James Mercer, singer/songwriter of the indie pop band The Shins, and Brian Burton aka star producer Danger Mouse took eight years to continue their duo project Broken Bells. Nobody was waiting for that, the second album AFTER THE DISCO 2014 sounded too much like a favor record for indie pop people who are proud of not leaving the house anymore.
? Buy INTO THE BLUE at Amazon.de
The title of the third album suggests that there was no change of direction: INTO THE BLUE – into the melancholy of prosperity. Or better: into the threatened prosperity melancholy. Here’s the difference between 2014 and 2022: Back then, retreat was considered a pose. Today it is urgently needed local recreation in the sphere of crises.
And suddenly the album with songs like “We’re Not In Orbit” with its “Comfortably Numb” flow or the great, never-ending indie-soul arrangement “Love On The Run” seems much less random, than it was eight years ago. Which is also because, firstly, Mercer and Burton put a little more effort into the composition of their songs and secondly, the dodgy, anthemic piece “Saturdays” is the best Shins song since their third record WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY.
SIMILAR REVIEWS
Danger Mouse & Black Thought :: Cheat Codes
Smooth’n’Conscious: The hip-hop super duo doesn’t disappoint.
Parquet Courts :: Wide Awake!
Danger Mouse wanted parquet courts, so what’s in it for us? A perfect indie guitar record.
Broken Bells :: After The Disco
Disco and more: James Mercer and Danger Mouse can take on the “Saturday Night Fever” on their second album as Broken Bells…
SIMILAR ARTICLES
Featuring Danger Mouse & Black Thought: Three new albums to look forward to now
This week there are two albums that were created in cooperation – and Kamikaze Palm Tree also present their second album MINT CHIP.
The Musikexpress 09/2022 with Kate Bush, Maggie Rogers & Beyoncé – the topics at a glance
We explain how Kate Bush invented the 1980s, Maggie Rogers celebrates lust as a form of rebellion and Oliver Sim doesn’t want a Disney prince – these and other topics in the now published Musikexpress 09/2022.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Karen O performs “Our Time” for the first time in ten years
“‘Our Time’ is the first song I’ve ever written for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs,” announces Karen O of her closet performance. And her daughter also has a brief guest appearance in the charming Instagram video.