album is great. It's super well produced. It's full of excellent guest performances. CeeLo is on his game.
Down the middle
Cee Lo is A-OK.
Never listened to Cee-Lo before (outside of his unavoidable hits) the whole thing was smooth asf! Nice to hear new-to-me Neptune production too Favorite Song: Childz Play, Lets Stay Together
A good album, I liked The One the most.
I had a surprisingly good time with this album. A couple duds, but overall pretty fun! As a bonafide Cee-Lo disliker, I did not expect to enjoy this. Important note: I mostly enjoyed the beats - wasn't really listening lyrically Top: Living Again Not Top: Childz Play
I only know Forget You and Crazy. This was okay, but I think I’ll stick with those two songs by Cee Lo.
This was surprisingly pretty enjoyable! 3.5
Nothing wrong with self confidence, but if you’re going to give yourself big titles, you better bring the heat. And after slogging through 60plus minutes of this, I can say he ain’t.. the soul machine. Generic r&b of it’s time would be a better label. Googled best soul singers and he didn’t feature. To be fair maybe that's just a result of birth, maybe Otis and Marvin if their prime in 2004 would have produced shit like this. Don’t know anything about this, or him - don’t hate on it but never got above background music when listening, which wasn’t a bad thing because when did pick up on him saying how much he appears to love himself it was painful. Again each to their own, like what you like, I just don’t get why this would be someone’s go to album. Heard it. 1.5 Star
Regardless of artistic ability, its hard to rate anything Ceelo has done above a 1/5, due to personal integrity.
Awful
So many albums on here that I did not need to hear. This is one of them.
Bit on the long side. Don’t know enough about the genre to know if it’s any good, but it was listenable to at least
Beginning was a little underwhelming. A lot collaborations which made the expectations high, but it felt too hip-hop/raplike. Second half of the album was a lot better, more interesting, more soul.
Produktionen känns fattig och klarar inte av hans röst
Not for me. I don't like his voice and the featured artists aren't any better.
Feels goofy, but you can tell the man's talented
Favorite Track: I’ll Be Around
1. intro - 0 2. zoul - 0 3. noize - 0 4. living -0 5. around -0 6. one - -1 7. people - 0 8. play - 0 9. zelling - 0 10. love - 1 11. neuuz - 0 12. Metal - 0 13. Glock -0 14. Friends -0 15. Sometimes -0 16. Together - 0 17. Die - 0 18. Do - 0 Whotf was buying this __gers CDs. POS music and lyrics 🤬🤬🤬🤬
I quite liked his singing, his attitude. And I listened to this over like a 2 week period. So, despite nothing memorable sticking out... I did enjoy it. 4 stars.
This is like when that poser came back to school sporting a DC backpack and new Etnies skate shoes, claiming he could shred. After school on Friday, you go to the nearby skate park for a skate, and this guy pulls out a brand new, unscathed deck. He rattles off his favourite moves, which he learned the night before while playing THPS2. You tell him to drop in and show everyone what he’s got. He falls over on his first attempt, and grazes his knee. “Ahh it’s pretty sore, I reckon I should give it a rest for the day” he moans. This guy can’t skate. And you hate him now.
Was a nice mix of singing and rapping. Lyrics were OK.
Gave me a huge new respect for Cee Lo Green this was lots of fun and I’ll be back. Also regained my hope for Pharrell because that N.E.R.D. album was a major disappointment
Not for me.
It’s got its moments. But mostly not for me.
Not a huge fan of his vocals, but this was an irresistibly fun album to listen to.
This one pleasantly surprised me: easy rap to listen to, and that’s not easy to find.
It was OK. No standouts.
He has some good stuff but this isn’t it
Pleasant but unremarkable.
62/1001 First listen. This was enjoyable enough. I actually might play this again sometime. Just barely three stars. 5/10
This ain’t it.
I’ve always struggled with Cee-Lo Green’s voice—its high, whiny tone has never clicked with me, so I came into this album hoping it might change my mind. Unfortunately, Cee-Lo Green… Is The Soul Machine didn’t win me over. I found the record long and ultimately boring. The production rarely landed, the lyrics felt pointless, and I couldn’t understand how this ended up on the 1001 list. It was a slog to get through, and it’s not something I’ll return to. Favourite track: The art of noise was an OK track. Least favourite track: Several tracks were weak, but Childz Play stands out as a low point grating vocals paired with clumsy production. I Am Selling Soul also felt completely out of place, adding to the album’s lack of cohesion. Album artwork: Standard rap/hip-hop cover, nothing special.
