Danger Mouse and James Mercer
Danger Mouse and James Mercer bring true meaning to new year intentions as they start 2014. While their eponymous debut album, released in 2010, introduced the duo in an assured light; it left listeners pondering what would happen next. Fast-forward four years and here you have two tenacious musicians who are clearly substantial players.
Early January, fans were rewarded with the release of After the Disco, a cohesive collection of lyrics, mixes and sounds. This album surely places Mouse and Mercer in an aggressive position to lead the indie rock world as After the Disco provides 11, dare I say it, heart-wrenching tracks. The words that circulate this anthology showcase the songwriters depression, anguish, love and loss. While some may miss the more eclectic nature of their first release, After the Disco presents a much more cohesive aesthetic.
Just two days after the album drop, Broken Bells released a lyric video for the alluring Leave it Alone. Black, white and pink all over; this video does its job of exhibiting the song’s essence. You’ll slip into a deep muse over the simplicity of this piece. “I set you up, I gave you life, I dragged you out the fire, and now you knocked me down.” Mouse and Mercer certainly allow their fans to connect with them on a level of ecstasy and despair, a welcoming change from their previous album’s scattered thoughts.
I suppose everyone has a “thing”; There’s Gene Simmons tongue, Lady Gagas plethora of eccentrics and Broken Bell’s morphing pink blob, which made its appearance in the 2010 debut album. Hopefully they make this odd composition a staple throughout their career… giving folks a reason to keep coming back. If the lyrical genius of Broken Bell’s doesn’t do it for you, the pink mass will.
While the band won’t be making it to Colorado, that shouldn’t stop you from taking a weekend trip to witness Leave it Alone live. Below are some West Coast dates, road trip anyone?
West Coast Tour Dates:
April 10th 2014: Marquee Theatre, Tempe AZ
April 11th – April 13th 2014: Coachella, Indio CA
April 13th 2014: Rialto Theatre, Tucson AZ
April 16th 2014: Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, San Diego CA
April 18th – April 20th: Coachella, Indio CA
April 19th 2014: Fox Theatre, Oakland CA
July 4th – July 6th 2014: Sasquatch Festival
Photo Credit: Official Broken Bells Website http://www.brokenbells.com/photos/
Jackie has a passion for old and dusty, often wrapped up in The Doors, James Taylor and Gram Parsons. You can find her at your local thrift shop digging for early vinyl and trying to locate her inner flower child. When she’s not buried in her record room, she’s downward dogging it on her yoga mat and rewarding herself with the best $10 wines. Her child’s named after Marshall Tucker Band, her roots are in the deep South and her soul wanders vastly. See what she’s up to today at http://jdboeheim.wordpress.com/