C​ee Lo Green is a smart dude. Following in the foot steps of Prince and Andre 3000, Green’s new record The Lady Killer is a fabulous example of how mixing pop rock with R&B can make for one sexy album.

Cee Lo followed the hit album playbook with the precision of a veteran quarterback. Sexy album title? Check. Goofy theme? Thriller bass lines? Check. Dancy choruses and lady backing vocals? Check and checkmate. Cee Lo did not reinvent the wheel here. He basically wrote his version of Outkast’s The Love Below and you know what? It totally works. While he won’t get a ton of originality points, Cee Lo will probably win a few Grammy’s for this joint.

The album is littered with diverse tracks with legitimate single potential, all the while maintaining a consistent theme. “Wildflower” is god damn beautiful. “Cry Baby” and  ”Old Fashioned” are both dripping with Motown charm. “No Ones Gonna Love You” is gorgeous and angry.

Cee Lo is a professional, both as a lyricist and a song writer. This shit has some serious universal appeal. “F*ck You” is a huge success and there’s no surprise why. That song was made to be controversial and cute, a calculated plan to sling-shot Cee Lo into the spotlight. And bro, it totally worked.

The Lady Killer is a rare pop record that you can play from beginning to end without skipping any tracks. The is no small feat, and Cee Lo Green makes it look easy.