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9.0
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Drowned In Sound
Plaintive in mood and oriental in style, its laconic feel is as fitting as it is overpowering
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9.0
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The Music Fix
What Mercer and DM have created here is a truly collaborative effort, one that successfully merges both their strengths, giving birth to something they can proudly add to their respective catalogues
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8.3
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onethirtybpm
Even though the “supergroup” moniker hasn’t been tossed around in regards to Broken Bells, it’s a project that seems more deserving of such a title than many recent bands who have received i
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8.0
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Mojo
Print edition only
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8.0
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Rolling Stone
The two pop-science geeks are a perfect match. Danger Mouse pushes Mercer's gorgeous, existential tunecraft outward with Day-Glo dynamics
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8.0
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The Independent
Mercer's gnomic lyrics, and gift for plucking enigmatic new melodies from familiar old chords, have found a safe new home with Burton
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8.0
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Evening Standard
Mercer's floaty voice suits the woozy mood, though the pair get a serious groove going with standout track The Ghost Inside
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8.0
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The Observer
Mercer's fine songcraft and sanguine vocals have been adroitly treated with playfulness and polished throughout
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8.0
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The Line Of Best Fit
t’s one of those few and far between albums that works as an out and out album. In an industry leaning increasingly towards the singles market it is quite refreshing to have something that works so well as a complete package
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8.0
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The Scotsman
Mercer is a beguiling vocalist, Burton is a talented sound alchemist and both men are handy with an effortlessly captivating melody
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8.0
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Click Music
The quality tracks are plentiful here, and although at times hidden, it’s worth every effort to find the moments of inspiration in each
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8.0
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The Times
The production amounts to a monastic commitment to teasing out the details of Mercer’s songs in shades of analogue warmth
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8.0
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God Is In The TV
An album that doesn’t bludgeon you over the head, or try to outsmart your taste, but instead intrigues, enchants and finally delights with its patient grace
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8.0
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The Irish Times
As the rich, elegant opener, The High Road , shows, this is about working to the strengths of both players rather than taking a leap into the unknown
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7.2
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Pitchfork
Not quite up to the level of either's best projects, but in its own quiet way, it hits its marks
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7.0
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NME
Print edition only
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7.0
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Independent on Sunday
...an indie-electro-pop hybrid of every music you have ever loved, a sort of perkier and less po-faced Woodface-era Crowded House
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7.0
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Under The Radar
Broken Bells produces enough magic for one to hope Burton and Mercer don't move on quite yet, but stick around for another few dates
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7.0
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Pop Matters
It may not be the masterwork both of these talents are capable of, but it’s a mini-triumph on its own, and that’s worth celebrating
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6.0
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Spin
Broken Bells is mostly a calm and measured experiment. The album seems to want to rewrite the Zombies' master class in baroque pop-rock, 1968's Odessey and Oracle. Instead, it veers into pretty, fussed-over easy listening
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6.0
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Q
Print edition only
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6.0
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Uncut
Print edition only
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6.0
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The Sunday Times
...the pair seem to be showing you how the songs go, rather than committing to a full-blooded, definitive performance
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6.0
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Daily Telegraph
...by the end the duo really lock together to hypnotic effect
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6.0
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The Skinny
Ultimately, echoes/pastiches of the aural landscapes of artists such as Air and Gorillaz is all very well; just it would be nice to know what the Broken Bells sound actually is
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6.0
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No Ripcord
Broken Bells is clearly a mood record, but even with so many textures, resources and talent, it all hits one stilted note
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6.0
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Eye Weekly
While the album makes for an intriguing listen, the songs lack memorable hooks
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6.0
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Rave Magazine
There’s lots of ennui, which is okay, but given Mercer’s track record at writing catchy songs with The Shins, this album’s lack of memorable hooks is puzzling at least, if not downright disappointing
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6.0
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Bowlegs
Just think of all that hype last year around Them Crooked Vultures; it seems inevitable to feel disappointed – and sadly, Broken Bells veers closer to this camp, even if only just
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6.0
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FasterLouder
Broken Bells is ultimately a well produced, well performed missed opportunity
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3.0
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Blurt
Nothing more than a perfect example of the case that MOR is still very much alive and well in the 21st century
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