Broken Bells

Who's performing on Letterman's The Late Show tonight? James Mercer you say? Normally I would be so so thrilled about that and start singing about "gold teeth and a curse for this town"...but this is no performance of a new song by The Shins, this is for the debut of James Mercer's collaboration efforts with Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse) for the new group "Broken Bells."

Don't hold your breath.


All the reviews I've read so far keep saying, "I just need to give this one a few more spins this weekend and see if it grows on me..." I'm just not buying it. Their first single "The High Road" is a fairly catchy song, although it sounds nothing like anything the Shins have put together. After that I listened to a couple more tracks and quickly put it away; I refuse to challenge the infallibility of Mercer that has been so time tested over the years.

Have a taste of The High Road and then just keep praying the shins can finish a new album with their new band members. Or maybe they can just make amends with the old ones and get back to the magic that was Chutes Too Narrow and basically everything the Shins wrote up.

-Ross

p.s. can anyone explain this music video to me? Mercer stealing a remote control from a little kid? I was so surprised when that little altercation didn't turn into a light saber duel.