In the weeks leading up to Broken Bells' debut, early buzz deemed the pairing of musicians--James Mercer, of the Shins, and Brian Burton, prominently known as Danger Mouse--"unlikely." Yet, consider both and where they flourish: Burton is architectural, keen on structure and cut-up drumbeats, and Mercer is textural, building layers of atmospheric texture on the Shins' hazy indie-pop. The two, in theory, should fit puzzle-like together; by and large, Broken Bells is this seamless integration.
The eponymous album marks the duo's first official existence as a band: Mercer, post-Garden State shout-out/Shins member-changing turmoil, and Burton, post-Grey Album/internationally renowned Gnarls Barkley burner "Crazy." Of course, their respective successes invite comparisons to their previous work ("they're like the Shins but psychedelic" or "an indie rock Gnarls Barkley") but that would assume Broken Bells is resting on collective laurels. It's not.
Actually these two have collaborated on projects since 2004, so it makes sense that Broken Bells is as fleshed out as it is. Their apparent experimentation in post-production lends a dreamy overall quality, with plenty of woozy reverb stretched over these tunes without seeming contrived. Mercer opens up his usual vocal range to a falsetto on "Sailing to Nowhere" and "The Ghost Inside," and classic soul-like inflections on opener, "The High Road," and "Vaporize" (the latter with a backup Hammond B3). Only the synth-heavy "Mongrel Heart" doesn't quite fit the body of work, however expansive it might be.
Broken Bells is the breath of fresh air both Mercer and Burton needed. Smartly avoiding the urge to point to one overarching sound, the project feels less gimmicky and harder to typecast, opting for a course that's equal parts Moon Safari, �The Dandy Warhols Come Down, and Pet Sounds.