James Mercer (lead singer of The Shins) and Brian Burton (also known as producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse and half of Gnarls Barkley) have teamed up for an unexpected and exceptional first-time musical collaboration, Broken Bells. Their creative chemistry achieved by their inventive ambitions—Mercer’s voice as the primary instrument on the album—is beautifully complemented by the harmonic elements stemming from Danger Mouse’s innate production abilities to punctuate and underscore his partner’s singing gifts.  All the music was recorded with live instruments—some parts, which at times sound like samples (such as the ending of “October” which sounds like a Giorgio Moroder piano), are all recorded and give a continuous and unbroken feel to the compositions.  The brief album is a collection of short stories that tell a tale of experience and contingency, woven together by effective editing and rhythm patterns.