Broken Bells, 'Control' (Live) — npr.org

Broken Bells was initially viewed by some fans as a side project for James Mercer and Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton — a respite from Mercer's leadership of The Shins and Burton's multiple production jobs, including his partnership with Cee Lo in Gnarls Barkley. But in a Sound Opinions interview in Mercer's home base of Portland, the duo made it clear that they never approach Broken Bells as a holiday lark. The meticulously arranged songs on the band's two albums – a self-titled 2010 debut and this year's After the Disco — demonstrate their commitment, as did their insistence to play a full-blown mini-concert in Portland for our interview in partnership with opbmusic. On stage, the band underlined the soul and psychedelia in their music, with Mercer nailing the falsetto notes.

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