'Bells' make middling sound, not quite broken
'Bells' make middling sound, not quite broken
Friday, March 26, 2010
Have you ever set up two awesome friends who you thought would make an unstoppable power couple only to find that they make the most boring, self-involved duo imaginable? “Broken Bells,” the new collaboration between producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse and guitar pop guru James Mercer, is kind of like that.
The two men are masters of their domains: Danger Mouse is a virtuoso of enlivening tracks with quirky beats and Mercer’s plaintive wailing as lead singer of the Shins is enough to soothe even the most tormented heart. Together, you would hope they could create a harmonious blend of balanced countercurrents, but instead, the two become lethargic and complacent, reinforcing each other’s bad habits and canceling out each other’s strengths.
“Bells” is an exercise in “almost.” There are some neat sketches and maybe even some worthwhile brainstorming sessions, but there’s not enough cohesion or energy to make it worthwhile. If there’s one track that works, it’s “The Ghost Inside.” Danger Mouse’s beats are fresh but familiar, and Mercer’s falsetto tones give the song a fun, retro feel. Similarly, in “Sailing to Nowhere,” Danger Mouse’s alien constructions lend Mercer’s signature wail new depths and textures to create an air of eerie “Sergeant Pepper’s” psychedelia.
For the most part, however, the songs fall flat. In tracks like “Mongrel Heart,” there are intimations of 80s synth pop that could have become fascinating fusions of acoustic and electronic but instead just feel half-formed and tired. The second track on the album, “Vaporize,” likewise turns into a snoozefest. There is a vision here somewhere, but the ideas are never fleshed out enough to rise above the level of the occasional catchy tune. The two are working together, but there’s the sense that, more often than not, they’re missing each other’s drifts.
The middling character of the album is especially disappointing because both artists seem to be on autopilot. Danger Mouse does Danger Mouse and James Mercer does James Mercer, but neither demonstrates any real ambition to lose himself and become part of a single “Broken Bells” entity. It happens in incidents and accidents, but not enough to make this collaboration truly collaborative. “Bells” is most definitely broken, but not in any kind of funky way.
Comments
None 2 years, 2 months ago
In my opinion, this review is overly harsh. Is the album perfect? No, but to me, it is very creative in the sense that no two tracks are alike. The review states that Danger Mouse and Mercer become “lethargic and complacent”, while “canceling out each other’s strengths.” The album definitely has a laid back feel to it, but to call it lethargic is a stretch; the manner in which the artists flow off each other's unique style is very refreshing. It sounds like both of them agreed upon a sort of you do you, I’ll do me agreement, and then put it together. I think it works very well and am very impressed with the entire album from top to bottom. I don’t anyone was looking was looking for a radical new genre of music to be put together from this collaboration, but nonetheless, Danger Mouse and Mercer put together a very solid lineup of songs.
None 2 years, 2 months ago
I disagree with your assessment. Over the last 45 years I have rarely enjoyed a CD/Album more than I have this one from Broken Bells. James Mercer and Brian Burton have successfully linked to a collective conscience of shared feelings, thought and observation. Using their individual gifts, they have given us a work that is whole and relevant. It is not fragmented by their distinctions but rather they have produced a harmonious, melodic and succinct blend that is uniquely Burton and Mercer. I have noticed the rare negative reviews have one thing in common. They seemed to come from a place that doesn't value exploration as much as the need for the Status Quo. Growth comes from expanding our horizons and appreciating what we find. I hope you will give Broken Bells another listen and see if you don't agree.
None 2 years, 1 month ago
I honestly could not agree less with this review. While the temporary break up of The Shins saddened me beyond belief, I was overjoyed to see that it was "for a good cause." That cause being the birth of Broken Bells.
In this day-and-age, fast paced, discontented teenagers (I am not entirely excluding myself from this genre) find it nearly impossible to sit down and listen to an entire album. I can say with honesty that Broken Bells is the ONLY album next to Abbey Road that I can sit down an listen to in full, on repeat for days on end without becoming bored or disillusioned by their sound.
It's creative, well composed, original, talented, and soothing to the mind, soul, and ears. Sometimes you listen to a song and the composition of chords and whatnot is just downright unsettling, but with Broken Bells their sound just sort of washes over you in such a way that you almost don't even notice you're listen to music, but rather that their sound is just part of you at that moment, naturally.
At any rate, I'm really disappointed by this review, I thought I'd get to read an article about someone being completely jazzed by this new ensemble, and it looks like fellow commenters feel similarly displeased.
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