When it first emerged that James Mercer (The Shins) and Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) were collaborating on a project to be called Broken Bells, it seemed an exciting yet unusual combination. Fortunately the pairing proved a fruitful match, as their self-titled debut in 2010 was an excellent album filled with Burton’s smooth, sophisticated production and Mercer’s emotive and versatile vocals. Musically, the album was a breezy affair of dreamy melodies, haunting harmonies and psychedelically tinged indie-pop. The fact the duo both shared song-writing and instrumental duties ensured this was no slapdash affair but rather a fully-fledged collaborative effort.
Sophomore album After the Disco changes the tact slightly from the debut, while remaining recognisable as the duo’s handiwork. Firstly, as evidenced by the title, After the Disco wraps the elements that made their partnership so successful on the debut and fuses some slick disco groove into the concoction. Although comparisons to the Bee Gees classic disco sound from the 70’s has been thrown about, there’s nothing particularly old-school or even retro about the album. The disco edge has a very contemporary feel and within the more upbeat grooves on the album the melancholic vibe that seeped through the debut is once again prevalent, giving a darker feel to what is otherwise an easily digestible and enjoyable listen.
Aside from the excellent funk groove charge of ‘Holding on For Life’ and the slightly more restrained but equally appealing title track, After the Disco is far less immediate than its predecessor. This is a ‘grower’ through and through with a handful of the songs not creating much of an impression first time around. Thankfully repeat listens reveal the more subtle elements and elusive hooks that are frequently strewn throughout the album’s 11 cuts. The duo’s multi-instrumental class and the clear-cut chemistry of the partnership comes to the fore, creating an album of depth and cohesion where their individual talents complement each other superbly. That being said, for all of After the Disco’s colourful shimmers and darker shades, overall it simply lacks the consistency and the abundance of instantly gratifying hooks and melodies of the debut, which has also proven to have plenty of staying power since its release.
The second half of the album in particular lacks the energetic thrust and groove of the first half, yet is not without its strong points, while there’s nothing on the album that could be described as a genuine weak link. The downbeat ‘The Angel and the Fool’ is one of three tracks on the album that steps into ballad territory, yet unlike ‘Lazy Wonderland’ or the more upbeat but overlong ‘Leave it Alone’, it doesn’t hit any great payoff, coming across as inoffensive but forgettable. The rather placid ‘The Remains of Rock & Roll’ is a similarly ho-hum piece of song-writing, with the occasional sprightly moment, ending the album on a fairly flat note. Other tracks, such as the buzzing midnight groove and upbeat drumming of epic opener ‘Perfect World’; and the slick, moody musical backdrop and emotive vocals on ‘The Changing Lights’ showcase how special this unique combination can be.
Overall, After the Disco was always going to be a tough follow-up album to the sublime debut, particularly after a long period of anticipation. Yet while it falls short of the debut, After the Disco strangely doesn’t feel like a disappointment either. With oodles of chemistry and talent to boot the duo has created another quality batch of sophisticated pop tunes; retaining the soulful grooves, dark electro pulse and raw emotion of the debut. Only this time they’ve brought a kaleidoscopic disco kick, creating a fitting soundtrack for that dance party comedown.
7.5/10
Reviewer: Luke Saunders