This is not really a supergroup, although the two brains behind the band come from two incredibly distinctive musical entities. Broken Bells is James Mercer, lead singer of the indie rock band The Shins, and Brian Burton AKA Danger Mouse, a seriously sick musician, member of Gnarls Barkley, and producer of hit albums by Beck, The Black Keys, and Gorillaz. That being said, the expectations are set pretty high for their debut collaborative album, and they've met and exceeded them. The first single "The High Road" is tearing up radio all over the country and sounds like a mix between The Shins and 80's synth rock. Other excellent tracks are "Vaporize" and "The Ghost Inside." Some of the album is reminiscent of mid-90's Beck, which is strange because Danger Mouse didn't work with Beck until recently. The entire album is inventive and these two have really formed a bond that will last for quite a while. The success of this album and their new band may actually have Broken Bells turning into their new day job, with their original project taking a back seat. Considering they began work on this project several years ago, their ideas, sounds, and lyrics are very current. It's really is nice to hear when a plan comes together.
