It's the first time I've stumbled across this collaboration duo despite being an avid devotee of The Shins. After listening to this album, I have to say that I should be ashamed of myself for not discovering them sooner. Broken Bells is a combination of two men who pursue relatively different paths in the music scene; James Mercer, vocalist of The Shins, and hip-hop musician/producer, Danger Mouse. Together they unite to produce this record that brings back the discotheque era of the seventies into contemporary music.
The album, released on the 4th this month is encompassed with upbeat, mid-tempo grooves of the retro era. While the sound is funky which addresses the post-disco themes, the lyrics contribute to a distressing, stronger mood which appears to allude to a more personal level of anxiety disorder.
Although After the Disco sounds nothing like The Shins here especially with Mercer's venture into Bee Gee's ground, parts of the album does seem to have faint traces of the band's 2012 album Port of Morrow. Thus it is apparent that the duo is playing safe with their trademark styles while attempting to cross boundaries.
With their euphonic choruses and new wave synths, this record is quite a charmer despite the both of them playing safe. In particular, I would recommend Holding On for Life and The Remains of Rock and Roll as they try to step away from their comfort zone. Catchy yet trying to experiment, this album would not disappoint fans and at the same time draw others in.
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