“James Mercer and Brian ‘Danger Mouse’ Burton continue to make beautiful music together in a set that is breathtakingly perfect.” —THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Broken Bells have added a new series of headline dates to the tour that began in the wake of the #5 debut of the band’s sophomore album, After the Disco (Columbia). 

The new dates pick up immediately following Broken Bells’ already announced appearances at the Governors Ball and Bonnaroo festivals, taking James Mercer, Brian Burton and their immaculate touring band and immersive audiovisual journey from St. Louis to Portland by way of a nearly a dozen new North American stops—including a return to Minneapolis, the site of the tour’s sold out opener.

Broken Bells’ stellar live show has been translated into stunning and unique TV performances, including a must-be-seen-to-be-believed Beatles tribute on The Late Show with David Letterman, plus sublime performances of After The Disco tracks on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and most recently “Control” on Conan.

June 6-8 – New York, NY – Governors Ball
June 15 – Bonnaroo 
June 16 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
June 18 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre
June 19 – Columbus, OH – LC Indoor Pavilion
June 20 – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater
June 22 – Dover, MD – Firefly Festival
Aug 1 – Chicago IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 3 – Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
Aug 4 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theater for the Performing Arts
Aug 6 – Calgary, AB – Epcor Center for the Performing Arts
Aug 7 – Edmonton, AB – Winspear Centre
Aug 9 – Squamish, BC – Squamish Valley Music Festival (previously announced)
Aug 10 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
Aug 11 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

LOS ANGELES DATE ANNOUNCED ALONG WITH SPECIAL AFTER PARTY 

TONIGHT SHOW PERFORMANCE CONFIRMED FOR MARCH 7

Broken Bells are proud to announce an exciting partnership with the B612 Foundation beginning with the band’s April West Coast tour. During these dates, $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the B612 Foundation to help fund their Sentinel Mission, one of the most important space missions for humanity-one that seeks to protect Earth while preparing for future exploration. More information pertaining to the B612 Foundation can be found below.

Included in this upcoming April tour is a recently announced show at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on April 15th between the band’s two Coachella appearances. Tickets for this show are available here beginning Friday, March 7th at 10am PST.

Following the show, Broken Bells and the B612 Foundation will be hosting an after party on the Fonda Theatre rooftop. Guests will include Brian Burton and James Mercer of Broken Bells as well as Dr. Marc Buie, the mission specialist on the Sentinel project, and Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut and co-founder of the B612 Foundation, as well as other astronomers and dignitaries. Dr. Buie and Rusty will give a special presentation on the Sentinel project and provide new insights on the threats posed by asteroids. Each guest will be treated to a space-themed drink while they enjoy music by a special guest DJ. Attendees will also have the chance to gaze into the night sky with telescopes provided and aimed by astronomers from JPL. Tickets for the after party are extremely limited and are available here.

Prior to heading out West, Burton and Mercer will bring the Broken Bells magic to The Tonight Show on March 7th where they will perform a song from their acclaimed new album After the Disco. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs Friday, March 7th at 11:35pm/10:35pm CST.

About the B612 Foundation

The mission of the B612 Foundation is to create the first comprehensive and dynamic map of the inner solar system to provide early warning of dangerous asteroid impacts as well as prepare the path for future exploration. To be launched in 2018, Sentinel will be the world’s first and largest privately funded deep space mission. To date, all telescopes combined have identified only 10% of the more than one million asteroids which we need to know about to protect us; Sentinel will find the other 99%. Ball Aerospace is designing Sentinel with the same expert team that built the Spitzer and Kepler Space Telescopes.

BROKEN BELLS
TOUR 2014 

03/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
03/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
03/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
03/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
03/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
03/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
03/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
03/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
03/24/14 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
03/27/14 – Paris, France – La Cigale
03/29/14 – Zurich, Switzerland – m4music Festival
03/30/14 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys Neue Welt
03/31/14 – Brussels, Belgium – AB Flex
04/01/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg The Max
04/10/14 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
04/11/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/13/14 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
04/15/14 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
04/16/14 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s
04/18/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/19/14 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
05/23/14 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre
06/06-08/14 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival
06/12-15/14 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
07/04/14 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre
08/08-10/14 – Squamish, BC – Squamish Festival

NEW SPRING TOUR DATES ON SALE NOW

NEW YORK, CHICAGO, PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON, MINNEAPOLIS, WASHINGTON DC, TORONTO ALL SOLD OUT IN ADVANCE

© James Minchin

Following last week’s release, Broken Bells’ After the Disco (Columbia) has debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart (#3 in Canada) with nearly 45,000 copies sold. This news comes after the band claimed the #1 slot on the iTunes Top Albums chart on the day of After the Disco‘s release. James Mercer and Brian Burton’s sophomore album has already garnered widespread praise from critics and fans, putting it squarely in the running for one of 2014’s best albums.

