New Reviews: Broken Bells, Jimi Hendrix and BRMC

Last week RS talked up Gorillaz's Plastic Beach in New Reviews, so today we're spotlighting Breaking band Broken Bells, a collaboration between the Shins' James Mercer and Demon Days producer Danger Mouse. The pairing might seem like a strange match, but as Will Hermes writes in his four-star review of Broken Bells, "It turns out the two pop-science geeks are a perfect match. Danger Mouse pushes Mercer's gorgeous, existential tunecraft outward with Day-Glo dynamics." Mercer's lyrics are at their loneliest while Danger Mouse brings beats that sound like "hip-hop for turned-on shut-ins." The best tracks here at first single "The High Road" and the bouncy "Vaporize."

Also out this week: a collection of some of the final recordings Jimi Hendrix ever made, presented here as Valleys of Neptune. Of all the unearthed songs on Neptune, the title track is a major highlight, along with the bluesy, horns-soaked "Ships Passing Through the Night" and rerecorded versions Jimi classics "Stone Free" and "Fire." "Are these tracks 'finished' as Hendrix would've intended?" Hermes asks in his three-and-a-half star review of Neptune. "Probably not. But as a glimpse of the guitarist extending his reach beyond the Experience trio, it's thrilling."

With a new drummer kicking out Zeppelin stomps, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club also return this week with their fifth album Beat the Devil's Tattoo. BMRC continue their musical odyssey from rock roots to garage goth on their latest disc, which earned a three-star rating from RS. "Devil's Tattoo is unremittingly grim, and undeniably fun. Few bands wear their frowns so well," Jody Rosen writes.

For more on all the albums out now, check out Rolling Stone's Reviews section.

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter