Broken Bells doesn't go for broke

For months now, the combined brainpower of the Broken Bells has had fans breathing heavily into paper bags. Now the anticipated collaboration of Shins frontman James Mercer and Danger Mouse has arrived. 

Mercer’s work over the past decade has made its way into feature films, a McDonald’s Olympic commercial and Natalie Portman’s CD player. Mouse co-wrote Rolling Stone’s song of the decade, Gnarls’ “Crazy,” and has applied his golden touch to other masterpieces including The Black Keys’ “Attack and Release” and Gorillaz’s “Demon Days.”

What wouldn’t be exciting about this album? “Chutes Too Narrow” times “St. Elsewhere?” “Oh, Inverted World” to the “Grey Album” nth power? The possibilities were endless. Yet as is so often the case, this proved to be the band’s heaviest burden as its product has fallen victim to hype.
At best, Broken Bells achieve sound harmony with propulsive beats animated by a catchy, Mercer-signature pop melody, especially in “The High Road” and “The Ghost Inside.”

At other times, it openly settles for mediocrity with directionless songs that fail to push past the basics. The album ends on two less-than-high notes — the downright boring “Mongrel Heart” and “The Mall and Misery.”

Other high points include nice density on songs like “Citizen”, where modest horns fade out with a haunting piano riff and shiny electronic accompaniment on “Vaporize” and “Your Head Is on Fire.” 

If you were as excited for this record as I was, it might very well disappoint you too, but Broken Bells is not a failure. Keep in mind that neither artist is working within his comfort zone. Mouse did not play an instrument with Gnarls Barkley, but takes on drumming duties for the Bells.

And while The Shins’ “Wincing the Night Away” hinted at Mercer’s migration toward studio refinement, this album is a far cry from his natural element of whimsical indie-folk.

Bottom line: These guys are challenging themselves but aren’t quite ready to lay all of their cards out on the table. So enjoy this record for what it is, and try not to hyperventilate when round two arrives.