Enjoyed this - sort of soul, sort of rap. Plenty to enjoy
Not necessarily something I would crave, but certainly good party background music
The tracks didn't really stand out to me in particular but overall it's a good-sounding and varied R&B exploration of its time
Ehhh
Fun upbeat album
9/10 great soul record and easy listen.
not my thing
3.5. Enjoyed and then really enjoyed the music that came after that from Spotify. It’s always interesting to see which music gets spawned by an album.
I enjoyed some of the music but it just didn’t quite get there. 2
The production on this record is decent, but his voice is not enjoyable. Not to mention the fact that he seems like a pretty awful person.
I was like “oh, it must be over soon, it’s been playing forever.” Still 7 songs remaining.
I thought it was going to be a two. However, a few songs are really good and bumped it up to three. Unfortunately, the lyrics we’re not appropriate for the girls so there’s no information as to whether they liked it or not.
I had no idea this album existed. What a pleasant surprise! I love the first Gnarls Barkley album and have always loved Ceelo Green. This album though…so much better than The Black Album. This one is going into heavy rotation.
Do not like his voice, enough that I don’t really give his songs a chance.
Best Track - "All Day Love Affair"
Nice to listen to it Once but that’s it for me. Some songs are really strong like Childz Play. But some are also super cheesy and have nothing to do with soul music.
Ugh. 2/5
Not that bad
Kjedelig.
Difficult time rating this one as a lot of it feels like it's trying to be a bit in the 2000s and feels quite aged because of it. Still enjoyable though with quite some decent songs
I didn’t really care much for this album. There’s a handful of songs that are solid, like Fuck You and the closer, No One’s Gonna Love You. But even for its genre, it feels middle of the road. This just wasn’t really for me.
Decent, arguably better than expected, but nothing to bring me back
"In the controversial set of tweets Green, whose real name is Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, said "women who have really been raped REMEMBER!!!"."
I enjoyed Cee-Lo's rapping at times, but overall this was the kind of vapid music which I totally hate. A special dishonourable mention to Sometimes with all its little platitudes which are at best nonsensical but mostly harmful, even malicious.
Better than the reviews suggest, but definitely had some low points
Can't get behind his voice. It's super corny. Some of the music is actually pretty good, but 1 hour and 5 minutes is just too much of Cee-Lo. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
great beats which isnt suprising given the great producers credited on this album. ceelo has a really unique voice which is hard to put up with for an extended period of time. with a few strategic cuts this couldve been a 3.
Surprisingly easy to listen to
Too many bad reviews!!!lol I dont care. this album was fun as hell. A pop masterpiece
Cee-Lo Green is... something. This isn't Soul, this isn't Pop, this isn't Hip-Hop. This is just him making gremlin noises with a producer doing their damndest to squeeze a dime out.
Not bad...
A long, meandering, very early 2000s kind of record. What happened to all killer, no filler? Why aren't all rap albums like ¨Illmatic,¨ instead of the sprawling slogs they often are? Why don't I like Cee-Lo's rap voice? Is ¨Crazy¨ his only good song (in my opinion)?
i just dont like this 2000s era club music 1/5
Better than I expected. I don't like his voice very much. Songs and production are good. Enough variation. Favorite song: childz play
Good god this is irritating as all hell Best Song: I'll Be Around Rating: 2/10 Stars: 1
No thank you
well this is silly, I'm not really hearing the soul in the soul machine
Cee-Lo Green...Is The Shit Machine painful listen
This… isn’t great.
Not as bad as a 2, really, but the aspirations vs reality here is disappointing enough that I gotta knock it down. This album does nothing but be there - it's fine, it's bouncy, it has a few ideas that don't really go anywhere but are still neat to see. The features feel as though someone was like, "yeah I got nothin' going on today why not." Also how is it over an hour. Who agreed to that.
Cee-lo is a shitty person but this did bang
Interesting one... Not boring at all, quite diverse, but in the middle section it gets to monotonous... Still
I don't think I needed to hear this one at all, let alone from a before-I-die list. Nothing about it seemed all that good to me. Plus its over an hour long... why? There might be a fun, short album in there somewhere. Dragging it out that long just made it seem even worse. I have to think this might be some kind of satire effort. Just the name is over the top dumb. But also a bit oxymoronic; a machine can't make soul music since it is inherently missing the necessary soulfulness. If parody was the intent, though, it fell flat. Instead, I was getting second-hand embarrassment listening to someone show off mediocre rapper skills for so long. There were a couple bright spots, but I can't say I enjoyed this one. Cutting it by half would've made it much more manageable and maybe even enjoyable. Even so, I don't think a short version would be worth having on this list. I guess one "compliment" I'll give is that there's probably worse out there. Overall: 1.75/5
The Art Of Noise // Childz Play // Sometimes // 2.5/5
Fucking hell that was shite.
