Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate / Lifestyle

Music review: CeeLo Green, Heart Blanche

Kim Gillespie
By Kim Gillespie
Editor: NZME Community Publications Network·NZME. regionals·
6 Dec, 2015 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

It's nearly 10 years since Gnarls Barkley brought the infectious hit Crazy to our ears.

Since then, half of that duo, CeeLo Green, has had greatest success with F*** You, and its companion Forget You, from his 2010 album The Lady Killer.

Heart Blanche is his fifth studio album, and it's not short on the fun factor Green has become known for.

That said, the lead single Robin Williams is a poignant reflection on the comedian's death - "We've got to laugh the pain away," he sings.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mother May I, written with Mark Ronson, is full of soul but a bit of a dirge, and his sampling of what must be one of the saddest TV theme tunes - Taxi's Angela - on Sign of the Times doesn't do much to increase the frivolity, though its familiarity is welcome.

Given what has been going on in his personal life, perhaps the deflated tone is understandable, but the best track here is the upbeat Est. 1980s, full of pop culture references, like a music-themed We Didn't Start The Fire (and Billy Joel is namechecked here too).

All up, there's enough trademark CeeLo Green magic to make this a worthwhile listen.

Rating: 3.5/5

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Discover more

Music review: Tami Neilson, Don't Be Afraid

17 Dec 05:00 PM

Music review: Tracy Chapman, Greatest Hits

13 Jan 05:00 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Northern Advocate

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

Lifestyle

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

05 May 12:37 AM
Northern Advocate

'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

24 Apr 05:00 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

Bocky Boo Gelato stores have popped up in Rangiora and Blenheim since the first store opened in Whangārei over five years ago. Video / Brodie Stone

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

05 May 12:37 AM
'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

24 Apr 05:00 PM
‘Means a lot’: Toa’s record-breaking triumph at world manu champs

‘Means a lot’: Toa’s record-breaking triumph at world manu champs

03 Mar 11:53 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP