Returning with their fifth studio album, The Shins are back after some line-up changes in 2016. Those who aren’t familiar with the band based in Portland, Oregon in the USA, may however recognise their song New Slang, featured in shows such as Scrubs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the film Garden State. Their unique take on happy-go-lucky pop rock has earned them a successful career, nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 as well as tracks featuring top ten positions in the Billboard Top 200…
Whilst lead singer/songwriter James Mercer is the only original member remaining after 21 years, the band’s youthful sound has remained despite becoming more of an individual project. Produced by Mercer, this is the band’s 2nd release on major label Columbia and in the words of Mercer himself, their new material is “closer” to their earlier work rather than previous album Port Of Morrow from 2012. Heartworms is 11 tracks long and full of traditional pop influences making it a happy listen, in the same vein as bands like Weezer or Death Cab For Cutie.
The opening track (and second single) Name for You, kicks off with an upbeat melody and plenty of chirpy backing vocals. It sets the tone for the rest of the record and is cheerful enough to induce some foot tapping in the first 30 seconds. It’s not all smiley-nerd-rock though, as second track Painting a Hole brings a new-wave feel in contrast to the previous track. Along with the videogame-esque Cherry Hearts, the variety in the album makes it evident that they’re not one-trick ponies.
The layers of sweeping synths and syncopated percussion loops are a constant theme throughout the album and add a distinctive character to the band. Fantasy Island and Mildenhall is where things start to mellow with the latter seeing more of a digital-infused country feel introduced. This first section of Heartworms gives you a pretty good idea of what’s to come in the album. Other highlights include the first single Dead Alive, So What Now and the album closer The Fear with its inclusion of strings and rich vocals. All the while, Mercer’s eloquent lyrics belay the easygoing musical nature of the band; it’s your choice if you want to explore the emotional meaning behind the music, but you could easily enjoy the album without taking note of the lyrics.
If you’re looking for a band with youthful, intelligent and accessible indie rock feel, then you can’t go too far wrong with The Shins. Some of the songs might be a bit too “wordy” lyric-wise; there’s so many stories crammed into verses it’s easy to miss the message. However that’s just one of the USPs of Mercer’s song-writing. Some tracks are pretty likely to end up on my summer playlist, but there’s also enough variety for the album to make regular appearances all throughout the year.
Author: Steve, Bristol store