“They don’t flaunt their cleverness; they let a listener discover it after the songs sink in”–THE NEW YORK TIMES

“‘We have Danger Mouse working with us,’ said the singer. ‘He’s a great soul and beautiful dude and the [Broken Bells] album is pretty amazing. [It’s got] extraordinary, melancholy melodies. As a singer, let me say: This boy [James Mercer] really knows how to be truthful in the telling of the lyrics he writes. There’s something about his voice that is very compelling. The kid’s a star!'” (Bono speaking to Rolling Stone)

Last week, Broken Bells announced additional tour dates to supplement their March East Coast tour. Notable festival stops include Coachella, New York’s Governors Ball and Sasquatch! in Washington. A full schedule is available below.

For more updates, keep an eye on:
www.brokenbells.com
https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic
https://twitter.com/broken_bells

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

02/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (SOLD OUT)
03/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre (SOLD OUT)
03/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall (SOLD OUT)
03/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
03/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues (SOLD OUT)
03/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)
03/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre (SOLD OUT)
03/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)
03/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
03/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
03/24/14 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
03/27/14 – Paris, France – La Cigale
03/29/14 – Zurich, Switzerland – m4music Festival
03/30/14 – Berlin, Germany – Postbahnhof
03/31/14 – Brussels, Belgium – AB Flex
04/01/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg The Max
04/10/14 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
04/11/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/13/14 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
04/16/14 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s
04/18/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/19/14 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
06/06-08/14 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival
08/08-10/14 – Squamish, BC – Squamish Festival

AFTER THE DISCO ROCKETS TO #1 ON iTUNES

WEST COAST TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

© James Minchin

Fresh off the release of their new album, After the Disco (Columbia), Broken Bells have unveiled a new lyric video for the track “Leave It Alone.” But this is no mere lyric video. The visuals incorporate stark surroundings and Broken Bells’ signature pink aesthetic as geometric shapes combine to form beautiful shapes and body parts. The video is now viewable here: http://bit.ly/1nTXQxH

Upon yesterday’s release, After the Disco rocketed up the iTunes charts landing squarely at #1. For those who have yet to join the fun, the album is available here: http://bit.ly/1enmILP. Additionally, Broken Bells are making quite the splash on the airwaves as they approach Top 5 at AAA and Top 15 at Alternative.

Broken Bells fans in New York City may have been seeing flashes of pink yesterday. The intergalactic heroine from the band’s featurette, “After the Disco,” popped up at various locations throughout NYC including Chelsea Market and Grand Central Station. It was awfully nice of her to stop by Earth to celebrate Brian Burton and James Mercer’s big release day.

To round out what has been a busy week for Burton and Mercer, the duo will embark on a West Coast tour which includes a stop at Washington’s Sasquatch! Music Festival over Independence Day weekend. During this tour, $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the B612 Foundation. B612 is currently developing its Sentinel Mission which will seek to “discover and catalog 90 percent of the asteroids larger than 140 meters in Earth’s region of the solar system.” By conducting the Sentinel Mission, B612 hopes to provide protection and asteroid detection for Earth while helping pave the way for future space exploration.