This wasn't bad, but it's by far the best thing even Cee-Lo Green has been involved with. Gnarls Barkley is better. Goodie Mob was better. Even other solo ventures seemed more interesting. He's a weird, crazy, interesting man (for better or worse), and I didn't really get any of that from this album.
Nope
Some highlights here and there, but mostly not my thing.
Meh. This didn’t make much of an impression. Nothing particularly memorable or interesting here, lacking in personality. And his voice gets kind of grating real quick. 2.5
It's definitely dumb, but I had fun!
Here is an in-depth review of Cee-Lo Green's 2004 album *Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine*, focusing on lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and a clear breakdown of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## 🎤 **Lyrics** Cee-Lo is a masterful lyricist, and this album showcases his range—from battle-rap bravado to spiritual introspection. His writing is dense with metaphor, wordplay, and cultural references. Tracks like *“The Art of Noise”* and *“Sometimes”* reveal a poet’s mind, blending humor, philosophy, and social commentary. He moves effortlessly between rapping and singing, often within the same verse, giving his lyrics a musicality that few artists can match. **Highlights**: - *“I Am Selling Soul”* critiques the commodification of black artistry. - *“Sometimes”* is a spoken-word piece that dives into themes of authenticity and artistic integrity. - *“Glockapella”* uses satire to critique gun culture and the music industry’s role in promoting it. --- ## 🎶 **Music & Production** The album is a sonic collage that fuses Southern hip-hop, soul, gospel, funk, and even psychedelia. With producers like Timbaland, The Neptunes, DJ Premier, and Organized Noize, the album is rich in texture and variety. Each track feels distinct, yet the album maintains a cohesive energy. **Standout Tracks**: - *“The Art of Noise”* (Neptunes): Minimalist and hypnotic, with a sharp piano loop and booming drums. - *“I’ll Be Around”* (Timbaland): A funk-driven lead single with a catchy hook and Southern bounce. - *“Evening News”* (DJ Premier): A dark, cinematic track that deviates from Premier’s usual jazz-heavy style. --- ## 🧠 **Themes** Cee-Lo explores identity, spirituality, the South’s cultural legacy, and the tension between art and commerce. He positions himself as both a product and a critic of the music industry, often questioning what it means to “sell soul.” There’s a strong undercurrent of Afrocentrism and Southern pride, especially in tracks like *“Die Trying”* and *“My Kind of People.”* --- ## 🌱 **Influence** While not a massive commercial success, *Soul Machine* is a cult classic that influenced a generation of genre-blending artists. Cee-Lo’s refusal to be boxed into one style prefigured the rise of artists like Anderson .Paak, Childish Gambino, and even Kendrick Lamar in their more experimental phases. The album also helped solidify the Dungeon Family’s legacy as pioneers of Southern eclecticism. --- ## ✅ **Pros** - **Lyrical Depth**: Cee-Lo’s writing is witty, emotionally resonant, and intellectually rich. - **Production Diversity**: A-list producers bring varied but complementary sounds. - **Vocal Versatility**: Cee-Lo’s ability to rap, sing, and speak poetically is unmatched. - **Thematic Cohesion**: Despite its eclecticism, the album holds together through strong thematic undercurrents. - **Cultural Commentary**: Sharp critiques of the music industry, black identity, and Southern stereotypes. --- ## ❌ **Cons** - **Overstuffed**: At 18 tracks, the album feels bloated and could have benefited from tighter editing. - **Inconsistent Tone**: The constant shifting between styles can be jarring for listeners seeking a unified sound. - **Commercial Accessibility**: Despite high-profile producers, the album lacked major hits and underperformed commercially. - **Pacing Issues**: Some tracks, like *“I Am Selling Soul”*, drag on or feel overly abstract, disrupting the album’s momentum. --- ## 🏁 **Final Verdict** *Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine* is a bold, ambitious album that showcases one of hip-hop’s most unique voices. It’s not perfect—its length and stylistic sprawl can be overwhelming—but it’s a rewarding listen for those willing to dive deep. Cee-Lo doesn’t just blur the lines between genres; he erases them entirely, creating a work that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. – A flawed but visionary album that deserves more recognition in the canon of 2000s hip-hop.
Starts out breezy, dancey, and so very 2000s, then grows moodier as it progresses. You can hear the Atlanta influences. It's creative and funky, but maybe lacking some of the chaos of Outkast and darkness of CeeLo's work with Goodie Mob. Generally fun and interesting record. I had a good time.
lol should not be on this list
Hræðilegur gaur, hræðilegt sound. Röddin sker í eyrun. Lame lame lame lame lame.
