Broken Bells’ latest release “After the Disco” is, as the name implies, the perfect soundtrack to unwind from a late night of dancing.
The opening song “Perfect World” paints the scenery of passing city lights on a highway you have to take to get home when the party’s over. It fits right into the background of any driving-heavy video game.
Although the atmospheric synthesizer sets a soothing tone, the repetitive beats, such as the ones in “Perfect World” and “After the Disco,” give listeners the option to keep the party going.
The tone of the album is cohesive but misleading. The tracks that give you the incentive to dance are accompanied by lyrics like “just another day into a useless night,” which explore complex themes like the sadness that comes with being let down by ideals of love.
The songs on the album that move away from the ‘80s synth pop influences are reminiscent of the duo’s respective musical backgrounds before Broken Bells.
“Medicine,” one of the more acoustic-based songs, could easily double as a hit on an album by The Shins.
In songs where the focus is on the melody, James Mercer pushes his vocal range to echo the high-pitched register, but not past the point where you’ll stop listening.
Although the album has the means to influence a dance party — not quite reaching its full potential — it’s just as likely to be reduced to a dance party in your car.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 2/20/2014 under the headline “Broken Bells’ new album perfect for After the Disco"]
