Danger Doom project highly animated

It's incredibly likely that anyone hearing about Danger Doom will react with a healthy dose of skepticism. It stinks of cheap cross-promotional marketing, novelty recording and a co-opting of a currently popular television trend. After all, it is a rap album about cartoons. Not just any cartoons, but the fanatically popular Adult Swim line-up shown late-night on Cartoon Network. For all the naysayers out there, The Mouse and the Mask is perhaps the most bizarrely catchy cash-in this year.\nThe Danger Doom project is the combination of two underground rap favorites that are almost cartoons themselves. MF Doom is the metal-masked emcee who raps about the important things in life: toys, food and giant radioactive lizards. Danger Mouse is the producer best known for the highly illegal mash-up of the Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black Album (it sounds a lot better than it, um, sounds). Earlier this year, they both collaborated with Damon Albarn's animated supergroup Gorillaz. Guest spots by Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli and Cee-Lo bring the legitimacy to this project.\nMF Doom once again eschews normal topics rappers cover. He's "a mix between Super Fly Snuka and a Super Ho," and that description totally fits with what his rhymes are heading for. Unlike previous introspective Doom tracks, he never slows down enough for the listener to lose their buzz. It's obvious from his lyrics that Doom loves these cartoons. \nHis enthusiasm is infectious; even less-than-stellar songs are pulled up by Doom's manic energy.\nDanger Mouse knows which beats to bring to a project. With Gorillaz's darker sophomore album, he laid down some dark menacing backing tracks to reflect the lyrics. Here, in a much sillier context, DM produces candy-covered samples which keep the tempo fast and hyper. There is very little change in beat-structure between tracks, but since most songs are quick, it comes off as one great bizarre skit.\nThe Adult Swim cast does pop up in many comic interludes, and they're generally not intrusive. For fans of the animated block, they'll be surprised that some really played out quotes gain extra life after being backed by a beat. There are some new skits as outros for these songs. However, the novelty of these bits might wear off, but until then, many are hilarious.\nThe Mouse and the Mask may be the best party record of the year. Put it in rotation at your next party, and it's definitely going to be a conversation starter. Everyone's going to get into it, even after they realize they're listening to a voicemail message by an animated milkshake.