Music

[Life Is Beautiful 2014]

Life Is Beautiful: Broken Bells show glimmers of brilliance at LIB

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Broken Bells at Life Is Beautiful 2014
Spencer Burton
Chris Bitonti

Broken Bells hit the sweet spot of Life Is Beautiful’s booking palate: Poppy, positive, semi-electronic and à la mode. If a weighted scale existed, I imagine they’d score pretty high across all categories. At times, the passion project of DJ Dangermouse (Brian Burton) and Shins frontman James Mercer can conjure flashes of Pink Floyd, the Bee Gees and the modern indie rock sound that Burton and Mercer have been instrumental in shaping. Broken Bells’ Sunday evening performance pulled mostly from the act’s first and more widely acclaimed eponymous album. Even live, Burton is a silent partner to Mercer’s frontman presence, akin to a quiet genius, content to fiddle and tinker in the background for his own pleasure, disinterested in the recognition that his colleague has always seemed to crave. He spends time on a bass, drums, keys and more, and it's clear that the super producer is adept beyond the digital controls of a MacBook. Mercer’s instantly recognizable harmonies float carelessly over the soundwaves, pairing nicely and adding thematic weight to the band’s soft tones. While the performers show glimmers of brilliance, particularly on tunes like “The High Road” and “The Ghost Inside,” the bright spots are a tad few and far between. Even so, the treat of seeing Burton perform live is more than enough reason to attend.

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