Broken Bells

Superstar collaboration hits London

If someone had told you this time last year that Danger Mouse and The Shins were going to join forces, you probably would have choked on your Quaker Oats. But you would have been curious to hear the end product nonetheless.

There’s nothing quite like stupidly incongruous musical pairings to make you cringe, but with Broken Bells it’s certainly no laughing matter: these guys are good. Not a surprise really, when you consider the musical heavyweights that we’re dealing with. Uber cool producer extraordinaire Brian Burton is best known for his hip hop persuasions (having worked with the likes of MF DOOM) but his penchant for guitar-led music is no secret either. And he has aimed even higher with this latest project, taking an active role in the songwriting process so that this baby is really his own. Split right down the middle, this is a balanced venture, where both collaborators have an equal say. Totally Zen.

And Wednesday night saw the unlikely duo make their UK debut at London’s ICA. Now, while most bands will regale you with stories about ‘the early days’, playing to half-empty, unenthusiastic audiences in grim pub toilets, Broken Bells will do no such thing: they were lucky enough to break their UK virginity in the most regal of venues. Situated along The Mall just yards from Buckingham Palace, The Queen herself even made an impromptu appearance during soundcheck, when she drove past in all her glory. It’s a shame she didn’t get out of the car, because she really missed out.

So with the evening off to a pretty epic start (and its royal setting something of a talking point amongst the excitable few), hoards of people gathered beneath the roof of the ICA see the pair perform in the flesh. The stakes were high?the band were playing a sold-out show?but the boys did not disappoint. With a full, six-piece band in tow, Broken Bells showcased their eagerly anticipated, self-titled debut. Effortlessly gliding their way through their repertoire, James Mercer’s hauntingly recognisable cry was given an electronic awakening as keyboards led the way and rhythmic bass lines kept us in the groove. And spacey sci fi projections kept us visually stimulated.

Like The Shins, but with more oomph! Brian Burton’s funky input was notable, and his impressive bonce unavoidable as he floated about on stage and flicked a drum stick here and there. A rich layered sound with a nod to a wealth of influences, Broken Bells are not your run of the mill indie band, or The Shins re-worked for hip-hop purposes. There were of course brief moments of musical autonomy during the set with one member leading the way, but this was a sophisticated musical synergy in its honeymoon period. Finishing up with a cover of Neil Young’s celebrated classic ‘Don’t Let It Bring You Down’ (which James Mercer ably mimicked to an impressive degree) let’s hope this relationship continues to blossom and bloom, for this was a promising start for the dangerous duo.

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