New Music Spotlight ::: February Album Reviews (Part One)

In our first of many February album reviews coming over the next few days, we start you out with two solid performers.

BROKEN BELLS – AFTER THE DISCO

 

 It’s hard to be into the music scene and not hear the influence of Brian Burton. Better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, this University of Georgia - Grady graduate has been nominated for sixteen Grammy Awards, bringing it home 5 times. After growing up in Spring Valley, New York he moved to Athens, GA in 1998 where he DJ’d for UGA’s radio station while performing locally in a mouse outfit due to his shyness, hence the adoption of the Danger Mouse moniker. During this time, Burton took second place in a 1998 talent contest and was asked to open for a concert at the homecoming concert at Stegeman Coliseum featuring OutKast and Goodie Mob. Afterwards, Burton approached Cee Lo Green, a member of Goodie Mob, and gave him an instrumental demo tape.  The duo later formed the group Gnarls Barkley. Best known for his role as a producer he gained prominence after releasing his 2004 mix of Jay Z’s The Black Album and The Beatles’ The White Album aptly naming it The Grey Album. Since then he has become one of the most sought after producers. His work has spanned many genres having worked with The Gorillaz (Demon Days), The Black Keys (Attack & Release, El Camino), Beck (Modern Guilt), Norah Jones (Little Broken Hearts), Electric Guest (Mondo), and one of 2013’s best albums Portugal. The Man’s Evil Friends.

But Broken Bells is not about just one of music’s best, but two. James Mercer, best known as the lead singer and driving force of The Shins, makes up the other half of this dynamic duo. The Kevin Spacey look-a-like began his musical career in the early 90’s, forming the band Flake Music in 1992 and toured with Modest Mouse. As a side project in 1999, Mercer formed The Shins named after the name of the family in The Music Man, a favorite of his father. Originating as a duo, the band now plays as a well-known, five piece indie rock group. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mercer is well versed in a variety of instruments from the guitar, bass, banjo, lap steel to the synthesizer, harmonica, glockenspiel, piano, and drums. He also owns a wide range of vocal inflection including an oft used falsetto range as part of Broken Bells.

Originally meeting in 2004 at Denmark’s Rosklide Festival the two artists happily learned they were big fans of each other’s works. Nearly four years later, the duo began secretly working on their first record Broken Bells. The announcement of the collaboration/formation of Broken Bells came a year later on September 29, 2009. Almost two years to the day of their start to the record Broken Bells was released on March 9^th, 2010 and reached number one on iTunes, selling over 400,000 copies and receiving high praise from the press.

In February 2012, Mercer mentioned on a radio interview in support of The Shins’ Port of Morrow that Broken Bells had begun working on their second album. The album announcement came on October 18, 2013 and the first single, ‘Holding On for Life’, off After the Disco was released in early November. The album features the return of James Mercer’s signature Broken Bells, Barry Gibb-esque pitch matching perfectly with their newfound 70’s disco feel.

Without having seen it mentioned as such, this album works as a concept album following the course of a relationship from beginning to end from one side’s perspective. Opening with ‘Perfect World’ the song sets the groundwork for the alien, disco world the album creates. The opener brings you right back to where we left off with Broken Bells with this use of choral-like back ground vocals and range of instruments. The six and a half minute jam mellows out towards the end before returning to its melodic beginning launching into the album’s namesake, ‘After the Disco’. Track two kicks up the tone with a very Bernard Edward (Chic) like bass line. The song portrays the misadventures of nightlife after the disco is closed; it plays almost perfectly as a lead-in to or different account of the night Daft Punk depicts in the award winning song ‘Get Lucky’.

The first single ‘Holding On for Life’ brings us back to the high-pitched Bee Gees sound mixed with an alienistic deep space sound that the track’s accompanying video brings to life. ‘Leave It Alone’ has a dark-Shins style to with heavy Danger Mouse influences. The blues guitar fueled song is best described as a look back at the low point in a relationship where both sides won’t pull the plug. Following the theme ‘The Changing Lights’ is an upbeat percussion driven song reflecting that neither side of the relationship wants to be the loser of the relationship.

‘Lazy Wonderland’ brings the album back to a happier place, with a song that could be describing the thrill of an affair, or possibly a break in the madness of a spiraling relationship after a good night. ‘No Matter What You’re Told’ is a perfect blending of funk, blues, and alien disco.  The album wraps with the “narrator” taking the blame for the foregone relationship and

Overall the album has a heavy theme of finding love, the different paths taken to get there and the subsequent ride that a relationship takes you on. After the Disco employs a heavy mixture of styles and sounds with the two classic sides of James Mercer’s voice and the ever-present harmonic backup vocals. The record flows well through its entirety which is no surprise as Danger Mouse has spoken frequently on the meticulous way in which he lays out an album.

Only time will tell how their second release holds up against the original, it’s an album that deserves and practically demands multiple listens.

Top Tracks

Leave It Alone

Perfect World

The Remains of Rock & Roll

After the Disco

B Rating: 88

R Rating: 81

Overall: 84.5

Local Dates: Tuesday, March 11^th at the Tabernacle with Au Revoir Simone

Like this album? Try….from  2013

Portugal. The Man – Evil Friends

Volcano Choir – Repave

Jaill – There’s No Sky (My Oh My)

Kurt Ville – Walking on a Pretty Daze

CYMBALS – THE AGE OF FRACTURE

The four-piece dance-rock outfit, Cymbals, has returned with their third record The Age of Fracture. Formed in 2010 the London band started, much like this website, as four friends with similar interests wanting to have fun. Fronted by Jack Clevery (vocal, guitar) the synth-heavy band is rounded out by Dan Simons (Keyboardist), Luke Carson (bassist), and drummer Neil Gillespie. They released their first LP in September of 2011. Unlearn introduced Cymbals to the world with their Talking Heads influenced rock, often sounding like an 80s inspired Bloc Party. Not wasting anytime the group released their second album Sideways, Sometimes on April 23, 2012. Recorded in a studio aboard a boat while floating the River Thames, the album got its name because their instruments had to be played sideways, sometimes. The keyboard laden 8 track recording features three ‘untitled’ instrumental tracks at the beginning, middle, and end.

The Age of Fracture opens with ‘Winter ‘98’, beginning with the noises of a crowded venue preshow the song floats with a sound eerily similar to that of Lana del Rey’s ‘Video Games’ before descending into a heavy synth groove to finish the final third of the track. ‘The Natural World’ doubles down on the 80’s dance rock for a track could fit perfectly in the climax of a John Hughes film. As the album plays you’re treated to more vocals and instruments that on the previous albums. The title track brings about a Yeasayer-like drum, keyboard mix that dissolves nicely into the next song ‘Like an Animal’. From there the album takes a turn very reminiscent of fellow English rockers, Foals.  ‘Call Me’ brings the album to a close with a subdued lyricless wrap that feels like the last day at school packing up to leave a music festival.

The latest release from these English chums appears to be more thought out and well-choreographed. Showing growth and lack of fear, this album is one of the best dance rock albums in recent memory.  For those new to the Cymbals they take all the elements of the bands mentioned previously and fuse them together with their own touch to make another great album.

Top Tracks

Winter ‘98

Empty Space

Call Me

The 5%

You Are

B Rating: 90

R Rating: 86

Overall: 88

Local Dates: No local dates at this time

Like this album? Try….from 2013

Foals – Holy Fire

Selebrities – Lovely Things

Limousines – Hush

Darwin Deez – Songs for Imaginative People

CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe