Wincing the Night Away

Through several eras The Shins have been as mediocre as they've been ahead of the curve on where indie rock was going. Pioneers whose music I respect more than enjoy

Keskinkertaista indie-rockia tämäkin. Ihan nostalgista kuulla tän tyyppistä saundia, mut vähän kaipais lisää särmää.

This isn't an album I'll put on much, but it's absolutely one that should be added to the official 1001 Albums list at the next edition. The Shins are a special band, writing clever, catchy pop songs that occasionally hit near perfection, and the lyrics throughout are genuinely excellent.

The album works as a whole, but the mixing and track order hold it back slightly. Red Rabbits could have sat further up the record. Moved earlier, the album would have carried just a bit more substance overall.

Spilt Needles is my number one song here, stunningly beautiful, the kind of song you can fall in love with. Not everything reaches that level. Phantom Limb is loose and sweet but lacks the charm that makes Spilt Needles so special.

A genuine gap in the original list.

New Slang was a one-hit wonder and this is the proof.

The soundtrack of the next five years.

I like The Shins fine enough. They're better than just okay. But not great.

Fine but not my thing.

American landfill indie, no more interesting than the UK equivalent

I’d come across The Shins before, but never really listened properly. Spending time with this album today has been a real treat. This 00s indie album, 20 years on, still feels fresh and instantly clicked with me. It’s definitely going straight into my regular rotation.