They might be an unlikely pairing if they weren’t both TV stars, of sorts. Grey DeLisle was on a string of strong Americana albums, including the impeccable Iron Flowers (2006), when she turned her focus toward voice acting (you hear her everywhere, even if you don’t know it’s her). Les Greene had a shorter stint on the air, making the top 50 on American Idol in 2018 before being sent home. The judges missed something, as Greene returned to the screen, in a sense, by providing the vocals for “Tutti Frutti” in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Now the country singer-turned-cartoon voice and the soul singer have teamed up for the energized Grey & Greene.
The pairing works wonderfully. DeLisle has been overflowing with songs since returning to the music scene. The COVID pause unlocked something in her, and albums have been spilling out over the past few years, including original work, covers, and a tribute. Partnering with Greene helps her find a new side to her work, as has bringing in James Intveld for producing, arranging, and a little co-writing. The team moves away from DeLisle’s usual sound and into a mix of classic R&B, gospel, rockabilly, and early rock ‘n’ roll. It’s one of the most immediately exciting of DeLisle’s works, and the genre-crossing keeps it entertaining throughout.
The album’s fresh approach is immediately apparent in a reworking of DeLisle’s “Homewrecker”. This version, with Greene singing, swaps both gender and perspective. The song sounds like it comes straight from the 1950s—Intveld’s background in rockabilly is important throughout the album—but with a particularly contemporary flavor. Everything about it, right down to the saxophone solo, is a blast, and it creates the space that the rest of Grey & Greene will inhabit. “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby” follows in a more early Motown style, but there’s no disjunction between the tracks. Greene establishes himself quickly, with his rich voice and dismissiveness toward traditional gender language.
The pair never slow down. DeLisle takes over lead vocals on “Mister”, a gospel soul track that aptly continues the album’s era-spanning nature, reminiscent in approach to the solo work Mike Farris has done. The record’s expanse over just ten tracks would be dizzying if it weren’t held together by the general joy of its main artists. Greene can sing “Shake That Thing” and brings the party back just a few songs after DeLisle warns her listeners to get right with God, rewinding time from Sunday morning to Saturday night. It all makes sense as part of the big picture of these two exploring a wealth of music with verve, and never at the expense of fun.
In case listeners aren’t clear that the pair are here simply out of exuberance, they close the album with a rockabilly version of the Grease musical’s “You’re the One That I Want”. It’s easily the strangest moment on the record. Still, even so, it makes sense, closing with a famous closing number while echoing another bit of media that has a playful attitude toward the past. Grey DeLisle and Les Greene make a strange choice here, but it puts them (imaginatively) back in film and is an excellent encapsulation of why they’re such an ideal (if unexpected) pairing to begin with.