Broken Bells, the duo of the Shins’ James Mercer and producer Danger Mouse, ponder the bleakness of modern times on their new song “Good Luck.”
“The face of evil’s on the news tonight/We see the darkness over light,” Mercer sings over a dusty bass groove and loping drums. “But have we ever really lived in better times?” The track gradually intensifies with wordless vocal hooks and psychedelic fuzz guitar, climaxing with a percussive coda.
The track is available to purchase and stream on all digital platforms through Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records via AWAL. Upon issuing the single, the duo also revealed that they’ve begun studio sessions for their as-yet-untitled third LP, which follows a standalone 2018 song “Shelter,” two full-length albums (2010’s Broken Bells and 2014’s After the Disco) and 2011 EP, Meyrin Fields.
“As with ‘Shelter,’ we wanted to release ‘Good Luck’ while it felt timely and reflective of specific discussions between the two of us, questioning the state of things, as we do,” Mercer and Danger Mouse said in a joint statement. “Both of us are constantly working on music at any given time, yet we always drift back to one another as Broken Bells. When it happens naturally, it happens—and right now it’s happened in the form of writing and recording sessions for the third Broken Bells album.”
Both musicians have focused on other projects following After the Disco: Mercer released his fifth album with the Shins, Heartworms; Danger Mouse produced a handful of albums (including Parquet Court’s 2018 record, Wide Awake!) and teamed with Karen O for the recent collaborative LP, Lux Prima.