You never know who is going to turn up in the new releases—do Toni Braxton or Danger Mouse ring any bells? Both are part of collaborations, and while Braxton and Babyface getting together seems natural, James Mercer from the Shins working with Danger Mouse makes for more of a stretch. Our reviewers happily report that these duos perform wonderfully on their new releases. After the Disco, Broken Bells (Columbia) After the Disco is Broken Bells’s second album, and comes across as a more cohesive work with solid songs and a reflective mood. Considering that James Mercer and Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, come from opposite ends of the music industry, it is a wonder that they work so well together. Mercer, an indie pop/rock man from the Shins, and Danger Mouse, a hip-hop master turned super producer, create a unique sound that really works. Mercer’s sing-songy cadence and excellent vocal range coupled with the cool grooves and hippie chorales from Danger Mouse rounded out with great guitar acoustics make for success. Definitely full of smart, fresh, and catchy tracks that never get dull. These two have built an identity all their own and it will be interesting to see what they come up with next. Check out “Holding On for Life,” “”Leave It Alone,” “No Matter What You’re Told, and “Medicine.”—Uma N., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Love, Marriage & Divorce, Toni Braxton and Babyface (Motown Records) This is a solid album and great joint effort by two wonderful R&B singer/songwriters. Together they perfectly convey the emotional roller coast of a relationship, from euphoria to melancholy to brokenhearted. There have been three marriages and divorces between these two who have not worked together since the 1990s. Their experiences tap into how conflicted couples think and feel, ringing in the sincerity that makes these songs so fresh and real. They each shine on their solo tracks which only enhance this solidly produced effort. Check out these tracks on Love, Marriage & Divorce—“I Hope That You’re Okay,” “Roller Coaster,” “Hurt You,” and “I Wish.”—Amalie T., grade 9, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Fable Anniversary (Lionshead Studios) Fable Anniversary is a modern remastering of Fable with enhanced HD graphics, instant loading times, and an all-new interface. It is nice for a classic to hold its weight with the new RPG games of today. In Fable Anniversary, everything revolves around the Hero’s Guild. Players participate in a wide variety of quests in the land of Albion. Your character is shaped by the experience gained from your quest which can be in magic spells, skills, stealth, speed, etc. This will affect the character’s alignment on the good versus evil scale, which in turn affects his appearance. Heroes shine with auras and have halos while evil characters sprout horns, and look drawn and pale. Combat is a mix of magic, melee, archery and ranged attacks, and it works so much better here than in the original game. Magic is really cool in Fable Anniversary—players can shoot lightning from your fingers, call forth ghostly blades and arrows, or bring time to a standstill. Fable Anniversary is loads of fun to play and does not feel old-school at all. It is a great game that you should not rush through—enjoy all it has to offer. Rated: M for Mature. Platform: Xbox 360.— Ryan  A., grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School