The first thing that came to my mind about Broken Bells was a hybrid genre that incorporated the alternative feel of The Shins and a hip-hop flow that Danger Mouse is so well known for. It seemed ambitious enough as is, and I figured that some innovation couldn’t hurt anyone. So when their first single, “The High Road,” debuted, the anxiousness I felt was a little disheartening.
The tonal intro of a toy organ was confusing enough, and on the first run through of the whole album, I felt like I missed the point. I saw and heard no influence of hip-hop on the record. Straightforward guitar and drum packages made up the majority of the content. Much like The Shins, James Russell Mercer is the one in charge here. He carries tracks with his passive guitar playing and vocals. So where’s Danger Mouse?
It seems that the Mouse has taken a more behind-the-scenes role with things. He does play the drum parts in their songs, but where Danger Mouse thrives is production. He knows how to assemble things seamlessly and make them flow. Luckily, that’s what this album does well. Each of the tracks winds cautiously along this line of being too much of something else. But there are the occasional times when you’re sure that you’re listening to The Shins’ “Chutes Too Narrow.”
When the two musical minds met, they began working in secret on this album in early 2008. The project’s own description is something to bear in mind as well. Danger Mouse calls the duo’s music “melodic, but experimental, too.” I couldn’t disagree more. They really don’t try too hard, honestly. It’s nothing if not just a little disappointing.
Right around “Trap Doors” is the area where we finally find ourselves absorbing the album for what it is. Nothing too serious, but not a joke either. Choruses of simplistic “la’s” and the thinned-out vocal range of Mercer sparks up reminders of The Shins. And “Citizen” continues the trend of the downplayed tracks. Lethargic as it may be, the album doesn’t quite bore either.
The record could easily devolve into a snore fest, but rather than fall into a rut on the tail end of the album, Mercer and Mouse switch it up with a heavier track, “October,” to keep what small semblance of momentum they have. The loss of attitude and flair leaves something to be desired.
Piano plays its part in creating a thicker and more emotional environment for the album to work through. The back half of this record could’ve so easily turned into a gravel road; slow, inefficient and out of the way.
Instead, tracks like “October” and “Mongrel Heart” come to the rescue of the curiously weaker end of the album. With kiddy-like frequency and Gregorian-like chant, we get something a little different; so much so that it eventually evolves into a Wild West shootout ending.
The album closer, “The Mall & Misery,” brings about a fitting conclusion. Instead of the differing voices that Mercer chimes in with throughout the duration of the debut record, he doesn’t pull any punches. Pulsating mush splashes while a tin-wrapped guitar riff is the centerpiece of the track. With deft kindness, the duo puts together a pretty solid album. But it’s really nothing more than an effort from them. Rather than harness the energy that both brings to the table separately, they can’t quite seem to put it together as well as we’d hope for. Maybe they can do it on their next album.
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