It's hard to top the success of a first release, especially if that success includes 400K units sold in the US alone, as well as a grammy nod for best Alternative Music Album; but if anybody was going to do it, it was going to be Danger Mouse and James Mercer. Already giants in the music world, these two creative geniuses are the very definition of a super-duo, and their sophomore album serves as testament to the fact that these guys aren't a one (or two, or three) trick pony. After The Disco still bears some resemblance to their previous effort, but most of the similarities stem from Mercer's very recognizable voice and Danger Mouses' tendency to produce sounds that display a lot of restraint. Beyond that, however, this new track-list is pointed more towards what you might consider traditional indie-folk. Fans of their first album might be a little disappointed that some of the quirky synth sounds which were heavily featured in songs like "The High Road" and "The Ghost Inside" are no longer as prevalent, but don't be so quick to write this off as a misstep, because their new sound is as sophisticated as ever, and had they stuck to their old ways, the inevitable consensus would have been that "Broken Bells has begun to stagnate". No one track on here is really weaker than the next, so you might as well just pick your favorites at random, but a few of the more user-friendly tunes are a good place to start if you still can't decide. Obviously, "After The Disco" (the album's namesake) seems like as good a place as any to start the journey, but after that, make sure to run through "leave It Alone", "Control", and 'Medicine". You won't be disappointed. After The Disco is available on iTunes now.
Broken Bells