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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Broken Bells| image = Brokenbells060810.jpg| caption = Broken Bells performs at Webster Hall , June 2010| background = group_or_band| origin = Los Angeles, California, United States | genre = Alternative rock Indie rock Space rock | years_active = 2009& ndash;present| label = Columbia Records|Columbia | associated_acts = Flake Music, The Shins , Gnarls Barkley , Danger Doom | website = http://www.brokenbells.com www.brokenbells.com| current_members = James Mercer (musician)|James Mercer Danger Mouse|Brian Burton | past_members = Broken Bells is an American indie rock band composed of artist-producer Brian Burton (better known as Danger Mouse ) and James Mercer (musician)|James Mercer , the lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie rock band The Shins . Broken Bells compose and create as a duo, but are joined by a full band on tour. The live band included Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band sidemen Nate Walcott and Nik Freitas , and Jonathan Hischke and Dan Elkan , both ex-members of Hella (band)|Hella .Bronson, Kevin http://www.spin.com/articles/broken-bells-debut-new-songs-la-showcase "Broken Bells Debut New Songs at L.A. Showcase", Spin Magazine , February 22, 2010, accessed March 14, 2010. Following the success of their first self-titled album, Broken Bells (album)|Broken Bells , Mercer and Burton announced intentions to record a follow-up,cite web|last=Dye|first=David|title=Broken Bells On World Cafe|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=128697330|work= World Cafe |date=2010-07-23|accessdate=2010-07-28 and released a new EP, Meyrin Fields , on March 29, 2011.
History
The project was first announced on September 29, 2009.cite web|last=Adams|first=Sean|title=The Shins' James Mercer + Danger Mouse = Broken Bells& #33; Greatest News Of the Year|url= http://drownedinsound.com/news/4137986-the-shins-james-mercer-danger-mouse-broken-bells-greatest-news-of-the-year|work= Drowned in Sound |date=2009-09-29|accessdate=2010-01-09 The pair decided to work together after meeting at the Roskilde Festival in 2004 and finding they were fans of each other's work.Hewitt, Ben http://thequietus.com/articles/03590-broken-bells-danger-mouse-the-shins-interview The Odd Couple: Broken Bells Interviewed from The Quietus January 2010. It took four more years before the two started working together and by March 2008 Mercer and Burton began recording together in secret at Burton's Los Angeles -based studio.Gormley, Ian http://exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx? csid1=141& csid2=6& fid1=44532 Broken Bells: James Mercer and Danger Mouse at Exclaim! March 2010. The two describe their material as "melodic, but experimental, too."cite web|last=Diehl|first=Matt|title=Danger Mouse, The Shins James Mercer Explain the Birth of New Band Broken Bells|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/30/danger-mouse-the-shins-james-mercer-explain-the-birth-of-new-band-broken-bells/|work= Rolling Stone |date=2009-09-30|accessdate=2010-01-09
Prior to the formation of Broken Bells, Mercer and Burton both worked together on the track "Insane Lullaby" on the album Dark Night of the Soul (album)|Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse . Broken Bells have since performed the song several times, often as a tribute to the late Mark Linkous , the Sparklehorse frontman who died in early 2010.
On December 14 the band released their first email update, in which a binary-coded message stating 'The High Road is hard to find' was displayed, offering a link to the band's web page, now with a new color scheme, for 'further details'. On the morning of December 21, the band informed fans in an email of the release of their debut single "The High Road", which was made available as a free download on their official site.cite web|last=|first=|title=Danger Mouse/Shins new band Broken Bells give away new song |url= http://www.nme.com/news/broken-bells/48981|work= NME |date=2009-12-21|accessdate=2010-01-09 The Broken Bells (album)|self-titled debut album was released in the U.S. and Canada on March 9, 2010. Another version of the album was released as well which is designed to be a music box that, when opened, plays a song called "The Overture", which is not on the album. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6190J020100210 Danger Mouse, James Mercer Ring in Broken Bells from Reuters.
Mercer and Burton filmed a video of "Insane Lullaby" for NPR . http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2010/06/28/128163512/insanelullaby Exclusive Video Premiere: An 'Insane Lullaby' From Danger Mouse And James Mercer from NPR.
On March 1, 2011, Broken Bells announced that they would be releasing an EP titled Meyrin Fields on March 29, 2011. http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/immaculate-noise/posts/broken-bells-releasing-more-new-material-in-4-song-ep Broken Bells Releasing More New Material in 4-Song EP
On February 14, 2012, in an interview with KINK.FM (a Portland radio station), James Mercer stated that he is currently working on a second Broken Bells album. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=g57Fn0OkgVc James Mercer of The Shins - Interview in the Bing Lounge
Discography
Studio albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
US
US Alt.
US Rock
AUS
CAN
DNK
SWE
UK
2010
Broken Bells (album)
Release date: March 9, 2010
Label: Columbia Records
7
2
3
20
16
14
40
47
Extended plays
Year
Album details
2011
Meyrin Fields
Release date: March 29, 2011 http://www.nme.com/news/broken-bells/55247
Label: Columbia Records
Singles
Year
Single
Peak chart positions
Album
US Rock
US Alt.
CAN
JPN
2009
"The High Road"
15
10
75
60
Broken Bells
2010
"The Ghost Inside"
42
22
"October"
2011
"Vaporize"
"" denotes a release that did not chart
References
reflist
External links
official website| http://www.brokenbells.com
http://laist.com/2010/02/21/danger_mouse_and_james_mercer_debut.php LAist - Broken Bells Live Debut at The Bootleg Theater - Review and Photos
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=128697330 Broken Bells on NPR's World Cafe - 2010 Interview and live performance
Broken Bells Category:American indie rock groups Category:Musical groups established in 2009 Category:Musical duos Category:Space rock Category:Alternative rock groups from California
