Broken Bells :: Broken Bells

Speaking of collabos, we’ve got a really great one this week for our album review!

In one corner, we have James Mercer. Mercer has been the primary singer/songwriter of the indie group The Shins. This band has been around for over a decade but they gained much more popularity in the mid-2000s with the inclusion of their song “New Slang” in the soundtrack for the movie Garden State.

In the other corner, we have Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse. This power-house producer has produced such successful albums as Beck’s Modern Guilt, Demon Dayz by Gorillaz and both of Gnarls Barkley’s albums (another collaboration he is involved with). His claim to fame is the release of The Grey Album, an album which mixes Jay Z’s Black Album with the Beatles’ White Album.

Pretty compelling stuff, right? Well, this collaboration definitely does not disappoint! The opening track (“The High Road”) immediately peaks your interest with the experimental, whiney effects that give way into an acoustic guitar and what sounds like a toy piano. Mercer’s voice can be soft but it fluctuates as well, adjusting to the music. The harmony in the chorus is pretty catchy and the way the music comes together makes for a windy experience! This is a great track to open the album and gives you a taste of what greatness is to come!

“Your Head Is On Fire” is another track with experimental noises and bleeps that I have trouble even describing! The acoustic guitar is a little more prominent and Mercer’s echoed voice gives you the sense that he’s under water, which is ironic since he’s singing about your head being on fire.

Danger Mouse definitely shows his familiar style with the song “The Ghost Inside.” This track has a vibe to it that is eerily similar to a Gorillaz song. Mercer’s falsetto mixed with the tone-y beat, claps and twangy background music in the chorus definitely give this song that subtle pop flavor that is found in so many Gorillaz songs. It’s a great song, but if you don’t like the Gorillaz, steer clear of this one!

“October” is another song with a familiar sound. When I heard the opening piano, my brain automatically went to Phantom Planet’s “California.” Mercer’s voice is a lot stronger in this track, releasing it from the restraints of soft indie confines. The beat is slow and Mercer matches it with his guitar and voice; it sounds almost ghostly at times! Especially during the choruses.

What makes this album is the way Mercer’s voice meshes with all these experimental sounds that Burton provides. Broken Bells is all over the place but in a great way! You’ve got the voice of a great indie artist teamed up with one of the greatest beat-makers of recent history. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up; it’s a must have!

Buy the album at our record store on Amazon

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