Music Review: Broken Bells

Broken Bells is two-man band made up of James Mercer of the Shins on vocals and guitar and Danger Mouse (Brian Burton), better known as half of Gnarls Barkley, doing most everything else including piano, drums, bass, and synthesizer. Their self-titled album was released in early 2010, after the release of a single, The High Road, in December 2009. The band has a unique, sometimes eerie, sound and their 10 track album is one of my favorites. It's rare that I buy a full album, and although not all the songs are equal, they are all good in their own way. Tied for my favorite are The High Road and October. Instead of me trying and failing to describe them, take a listen for yourself: The High Road, October. Close behind are Vaporize and The Ghost Inside. I imagine that this band has a lot of varied influences, which are really what make it unique. The vocals at the beginning of The Ghost Inside, in my opinion at least, are even Michael Jackson-esque. This is a quality album all around, and it deserves some recognition.