The Shins is an American
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band formed in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter
James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's current line-up consists of Mercer, alongside Yuuki Matthews (bass, keyboards),
Mark Watrous
Mark Watrous is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and graphic/video artist from Richland, Washington. He is best known as a former member of the band Gosling (also known as Loudermilk). Watrous is currently a member of Earl Burrows and ...
(guitar, keyboards, lap steel), Patti King (keyboards), and
Jon Sortland
Jon Sortland (born September 12, 1973) is an American musician, record producer and video director, currently playing the drums for indie rock band The Shins. Sortland has also played drums, bass, keyboards and backing vocals in the band Broken ...
(drums).
They are based in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
.
The band was formed by Mercer as a side project to
Flake Music
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's c ...
, who were active from 1992 to 1999. Flake Music released two 7-inch singles and a full-length album, ''
When You Land Here It's Time to Return
''When You Land Here, It's Time to Return'' is a full-length album released by indie rock band Flake Music before changing their name to The Shins. The album was recorded in 1997 and was released on Omnibus Records.
In a May 2009 interview with ...
'', on Omnibus Records and were touring with
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced ...
when the Shins became signed to
Sub Pop Records
Sub is a common abbreviation of words beginning with the prefix "sub-". Sub or SUB may also refer to
Places
* Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB
Computing and technology
* , an HTML tag for subscript
* SUB designat ...
. The Shins' first two records, ''
Oh, Inverted World
''Oh, Inverted World'' is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Shins, released on June 19, 2001, to critical acclaim. Omnibus Records put out an initial run of vinyl distributed by Darla. Sub Pop Records reprinted the vinyl, but ...
'' (2001) and ''
Chutes Too Narrow
''Chutes Too Narrow'' is the second studio album by American rock band The Shins. Produced by Phil Ek and the band themselves, the album was released on October 21, 2003, through Sub Pop. The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Young Pilgr ...
'' (2003), performed well commercially and received critical acclaim. The single "
New Slang
"New Slang" is a song by American rock band The Shins, released on February 19, 2001 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, ''Oh, Inverted World'' (2001). Written by guitarist and vocalist James Mercer, it concerns his hometown ...
" brought the band to mainstream attention when it was featured in the 2004 film ''
Garden State''. Consequently, the band's third album, ''
Wincing the Night Away
''Wincing the Night Away'' is the third studio album by the indie rock group The Shins. It was released by Sub Pop Records on January 23, 2007. It is the band's third album, and the last under their contract with Sub Pop. The album was recorded in ...
'' (2007), was a major success for the group, peaking at number two on the
''Billboard'' 200 and earning a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nomination.
Following this, the Shins signed to
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
and Mercer parted ways with the entire original lineup, deeming it "an aesthetic decision". Following a near five-year hiatus, ''
Port of Morrow
The Port of Morrow is the port authority in Boardman, a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States, on the Columbia River.
History
In 1958, Morrow County residents approved the creation of a port district by general election. A $500 loan ...
'', the band's fourth studio album, was released in 2012. Their fifth album, ''
Heartworms'', was released in March 2017.
History
Early years (1996–2000)
![Downtown Albuquerque Route 66](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Downtown_Albuquerque_Route_66.JPG)
The Shins was formed in 1996 by James Mercer, a member of the band Flake Music in
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
. Flake Music (formerly known simply as Flake) consisted of members guitarist/vocalist James Mercer, drummer Jesse Sandoval, keyboardist Martin Crandall, and bassist Neal Langford.
The group began in 1992 and released a string of singles and an album, ''
When You Land Here, It's Time to Return
''When You Land Here, It's Time to Return'' is a full-length album released by indie rock band Flake Music before changing their name to The Shins. The album was recorded in 1997 and was released on Omnibus Records.
In a May 2009 interview with ...
'', which was well received.
The band toured with
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced ...
and
Califone
Califone is an experimental rock band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, an audio equipment manufacturer. Their work has been critically acclaimed. Roots & Crowns review AllMusic
Califone has released an album and feat ...
.