For more information:
www.brokenbells.com
https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic
https://twitter.com/broken_bells

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

02/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
03/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
03/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
03/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
03/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
03/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
03/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
03/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
03/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
03/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
03/24/14 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
03/27/14 – Paris, France – La Cigale
03/29/14 – Zurich, Switzerland – m4music Festival
03/30/14 – Berlin, Germany – Postbahnhof
03/31/14 – Brussels, Belgium – AB Flex
04/01/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
04/10/14 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
04/11/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/13/14 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
04/16/14 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s
04/18/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/19/14 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
06/06-08/14 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival
07/04-06/14 – George, WA – Sasquatch! Music Festival

AFTER THE DISCO OUT NOW
http://bit.ly/1enmILP (iTunes)
http://amzn.to/1frGCld (Amazon)

Broken Bells celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ landmark Ed Sullivan Show appearance last night with an innovative re-imagining of the Fab Four’s “And I Love Her” during The Late Show with David Letterman. For their tribute, Brian Burton and James Mercer combined “And I Love Her” with a loop of Ringo Starr’s original beats from “I Am The Walrus.” The performance also featured a video montage of Starr drumming which was then edited together to sync up with Burton and Mercer’s hybridized cover. The video can be viewed now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2tPkSbcvhQ.

Following their performance, the band sat down for an “Internet soirée” with The Late Show‘s Paul Shaffer. During this interview, Mercer and Burton discussed the creation of their audio/visual tribute and how they became Beatles fans. The interview is available in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK0JULnxVhI.

There is more cause for celebration this week as Broken Bells’ sophomore full-length, After the Disco, is now available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon and of course local music retail outlets. Early reviews establish After the Disco as an early album of the year contender:

“Holds way more promise than most”- NEW YORK MAGAZINE

“At once sleek and world-weary, often homing in on that sexy moment of malaise when the Seventies wanted to turn into the Eighties so badly but didn’t quite know how to do it yet”-ROLLING STONE

“Music history is littered with star collaborations and supergroups that didn’t work or last… Broken Bells is one of the rare exceptions”-AMERICAN WAY

“The indie power duo deliver the American Hustle of songs-all Me Decade grooviness and narrative tension.”-ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

For more information:
www.brokenbells.com
https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic
https://twitter.com/broken_bells

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

02/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
03/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
03/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
03/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
03/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
03/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
03/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
03/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
03/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
03/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
03/24/14 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
03/27/14 – Paris, France – La Cigale
03/29/14 – Zurich, Switzerland – m4music Festival
03/30/14 – Berlin, Germany – Postbahnhof
03/31/14 – Brussels, Belgium – AB Flex
04/01/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
04/11/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/18/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
06/06-08/14 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! PERFORMANCE TO AIR JANUARY 29

AFTER THE DISCO NOW STREAMING ON ITUNES

“The duo”s self-titled 2010 debut featured an admittedly unclassifiable fusion of rock, hip-hop beats, electronica and more, and After the Disco pushes even further, which could be just the kick the listless rock genre needs… the sweet melodies on the new album could catapult Broken Bells to the success that “Crazy” once earned…” — TIME

On Friday, January 31, James Mercer and Brian Burton, better known as Broken Bells, will celebrate the release of their sophomore full length album, After the Disco, at Baby”s All Right in Brooklyn, NY.  The party is being presented by Tumblr IRL and will feature a special acoustic performance by Mercer and Burton along with an art exhibit showcasing works by Jacob Escobedo and photography by Danger Mouse (Burton). Attendees must RSVP in order to attend. More information available at Tumblr IRL.

Broken Bells will also be the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, January 29. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on Wednesday night at 11:35pm EST on ABC.

While After the Disco will not be available for purchase until February 4, it is currently streaming via iTunes in full and is available for preorder. All iTunes preorders come with instant downloads of both “Holding On for Life” and “After the Disco.”

Burton and Mercer will tour in support of After the Disco including stops at Coachella and Governors Ball. A full schedule is available below.

For more information:
www.brokenbells.com

brokenbells.tumblr.com

https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic

https://twitter.com/broken_bells

About Tumblr:

Tumblr is a media network powered by an army of All our vehicles equipped with double brakes and mirrorsOur drivers ed classes online Certified by State of Texas. independent creators and home to an audience of more than 300 million unique visitors. Founded by David Karp in 2007, Tumblr is headquartered in New York City.

About Tumblr IRL (irlirl.tumblr.com):

Tumblr IRL is a music series that opens a window to the musician”s creative mind, on Tumblr and in real life.

