Word: guitars
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...that an entirely novel sound emerges, one that neither musician could have produced alone. It is towards the latter end of this spectrum that we find Broken Bells, the new collaboration between James Mercer, lead singer of The Shins, and producer/musician Brian Burton a.k.a. Danger Mouse. The folk guitar strumming and soaring voice of Mercer fits impeccably into the hip-hop beats and electronic ambiance of Danger Mouse. However, a true synergy of the two styles never really comes across, leaving, simply, an undeniably catchy, though not terribly innovative, pop record...
...hoped. The sole creative peak is “Sailing to Nowhere,” which takes a number of surprising turns, beginning by oscillating back and forth between two different riffs until a swell of cosmic synth noises emerges, climaxing in an explosion of strings and an electric guitar solo. The transient nature of “Sailing to Nowhere” makes it one of the most captivating songs on the album, and shows what other tracks could have become if the group had taken a few more risks...
...speak for themselves. It’s difficult to argue with the sun-kissed slow burn of “Summer Babe [Winter Version],” the Stone Temple Pilots jokes in twangy road jam “Range Life,” or the eerie, escalating guitar solos in “Grounded.” But once Malkmus and co. move past the singles into less obvious selections, they prove misguided, opting to include things like their jokey tribute to R.E.M. (“Unseen Power of the Picket Fence”) in place of the many...
...reacted to you,” this track is an imperative statement. Coming from TL/Rx, its forcefulness is expected, but so is everything else—the song is unsurprising and ordinary. As flawless a blend as Leo’s falsetto, a tight drum line, and a melodic guitar solo can be, there’s no particular charm in stating the obvious. About as Ted Leo as Ted Leo can get, “The Mighty Sparrow” is an introduction indicative of an album whose success lies predominantly in songs that integrate a refined creativity into...
...Solitary Gun,” the album’s opening track, is perhaps its most satisfying. From a sparse acoustic guitar opening, frontman Zach Rogue quietly asks a simple romantic question, “Will I follow you down the line?” As soon as he asks, the acoustic guitar picks up and the listener is drawn into a hook-laden, delightfully melodic song. The most pleasing aspect is the limited studio production, which leaves mostly unadorned the song’s mix of acoustic and electric guitar, drums backed up with handclaps, and bass...