Mercer formed the Shins for a change of pace and enlisted Sandoval on drums. When asked what it was that began his interest in music, Mercer said "... it got me out of my shell and gave me a social life." They began performing as a duo alongside
Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto (, Italian for "crazy food") was an American alternative rock band formed by Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori in New York City in 1994. Initially, the band's lyrics were primarily concerned with food, before expanding into broader subject ma ...
and
the American Analog Set
The American Analog Set (sometimes referred to as AmAnSet) was an Austin-based indie rock, lo-fi band. They have released six studio albums, on the record labels Emperor Jones and Tiger Style Records, with their latest ('' Set Free'') on Arts & ...
.
Mercer became the band's primary songwriter, and consequently, "the group developed a more focused, crafted sound than Flake Music's charming, if somewhat rambling, collaborative style."
His focus on percussive guitar playing still led friends to compare his demos as too similar to Flake, and he focused on taking the music in a different direction. Unlike Flake, Mercer was the band's sole lyricist, and songs were built from his initial structure.
The group added
Scared of Chaka
Scared of Chaka is an American punk rock band based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that was formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist David Yanul Hernandez, bass guitarist Dameon Waggoner and drummer Jeff Jones. Jones was later replaced by Ron Skras ...
's Dave Hernandez and Ron Skrasek to complete their lineup, but the two musicians left before the end of the decade to pursue their work with Scared of Chaka.
By 1999, Flake Music disbanded and Neal Langford joined the Shins.
The Shins issued their first release — the 7" single ''
Nature Bears a Vacuum'' — in 1998 via Omnibus Records. Following the completion of their debut single release, "When I Goose-Step", the Shins embarked on a tour with Modest Mouse.
Mercer became a "hermit" crafting what would become the group's debut album, and became depressed with his life in Albuquerque.
Friends of the band, including Zeke Howard from Love As Laughter and
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB (6 October 1769 – 13 October 1812) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Guernsey. Brock was assigned to Lower Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he c ...
from
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced ...
sent record labels
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
demos of the band's songs.
Mercer sent a demo to
Sub Pop Records
Sub is a common abbreviation of words beginning with the prefix "sub-". Sub or SUB may also refer to
Places
* Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB
Computing and technology
* , an HTML tag for subscript
* SUB designat ...
in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, and label co-founder
Jonathan Poneman
Jonathan Poneman is an American record executive and co-founder of two record labels: Sub Pop and Hardly Art.
Early life and education
The third child of Harold and Beverly Poneman, Jonathan Poneman was born October 9, 1959 in Toledo, Ohio and ...
caught a concert in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
while the band was on tour with Modest Mouse.
He offered the band a one-off single deal, and the Shins' second single, "
New Slang
"New Slang" is a song by American rock band The Shins, released on February 19, 2001 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, ''Oh, Inverted World'' (2001). Written by guitarist and vocalist James Mercer, it concerns his hometown ...
", was included as part of their Single-of-the-Month series, issuing a 7" single to fan club members in February 2001.
Positive press for "New Slang" made the group's debut album one of the most anticipated
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
albums of 2001, and Sub Pop signed the band in full.
"Before you knew it, my whole life was upside down: I got signed, I quit my job, I moved out of town, the big relationship I'd had for five years ended. All of a sudden my whole life was up in smoke," recalled Mercer.
Debut and growing popularity (2001–03)
The band's debut LP, ''
Oh, Inverted World
''Oh, Inverted World'' is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Shins, released on June 19, 2001, to critical acclaim. Omnibus Records put out an initial run of vinyl distributed by Darla. Sub Pop Records reprinted the vinyl, but ...
'' (2001), was released in June 2001, with a
compact disc
The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then rele ...
version following the next month.
Much of the album was recorded prior to the Sub Pop deal in Mercer's basement.
The album received critical acclaim and solidified the band as one of
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
's definitive artists,
while also placing Albuquerque on the musical map with ''Oh, Inverted World's'' "gloriously skewed pop and
ow it isdripping with yearning, whimsy and brittle innocence." The album helped re-establish Sub Pop Records as a dominant force in the independent community; the label had been without a marquee artist for many of the prior years.
