It used to be that almost any fan of alternative or indie-pop music could quickly recall the name of The Shins. But it is not like that anymore. They are a lost memory in the dust of their last hit album Wincing the Night Away (2007). The Shins had broken up after this album and nobody really knows why. Lead singer, James Mercer, had always led the team to great success but in 2008 he decided to take on new endeavors in the growing electronica world. This Shins vanished and Broken Bells was formed as James Mercer co-led project with the producer of Danger Mouse.
Ironically, Broken Bells did not do as well as presumed. Though the band did have a great and unique sound, it just was not natural for Mercer. The chord progressions sounded jagged and awkward. After the release of one full-length album, Mercer gave up on the project. Then completely out of the blue, Mercer rekindled The Shins. However, the band consists of all new members under Mercer’s lead. This both having its pros and cons, Mercer continues to drive the band to new fronts of the indie-pop world and their newly released album Port of Morrow is simply brilliant.
Right when most listeners had completely given up on The Shins and Broken Bells and on Mercer’s work in general, small advertisements for Port of Morrow showed up on Facebook and YouTube showing beautiful cover art design of an silhouetted figure standing on a hilltop with a white aurora in the background. Hype over the return of The Shins grew on forums and fan-based web pages when iTunes later revealed the promotional single “Simple Song” to keep up the hype. To the relief of many anxious fans, the single was very impressive! It instantly brought back Mercer’s trademark accent and vast vocal range as reflected in their first single, “Kissing The Lipless.” Their legendary sound was back. Even with the implementation of a new team with different musical backgrounds, James has held very strong to the previous sound that made The Shins successful. Recently, folk bands such as The Head and the Heart and Mumford and Sons have really grasped a growing style of “bouncy” rhythms, and Mercer really engaged this culture with “Simple Song.” The single brought tons of attention to The Shins and previous fans were beyond ready for some new Shins tunes.
Most importantly to their success, Port of Morrow closely captures the classic Shins sound of fast upbeat tracks, followed by detailed slow melodies always containing the oddest of chord progressions. Yet the band has done a great job of adapting their sound to stay up to date with current musical trends. With the exception of bonus track “Pariah King,” The Shins have leaned away from synthesized grounds. Wincing The Night Away, was sort of The Shins’ guinea pig in the world of electronic indie pop, and even after reaching some top charts in 2007, true fans were rather disappointed. This said, the new band has done an exceptional job of recalling the well known sounds of The Shins original hit albums. New songs “September” and “40 Mark Strasse” undoubtedly reflect original winners “Know Your Onion” and “New Slang” with thrilling, deep harmonies and powerful build ups.
Widely popular title “September” seems to be formulated as an intricate and metaphorical love song. Whereas in many past albums, Mercer’s lyrics normally do not make any sense, but are more focused towards musical quality. “September” was rather beautiful with pre-choral lines “Telling stories of our possible lives / and love is the ink in the well when her body writes” (The Shins). While retaining the musical range of Mercer’s accented voice, his lyrical ability has matured over the last few years.
Not only is Morrow a revamped sound for The Shins, it has rekindled a lost yearning for Mercer’s older albums. Mercer still has his staggering capability to make more out of “oohs and aahs” than any musician and fans continue to fall in love with his accented voice both high and low. The new band was so carefully selected and it has paid off. It is clear in the complexity of their tracks, that every single member of the band has a mature and developed skill in their field of music and they bring only the best and most unique sounds to the alternative music world. The Shins are back stronger than ever and both young and veteran fans will be delighted to hear what they have unveiled.
Works Cited
The Shins. Sup Pop, 2012
<http://www.subpop.com/artists/the_shins>
