Laid-back as they are, even the Shins must have felt the pressure when making "Wincing the Night Away," Their first two, "Oh, Inverted World" in 2001 and "Chutes Too Narrow" in 2003, established them as quirky but introspective indie rockers.
band on the soundtrack, bringing the Shins to a wider audience. A famous actress's line in the movie about their music further boosted their fame.
(Let's all just acknowledge it helped the Shins' profile and move on, shall we?) Without major-label backing, they sold more than acts would be happy to claim. (Jessica Simpson, we're looking at you.
)
shoulders. Should they play it safe and do more of the same, risking a one-trick-pony reputation? Or chuck their previous disposal or something and then play it backwards?
Turns out they've split the difference.
die-hard fans of their jangly guitar pop/rock to feel wary, To be fair, anything short of breathtaking brilliance would have prompted complaints from someone. And the album is good would have left naysayers with little to nitpick.
It's a solid album, one that signals the Shins are expanding Legs," which is getting described as having a hip-hop beat. Not exactly; it's slow enough that it's probably closer to trip hop. But the stuttering beat is still in the forefront vs.
plenty of their previous work.
Nor is the band any stranger to darkness and angst, but often there's a brightness to take the edge off. Not so usually associated with the Shins.
Wave," a beautiful combination of delicate guitar work and swelling synthesizers. Wavelike, with sounds washing up and away, it's lulling. But a close listen to the lyrics have been praised as literate, but in this case the (check out Virginia Woolf's "The Waves," in And at only about a minute long, "Pam Berry" is more of an interlude than a song, but it's worth a mention for the reverb-swelled surf guitar, reminiscent of the late Dick Dale.
Sailor," which reprises the gentle, melodic sound that the band's made their name on. The song's not bad, foundation they've built over the years, but this tune contrast, the soaring "Phantom Limb," the first single, does a better job of mixing past and future.
News RSS