The group spent the rest of the year touring with acts such as Preston School of Industry and Red House Painters.
"
New Slang
"New Slang" is a song by American rock band The Shins, released on February 19, 2001 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, ''Oh, Inverted World'' (2001). Written by guitarist and vocalist James Mercer, it concerns his hometown ...
" proved to be a "stealth hit", helping ''Oh, Inverted World'' move over 100,000 copies within two years, considered remarkable for an independent label; Sub Pop had hoped the record would sell 10,000 copies.
Mercer was positive in licensing the song to a variety of media, confirming to ''The New York Times'' that he received more money from touring and licensing than record sales.
The song was featured in a
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
advert that aired during the
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
,
which led to criticism from several corners, among those independent music fans and the band's own hometown
alt weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting l ...
.
[Klein, Bethany (2009). ''As Heard on TV: Popular Music in Advertising''. ]Farnham
Farnham ( /ˈfɑːnəm/) is a market town and civil parish in Surrey, England, around southwest of London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, close to the county border with Hampshire. The town is on the north branch of the River Wey, a trib ...
: Ashgate Publishing
Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham ( Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office i ...
, pp. 127-131. First edition, 2009.
The
royalties
A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
Mercer earned from the commercial allowed him to purchase a home and relocate to
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
,
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, where the group built a basement studio and recorded their second album, ''
Chutes Too Narrow
''Chutes Too Narrow'' is the second studio album by American rock band The Shins. Produced by Phil Ek and the band themselves, the album was released on October 21, 2003, through Sub Pop. The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Young Pilgr ...
'' (2003).
During this period, the group replaced Langford on bass with Dave Hernandez (from Scared of Chaka).
Having cut ties with a bad relationship and a bad job, Mercer felt his songwriting reflected a broader perspective as a result.
Although recording in the basement was less than pleasant, the band found it "cheaper than a real studio".
The home was broken into at one point, and thieves stole the master tapes for ''Oh, Inverted World''.
The album was released in October 2003 to critical acclaim, appearing on numerous music critics' and publications' end-of-year albums lists.
It also became their first album to chart, peaking at number 86 on the
''Billboard'' 200.
Mainstream success (2004–07)
"New Slang" was repurposed when it was prominently featured in the film ''
Garden State'' (2004). In a scene from the film, Sam (portrayed by
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
) tells Andrew Largeman (played by director
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel Braff['Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...](_blank)
) that the song "will change your life."
The song "changed everything" for the group, causing their first two albums to sell more than twice what they had sold prior to the film's debut.
"Almost overnight, the Shins became indie-rock icons," wrote Robert Levine of ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
''.
The band extended their tour in support of the song and its popularity.
"We saw a change in our audience. By the time we were done touring for ''
Chutes Too Narrow
''Chutes Too Narrow'' is the second studio album by American rock band The Shins. Produced by Phil Ek and the band themselves, the album was released on October 21, 2003, through Sub Pop. The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Young Pilgr ...
'', there was this new interest," said Mercer. "We toured again almost as the soundtrack to that movie, and colleges were all of a sudden interested in us playing on their campuses. We wanted to consummate the new relationship by touring and having a relationship with them. I mean, it just kept growing!"
This additional exposure helped ''Oh, Inverted World'' move 500,000 units in the United States.
Fans of the group had mixed reactions at their newfound success; some regarded their unknown nature as an integral part of their appeal.
The band also appeared in
season four, episode 17 of
Gilmore Girls
''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagshi ...
while Rory and Paris are on spring break in Florida.
Mercer began writing the band's third record in late 2005, employing ideas and riff fragments collected over the band's various tours.
Suffering from insomnia, he would often wake up in the middle of the night and piece together songs in his home studio until dawn.
For their third album, the group for the first time turned to an outside producer:
Joe Chiccarelli
Joe or JOE may refer to:
Arts
Film and television
* ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle
* ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage
* ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971
* ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
, who produced
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
. Inspired primarily by a painful breakup and the group's newfound success, the album was initially set to be released in the summer of 2006.
