An interesting duo debuts a great new album.
Broken Bells album cover. Photo courtesy of google.com
New to the indie alternative rock music scene this year is Broken Bells. The duo, composed of talented indie singer James Mercer of the Shins and the well–versed producer Danger Mouse, have made a stylish debut with their self-titled side project. Mercer is known for his powerful vocals and passionate lyrics in his former band, the Shins.
Fans of The Shins will be pleasantly surprised by this experimental new sound that remains true to the Mercer, with whom people are familiar. This is due in no small part to the production skills of his counterpart Danger Mouse, who has an impressive history producing with the likes of Gorillaz, The Black Keys, and Cee-Lo (Gnarls Barkley).
Danger Mouse is somewhat of a humble Kanye West with his innovative and abstract production style, which is evident on this brand new project. The two have successfully introduced a deep, fun, melodic and very accessible new sound with their debut album Broken Bells.
The album starts off with an upbeat summer song on the first track titled The High Road. Mercer sings in pitch-perfect melodic style and preaches the difficulties of decision-making and making an effort to take the high road along the path of life. Some of the lyrics are serious and rather thought provoking if the listener can manage to pay attention to them without having too much fun enjoying the upbeat melody. Fortunately, Mercer is talented enough that the beat is enjoyable while still being able to hold the ears of lively listeners who just want a fun summer jam. This song perfectly represents the style of the new group and establishes what the audience should be expecting to hear in the in rest of the album.
That’s not to say each song isn’t unique in its own way. The album is full of soft, atmospheric beats that complement the singing well. The cooperation of the artists can be felt on every track simply because the songs come together so well. At first, listeners might wonder how two artists as different as Mercer and Danger Mouse could possibly make an entire album together, but after hearing a single song, first time listeners of either artist will be begging for more of Broken Bells. Songs like Vaporize benefit more from the alternative style that Mercer brings to the table. He does an excellent job singing about how people are “vaporizing” with each moment they waste living their lives for someone else. It’s a song to which we can all relate, about chasing dreams and the fear of failure that builds up and forces people into a comfort zone for life.
Mercer has an incredibly powerful voice that will keep the listeners ears glued to the speakers. The trippy beats that Danger Mouse creates are just as mesmerizing as anything he’s made before. It is evident that he is at the top of his game with this production. Newcomers to this type of music who have not heard his production before should take this opportunity to jump on the Danger Mouse bandwagon.
Overall, Broken Bells is a great album that is worth a listen. It is genuinely creative efforts like this that deserve to be bought, heard, and recommended to others.
