The Shins
Alternative / Rock
Face it, the band you've been waiting for all these years is The Shins. Not convinced? Give me a moment to introduce you the Miracle of the Great Southwest. The vast deserts of New Mexico are anything but barren, at least from a creative standpoint. Our story begins in Albuquerque circa 1992. The Grunge Invasion has swept out of the Northwest and into the ears of every kid with a pawn shop guitar. It affects everyone differently. For The Shins, there comes to pass a monumental distillation of post-punk garage rock, the indie sounds of Chicago and a healthy dose of pure, unadulterated pop from a time when Brian Wilson was at the helm. Melody is key. Hooks are aplenty and then some. Some stars are born. Call it a natural progression. 9 years, 10 records, acclaimed tours with Modest Mouse and Califone, countless other live dates and three name changes later, The Shins have finally begun to get their just desserts. From the ashes of Flake, then Flakemusic, The Shins took shape in 1997 Counterpoint guitars gave way to a single guitar pitted against calculated keyboard passages, swarming indie rock machinations to pop-based melodic endeavors. The resulting sound germinates in a post-punk aesthetic with nods to a traditional pop ethos. There's nothing like it on which to base analysis. — Michael Henningsen, Albuquerque, NM 2001.
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