Word: mercer
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Dates: during 2010-2019
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...greater than the sum of its two parts, where the combined styles complement each other so 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...
...Mercer has remained relatively consistent over the course of his career, fronting the Portland-based indie rock band The Shins for over a decade now. Danger Mouse, however, is known for branching out and mixing musical styles. His rise to fame came with 2004’s “The Grey Album,” which remixed Jay-Z’s “The Black Album” with the Beatles “The White Album”. Since then, Danger Mouse has never remained in one place, producing albums and creating beats with musicians like...
...Beatles-Jay-Z Grey Album mashup in 2004, he formed Gnarls Barkley and Dangerdoom, and he's produced albums by artists such as Gorillaz and Beck. But Danger Mouse (whose real name is Brian Burton) is quick to point out that his latest collaboration, with Shins front man James Mercer, isn't a one-time experiment. He and Mercer have formed a fully realized band, Broken Bells, and their first album - also called Broken Bells - comes out March 9. (See the top 10 albums...
According to Burton, it sounds pretty much as billed. "We chose 'Broken Bells' because the music sounded like that," he explains. He and Mercer make use of hand claps, drumbeats, harmonized vocals and the kind of soothing melodies that get stuck in your head for days. The album's opener, "The High Road," mixes fluid, head-bobbing rhythms with Mercer's somber lyrics for a bittersweet feeling that continues throughout the record. The music won't blow your mind, but it's a solid effort with several standout moments...
...collaboration was bound to receive a lot of hype, but the duo kept Broken Bells quiet for as long as possible. A cryptic website and stealth-marketing campaign used anagrams and binary code to increase the mystery. And they're touring with the same sort of restraint. Burton and Mercer promise a follow-up album and a full U.S. tour, but only a handful of shows have been scheduled. "There are always so many expectations," says Burton. "We're just trying to make music that we really like...