NBC Nightly News' Brian Williams interviews The Auteur

The Auteur talks about making Dark Night of the Soul and working with Cee-Lo.

VIDEO: Broken Bells interview on CBC radio

Earlier this year, the men of Broken Bells dropped by Qtv to chat with Jian Ghomeshi.

Not everyone liked Broken Bells

RoberAwards.com listed their 20 most disappointing albums of the year. Broken Bells made the list at #20:

At the end of 2009, news of a full collaboration album between Shins’ vocalist James Mercer and electronic wizard Danger Mouse kept us all drooling in anticipation, but despite a couple of excellent singles the record turned up to be much less than the sum of its parts, with no one really getting out of their comfort zones in a lackluster collection of radio-friendly, but rather dull tunes.

I tend to agree with this review. But I believe that if Danger Mouse and James Mercer keep making records, their albums will progressively get better and better.

VIDEO: Broken Bells perform "Vaporize"

Broken Bells @ Not So Silent Night 2010

On December 10, Live 105 held their annual Not-So-Silent-Night concert festival in San Jose, CA. Among the acts were the legendary Smashing Pumpkins, Phoenix, The Black Keys, and My Chemical Romance.

Here's a short review of Broken Bells' set, courtesy of Treeswingers:

Amidst confusion about set times, Broken Bells, the collaboration effort of the Shins’ vocalist James Mercer and Brian Burton, better known as Danger Mouse, took the stage to warm up a growing general admissions crowd for the night’s festivities. The show was nothing short of spectacular, however, with a lackluster crowd that was mostly composed of punk-goth children waiting for My Chemical Romance, the energy in the arena was kept low. During the set, Broken Bells released not so new material, “Meyrin Fields,” eventually climaxing with “High Road,” the crowd favorite.

A smiling laughing Auteur and James Mercer did an interview backstage at the show. Watch it:

I love how Danger Mouse talks about the Black Keys as if he never produced an album for them. :) I also understand why he said he doesn't want to work in 2011. He has been working non-stop since 2005, and he's got the platinum success to prove it. If anyone deserves a break, it's The Auteur.

VIDEO: Broken Bells perform "The Ghost Inside" on "Conan"

DVR alert: Broken Bells on "Conan"

The Auteur and James Mercer of The Shins, aka Broken Bells, will be the musical guests on tonight's Conan. Check your local listings.