James Mercer has hit the sweet spot between wit and whimsy many times over his lengthy indie pop career. The lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of The Shins—which began as a side project of Albuquerque-based Flake Music—Mercer has been sculpting jangly, Beach Boys-flavored guitar pop since the mid-'90s. As The Shins grew, so did his reputation as one of indie music's most beloved songwriters, gifted at telling evocative, poetic tales. And it's all carried over seamlessly to Broken Bells under the smooth guidance of producer Brian Burton (a.k.a. Danger Mouse).