Broken Bells
Broken Bells
Grade: One Golden Dove
It’s never easy to learn new things about things you already love. Because, if you love that thing, then you probably don’t want it to change that much, and if it does, you run the risk of loving it less. That’s never a good thing. That’s how I felt a few years ago when I listened to James Mercer’s acoustic set of a whole slew of Shins Songs. I was totally infatuated with the set, which he did for about five people at a radio station (don’t ask me where I got this, because I actually don’t know). I thought to myself, “Shit! Maybe I don’t like the Shins that much. I just love James Mercer’s songs.” With the rest of the band absent, I heard the songs louder and richer than ever before. It was only then that I was able to fully appreciate the genius of Mercer as a song writer. That doesn’t mean that I think that the rest of the members of the Shins are expendable. I really don’t. But, when I first heard news of Broken Bells, my immediate thoughts weren’t lamenting.
