Broken Bells are really coming into focus with the release of their second studio album, After the Disco, delving deeper into their indie rock/pop style.By Myles Bolnick
This duo is comprised of James Mercer and Danger Mouse (Brian Burton), both of who are well known for their respective previous works. Mercer is the lead singer and guitarist for the indie rock band, The Shins, while Danger Mouse has released several albums, one of his own being a mix between Jay-Z and the Beatles. He was also a founding member of Gnarls Barkley. They met at a music festival in 2004 and discovered that they were fans of each other's music
Since beginning their collaboration in September of 2009, the two have released two studio albums. The first was their self-titled debut, and they later released an extended play titled Meyrin Fields. Even though the duo are known for creating completely different genres, the work they do together to form this indie rock is astounding.
After the Disco has elements of their original indie rock style, with a hint of space rock and a lot of disco. Their songs have a slight '70s feel with some groovy bass lines. Their single "Holding On for Life" has been compared to the Bee Gees and shows just another way that Broken Bells is experimenting. Some of their other singles include "Perfect World", the opening track, and "After the Disco". The tracks vary from being up beat and groovy, to slow and melodic. Mercer and Danger Mouse definitely stepped up their game for this new release.
Recommended Tracks:
Track 1: Perfect World
Track 2: After the Disco
Track 3: Holding on for Life
Track 7: Lazy Wonderland
Track 9: No Matter What You're Told