Þetta fannst mér ekki skemmtilegt.
I only ever knew Fuck You/Forget You from this guy. This had some nice beats but overall felt mediocre and not that interesting. Def not worthy of this list. 2* Vocals in scrap metal really irked me.
Some great, and some not so great
I’ve never heard this album before, and I didn’t check the runtime before playing. After the first 20 minutes I thought, “this is a really fun time, a solid 4 stars.” Then the album kept on going and going. And each track just added layers and range and by the time I got to “Die Trying” it was unforgettable. Other favorite tracks include “All Day Love Affair” and “Sometimes.”
"But there's always something rewardin', about every CeeLo Green recording" ~ I Am Selling Soul What a sweet find. I really enjoyed just about every track on here. Childz Play was probably the biggest hit for me. I really had no expectations going into this one. I judged a book by the cover and thought it would be sappy soul from the "Crazy" and "Fuck You" guy...some of his early stuff before he became a big star. Man, was I pleasantly surprised. What a talented individual. There were 2 out of 18 songs that I didn't care for. It's a thin line...but ultimately it's a 4 for me. 4.8 if I could.
ok
On drive to school I said it was innocuous. “What’s that?” Asked the kid. “You know, meh, inoffensive, blah, in the background.” “I guess,” she said. “It just sounds like the music you hear in stores.”
His falsetto grates on me but the beats and melodies are good
Ikkje så glad i soul, egentlig
I thought I really liked Cee-Lo’s singing voice, but I was unfamiliar with any of his solo work (besides Forget You). I was a fan of Gnarls Barkley and Goodie Mob, which are vastly different projects, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this album. I really liked the beats and production on the album, but I felt that most of Cee-Lo’s raps and vocals took away from the music. The self-aggrandizement is egregious in a lot of his lyrics. I did enjoy the features by G-Rock, Ludacris, and Timbaland though. Overall, I wish he would’ve done things differently lyrically and vocally because there’s some really good stuff to work with sonically. The album was also far too long.
2.5 Didn't like the album at first sounded like standard Knarls Barkley Cee-Lo stuff. The 2nd half of the album was more personal and I enjoyed more.
There's a great record in here somewhere... 10-11 too many tracks.
literally what the fuck
Everything about this album was up my alley except the music ://
Some very good some very annoying I’m so conflicted
I’ll say positively this wasn’t the worst album I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t deserve a 1 for sure. But it’s not doing much better than that. I was frequently bored and uninspired by this album. I found it to be pretty generic boring pop rap music. Some of the beats were interesting but Cee Lo Greens voice is so annoying and grating. Even though I liked a couple songs like “childz play” and “soul machine” there just wasn’t enough of that to keep me invested. You might like this, but you won’t be blown away by it.
3 sterne
Modern soul pop. Well done, and a pleasant enough voice, but not my thing. An hour is quite a lot, too.
Not my usual shit, but so so. It almost has a house feel to it. The album bounces along with positivity. Still bailed halfway through.
This started out pretty enjoyable, listening whilst walking the dogs in the sun, but boy does it go on. It's about 20 minutes too long.
- Hat mir vom Vibe her gut gefallen - Den Anfang fand ich besser als das Ende - Krasse Features Topsong: Living Again
Didn't finish
This one was a slog to get through. Admittedly, this isn't my typical musical fare but the album just felt very disjointed overall.
This just isn't my genre. The album is well-produced, and some of the beats make for pleasant listening, but I have difficulty understanding lyrics. When the only appeal of a song is the lyrical content, it just won't work for me. Additionally, the majority of the songs are so miserable even when I factor in my dislike of the genre. I had to force myself to finish listening to it—it's also so long and really drags.
It's okay, this isn't my type of music really. It kinda felt like it went on forever.
Weak second half but still a pretty fun album
Really surprised by this album. The beats and features are great and CeeLo has got bars! If I like this album, does that make me crazzzy?
Lame
Really strong start, but it... is kinda long. Sorry CeeLo
To be completely honest, I didn't expect to like this much, but I ended up really loving it! Despite being a bit overlong, at an hour and 5 minutes that felt closer to an hour and 35, I found myself vibing the whole way through. The soul-tinged beats & vocals, the killer production, CeeLo's quite honestly incredible flow, and reminders of artists as varied as (the minuscule good parts of) The Streets and Saul Williams all made this a worthy first Southern hip hop entry for this list. Easy 8/10.