Broken Bells

I had my reasons for being skeptical of the new collaboration between Shins vocalist James Mercer and Gnarls Barkley jack-of-all-trades Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse). First, Broken Bells could be classified as a supergroup—and supergoups suck. Second, hype/blog buzz turns me off more than nude photos of Donald Trump. Add the fact that Mercer essentially canned his entire band in 2009 (citing what he called “aesthetic differences”), and I wanted no part of the project … that is until I was handed a copy of the duo’s debut. Not surprisingly the record veers in the direction Mercer took the Shins on 2007’s Wincing the Night Away—pop songs with more Motorik beats and slicker production. “The High Road” and “Trap Doors” could easily pass as Wincing outtakes. Danger Mouse shows restraint, adding light, neo-psychedelic flourishes over Mercer’s catchy pop songs and familiar vocals, occasionally going for it on songs like the excellent “The Ghost Inside.” If anything, Mercer and Danger Mouse give you exactly what you’d expect. Sort of like McDonald’s.