For Tumblr media inquiries:
Leah Linder
Tumblr, Communications
LeahLinder@tumblr.com
727.643.1134

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

02/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
03/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
03/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
03/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
03/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
03/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
03/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
03/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
03/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
03/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
03/24/14 – London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire
03/27/14 – Paris, France – La Cigale
03/29/14 – Zurich, Switzerland – m4music Festival
03/30/14 – Berlin, Germany – Postbahnhof
03/31/14 – Brussels, Belgium – AB Flex
04/01/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
04/11/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
04/18/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
06/06-08/14 – New York, NY – Governor”s Ball Music Festival

Otherworldy Tale of Star-Crossed Lovers Stars Anton Yelchin and Kate Mara

AFTER THE DISCO RELEASE DATE MOVED TO FEBRUARY 4TH

“After the Disco is Broken Bells’ catchiest set yet, augmenting the duo’s psych-pop sound with late-night grooves and sleek synths”-ROLLING STONE

Broken Bells, the musical partnership consisting of James Mercer and Danger Mouse, has released the new official video for After the Disco’s lead single, “Holding On For Life.”

“Holding On For Life” is comprised of scenes from Part One and Part Two of the band’s collaborative featurette with The Creators Project, also titled After the Disco. The single-length visual creation follows protagonist Oliver (Anton Yelchin) as he navigates a truly out-of-this-world party and encounters some twists along the way. Additional insight is provided from the viewpoint of Oliver’s extraterrestrial love interest, Helen (Kate Mara), as she confronts the age-old tragedy of heartbreak on the dance floor.

The band’s sophomore full-length album, After the Disco, was originally slated for January 14th but will now be available on February 4th, 2014 on Columbia Records. Mercer and Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton) will embark on a tour supporting the new record beginning in early spring. A listing of confirmed dates can be viewed below.

For more information:
http://www.brokenbells.com/
https://twitter.com/broken_bells
https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

2/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
3/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
3/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
3/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
3/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
3/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
3/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
3/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
3/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle

AFTER THE DISCO OUT JANUARY 14

TICKETS FOR MARCH 2014 TOUR ON SALE NOVEMBER 22

The ongoing mini film, produced by POPFilms, stars Kate Mara and Anton Yelchin and is released via The Creators Project in conjunction with Intel and VICE’s global arts technology initiative courtesy of Columbia Records. The first installment introduced viewers to Oliver, a 9-to-5 ordinary Joe, who finds a spacesuit-clad Helen, the literal girl of his dreams. Throughout “Part One: Angel and The Fool,” Oliver and Helen explore a dreamy, extraterrestrial landscape before a glowing pink orb presents itself.

This new installment, “Holding On For Life,” allows the story to progress while incorporating some familiar faces and an interesting twist ending.

Preorders for the After the Disco full-length, out January 14 on Columbia Records, are currently available via iTunes. All preorders come with an instant download of the album’s lead-off single, “Holding On For Life.”

Earlier this week, Broken Bells announced their return to the stage as they will embark on a brief tour in March 2014. The general onsales for those shows will go live tomorrow. See the itinerary below for more information.

http://www.brokenbells.com/
https://twitter.com/broken_bells
https://www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

2/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
3/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
3/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
3/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
3/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
3/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
3/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
3/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
3/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle

© James Minchin

Broken Bells, the musical partnership of Danger Mouse and James Mercer, have revealed plans for a 2014 winter tour. This tour announcement comes in hot on the heels of the recent announcement of After the Disco, the band’s sophomore full-length out January 14 on Columbia Records. Joining Broken Bells on these engagements will be Brooklyn band Au Revoir Simone. A full tour itinerary can be found below along with respective ticket links.

Ticket presales, where available, will go live at 10am on Wednesday, November 20th. General onsale will take place at 10am on November 22nd. More information is available via the linked venues listed in the tour itinerary below.

After the Disco is currently available to preorder via iTunes. All preorders come with an immediate download of the album’s first single, “Holding On for Life.”

