Like argyle socks that have been pulled inside out, these lyrics show evidence of a design but contain odd stitches and choppy patterns. Lines honor risk-taking heroes (“Crazy”), find joy in a pal’s liberated grin (“Smiley Faces”) and mourn lost love (“Gone Daddy Gone”). Taken at face value, “Go-Go Gadget Gospel” could be a happy-go-lucky progress report from a born-again Christian. On the other hand …
The insistence that people smile, laugh and evangelize the neighbors seems sarcastic. Balancing all things with the spirits of nature is the subject of “Feng Shui.” Songs mention oral sex (“Boogie Man”), necrophilia (“Necromancer”), snorting cocaine (“On the Line”) and toting a Glock (“Transformer”). A man is tempted to take his own life on “Just a Thought” (“Looking in the gun’s direction/And so I’ve tried everything but suicide/Yes, it’s crossed my mind, but I’m fine”).
Producer/deejay Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and Thomas Calloway (Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob) pooled their talents to form this duo. The inspired lunacy of St. Elsewhere plays like a fever dream, shifting without warning from full-throated R&B to falsetto pop to techno-soul. But quirkiness isn’t the problem. Free-floating references to sex, drugs and suicide are.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
