Broken Bells - Broken Bells

Broken Bells’ self-titled debut arrives with much fanfare—it is the collaboration between producer and multi-instrumentalist Danger Mouse and the Shins’ frontman James Mercer. Though the pair settles for a quiet, almost complacent mediation between their two styles, they’ve produced a cohesive album heavily influenced by psychedelia and acid rock.

Danger Mouse’s pedigree includes work with trip-rockers Gorillaz and the hip-hop influenced Gnarls Barkley. With Broken Bells, his electronic funk takes a backseat to his instrumental talents and dynamic sound mixing. This band is built on traditional instruments and minimal electronics, creating a lush, sonic landscape out of keyboards and acoustic guitars. The cheery music belies acerbic, cynical lyrics, however, almost glibly delivered by Mercer in one of the best vocal performances of his career.

The first half of the album is by far the strongest, beginning with its singles. Opener “The High Road” is Broken Bells’ most powerful track; unfortunately, this establishes an anticlimactic tone for the rest of the LP. Mercer’s full vocal range is utilized here, floating above a churning bassline and sweeping arrangement of piano and guitar. On “Vaporize,” Mouse and Mercer use keyboard reverb and a powerful horn section reminiscent of surf rock, producing a more psychedelic sound.

As the album progresses, though, the duo falls into a holding pattern, with few standout moments. The second half is a poor imitation of the first, with the exception being the dark, frenetic closer “The Mall & Misery,” the most unexpected track on the album. Although Broken Bells is a strong first effort, it seems awfully reserved for two collaborators known for their frequent innovation.