For more information and further Broken Bells news, peruse the following sites:

www.brokenbells.com
www.facebook.com/brokenbellsmusic
www.twitter.com/broken_bells

BROKEN BELLS
2014 TOUR

2/28/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
3/01/14 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
3/03/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
3/04/14 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
3/05/14 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
3/07/14 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
3/08/14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero Theatre
3/09/14 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
3/11/14 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
3/12/14 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre

NEW SINGLE “HOLDING ON FOR LIFE” STREAMING VIA
http://smarturl.it/HoldingOnForLife

NPR INTERVIEW WITH JAMES MERCER AND BRIAN BURTON NOW STREAMING ON ALL SONGS CONSIDERED

Broken Bells, the musical partnership comprised of Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) and James Mercer, are proud to announce the release of their sophomore album, After the Disco, on January 14th, 2014 on Columbia Records. The album will be available for pre-sale tomorrow, November 5th, via iTunes. Upon preordering After the Disco, fans will receive the first single, “Holding On For Life”, which is streaming now via http://smarturl.it/HoldingOnForLife.

This announcement follows the release of the band’s prologue to their album-accompanying short film by the same name. The prologue, titled “Part One: Angel and The Fool,” can be viewed on YouTube.

Mercer and Burton recently sat down to talk with NPR’s Bob Boilen about the making of After the Disco. This interview is currently available here.

“Part One: Angel and The Fool” lays out the blueprint for a mini epic chronicling the attainment of love. The prologue introduces viewers to Oliver, a 9-to-5 ordinary Joe, who finds a spacesuit–clad Helen, the literal girl of his dreams. Fans will find themselves entranced as the storyline unfolds across subsequent installments.

After the Disco follows up the 2010 self-titled debut which is on the brink of RIAA Gold certification after notching a release week Billboard Top 10 slot. Burton and Mercer’s illustrious first effort was nominated for a Grammy award and ultimately helped solidify Burton’s most recent Producer of the Year win, one of his 17 nominations and five Grammy victories in seven years.

The year 2014 will hold special significance for Burton and the Danger Mouse moniker as he celebrates the 10th anniversary of his groundbreaking release, The Grey Album.

Since 2004 and The Grey Album, a bevy of modern day musical titans have sought out the Danger Mouse treatment. Burton’s production work as Danger Mouse can be heard on such notable releases as Gorillaz’s Demon Days,  Beck’s Modern Guilt, The Black Keys’ explosive single “Tighten Up” and massive El Camino and more. Burton will continue his cavalcade of impressive collaborators as he handles production for U2’s forthcoming album.

Aside from his work as a producer, Burton has established himself as an artist, composer and songwriter. In 2006, Burton teamed up with Cee-Lo Green to form Gnarls Barkley. This partnership gave birth to two full-length albums and of course the single “Crazy,” which Rolling Stone dubbed Song of the Decade. Burton would eventually go on to showcase his talents as a composer in 2011 when he joined Daniele Luppi to craft the epic Rome which featured Jack White and Norah Jones and was inspired by spaghetti western soundtracks.

Meanwhile, James Mercer was singlehandedly transforming indie music from a literal descriptor of bands on indie labels to an actual globally accepted genre with The Shins’ pivotal debut, Oh, Inverted World. Featuring monumental tracks such as “Caring Is Creepy” and “New Slang,” Oh, Inverted World–written and self-produced by Mercer in his bedroom–essentially ushered in a new era with its heartfelt melodies and his unmistakable voice.

The Shins’ sophomore album Chutes Too Narrow celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, its classic tracks such as “So Says I” and “Mine’s Not A High Horse” sounding as fresh and prescient as they did 10 years ago. Other Shins milestones have included the band’s third album, the Grammy-nominated Wincing The Night Away, entering the U.S. album chart at #2–a career high for both the band and its label at the time, Sub Pop. Last year the band’s fourth album, Port Of Morrow, was its first to be released on Mercer’s Aural Apothecary label in cooperation with Columbia Records. The album debuted at #3 and was greeted by some of the best critical notices of an already rabidly acclaimed canon, including Entertainment Weekly hailing it as “the band’s best album in nearly a decade.”

Fate would strike when Burton, a long-time admirer of The Shins, met Mercer backstage when the two happened to be performing at the same music festival. From then on, there was no looking back. The creative cogs had already begun grinding away.

While Burton has had his pick of collaborators in musical forays, he has found his ultimate writing partner in James Mercer. Mercer has helped unlock a new musical world for both himself and Burton as Broken Bells. The result has been the creation of cosmic and forceful music from a duo with mutual respect and shared talents. It’s not The Shins. It’s not Danger Mouse. It’s Broken Bells.