Review:

on 2011-10-25 placebo_junkie Said:

Broken Bells is a band that most people would probably name as a side project for its members, but it holds its own in my musical esteem. The band consists of Danger Mouse, a guy associated with a whole host of acts, including Gnarls Barkley, and James Mercer, frontman for The Shins.
The eponymous first album from the band is filled with melodic, interesting sounds that come together to create an inventive pop/rock feel. The keyboard work is pretty insane, creating an echoey yet melodic feel. It blends superbly with the mellow guitars. James Mercer breaks out his best vocals here, really expanding his range and dynamics. Sometimes, between two different sections in a song, you don't even realize it's the same guy singing, he sounds so different. The lyrics also seem to be a lot more coherent that what you would expect to find in a Shins album, although they are still full of imagery.
The entire album is listenable, but there are a few tracks that stand out to me. 'The High Road' is the first song on the album, and reaches out to grab you. 'Vaporize' and 'The Ghost Inside' are also really rocking, in an unearthly sort of way. 'The Mall and Misery' features not only a great hook, but an awesome and unexpected slide guitar. You'll need to listen to a couple of the tracks a few times before it hits you how wonderful they are, and there are some spots here and there that could use polishing, but overall, this is an album worth knowing.

Rating: 7/10