Article - Broken Bells

Pure pop plunge

Broken Bells, the happy vanilla pairing of the Shins’ singer/guitarist James Mercer and über-producer Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse), yields breezy, Zoloft pop that isn’t too intrusive in its simplicity. Mercer’s falsetto wail and Danger Mouse’s pure pop moods receive the full band treatment on stage, giving the melodic flow of such songs as “Trap Doors,” “Mongrel Heart” and the album’s first single, “The High Road,” a larger-than-life presence.