The Shins' James Mercer and super producer Danger Mouse get together to create some easy going indie sounds underpinned by electronic flourishes. It's hardly groundbreaking stuff, but it is a highly favourable meeting of two minds.
With his new collaborative project, Shins fans will be happy to hear that James Mercer hasn't deviated too far from his previous output. Broken Bells sound undeniably similar to The Shins, particularly their more temperate, laidback material, except that the sounds here are so much more sophisticated. The man we have to thank for this is Brian Burton, better known as producer Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, Beck), and one half of Gnarls Barkely. Here, as well as his renowned production skills, Danger Mouse adds drums, organ, piano and synth to Mercer's guitar, bass and vocals.
Here, simple melodies are filled out with unobtrusive embellishments, taking in elements of surf-rock, dream-pop and mild funk. The style is so consistent throughout Broken Bells that it's easy for these ten songs to run in to each other, but amazingly, it never becomes repetitive or boring. There's something comforting at work here, whether it's the hypnotic quality of reverb-laden vocals or the various swishing, swirling or underwater-like sound effects that permeate each track.
'October' is reminiscent of Figure 8 era Elliott Smith, while 'Mongrel Heart' crackles and hisses into an outstanding instrumental interlude with chic strings, waltzing organ and mariachi style trumpets. Following close behind is 'The Mall and The Misery', which opens with a sedate classical arrangement before breaking out into scratchy electric guitar. Even the weakest track here, 'Citizen' incorporates a graceful key change and tantalizing harmonies that are far from unpalatable.
True, there's nothing especially innovate or massively life-altering going on here, but Broken Bells has an unassuming manner that's curiously delightful. It's still early in the game, of course, but this feels like an album that will last and last.