It was later pushed back to fall, and finally released in January 2007. ''
Wincing the Night Away
''Wincing the Night Away'' is the third studio album by the indie rock group The Shins. It was released by Sub Pop Records on January 23, 2007. It is the band's third album, and the last under their contract with Sub Pop. The album was recorded in ...
'' represented a major jump for the Shins in terms of commercial success: the album peaked at number two (in comparison to its predecessors' peak of number 86), setting a record for Sub Pop.
It moved over 100,000 copies in its opening week, and was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Best Alternative Album.
Following the success of the album, The Shins left their longtime label,
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
, for Mercer's own label, Aural Apothecary.
Hiatus and one-man band (2008–13)
![The Shins House of Blues Dallas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/The_Shins_House_of_Blues_Dallas.jpg)
Having worked on The Shins for nearly a decade, Mercer felt exhausted and ready to quit the band. "Mainly I was tired of being right in the middle and everything sort of revolving around me, including the friendship dynamics-slash-bandmate dynamics and the creative aspect," Mercer explained in 2012.
Noting that the band had never been bigger, some aspects of the limelight made him uncomfortable.
Mercer was approached by Brian Burton (
Danger Mouse) around this same period regarding a possible collaboration on a new project, which became
Broken Bells
Broken Bells is an American indie rock band composed of artist-producer Brian Burton (better known as Danger Mouse) and James Mercer, the lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie rock band The Shins. Broken Bells compose and create as a duo, ...
.
Enjoying the fresh approach with Broken Bells in regard to meeting new musicians, Mercer desired to continue that feeling. Mercer parted ways with longtime bandmates Dave Hernandez, Marty Crandall and Jesse Sandoval, terming it "an aesthetic decision".
Sandoval instead told ''The Portland Mercury'' he was "unequivocally fired" from the group by Mercer.
Mercer would later relate that his decision was "tremendously difficult", but instead wished to view it as a new phase.
Working with Burton on Broken Bells helped Mercer overcome fears of collaboration, which in turn influenced the rotating "cast of characters" that grouped together around him to record ''
Port of Morrow
The Port of Morrow is the port authority in Boardman, a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States, on the Columbia River.
History
In 1958, Morrow County residents approved the creation of a port district by general election. A $500 loan ...
'', which became the Shins' fourth album upon its March 2012 release. Mercer returned to The Shins as the only original member. "I always loved these auteurs who presented themselves as bands," Mercer later explained, referencing
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
and
Lilys
Lilys are an United States, American indie rock band (music), band formed in Washington, D.C., Washington, District of Columbia, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly. Several of the band's tra ...
as examples, which led to him feeling as though he could pursue something similar, allowing the concept of The Shins to carry on.
Producer Greg Kurstin had a particular influence on ''Port of Morrow'', encouraging Mercer to experiment in the studio.
Mercer began touring with an all new backing band, including fellow songwriters
Jessica Dobson
Jessica Dobson (born 1984) is an American singer and multi-instrumentalist. She has performed with several musicians and bands, including Beck, and
Richard Swift, Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer, and Yuuki Matthews from the Crystal Skulls.
''Port of Morrow'' debuted at number three on US charts,
and lead single "
Simple Song" represented the band's best chart performance, peaking within the top 10 on the
Alternative Songs
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
chart.
Recent events (2014–present)
![Shins 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Shins_2017.jpg)
In 2014, The Shins recorded and released a new song, "So Now What", for the soundtrack of ''
Wish I Was Here
''Wish I Was Here'' is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Zach Braff and co-written with his brother Adam Braff. The film stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Josh Gad, Pierce Gagnon, Ashley Greene, Kate Hudson, Joey King, Jim Parsons, ...
'' (directed by Zach Braff of ''Garden State''). Mercer noted to ''Billboard'' that he was immensely proud of how the track came out: "I think it's one of the best things I've ever done."
That November, a reissue of Flake Music's first album, ''
When You Land Here It's Time to Return
''When You Land Here, It's Time to Return'' is a full-length album released by indie rock band Flake Music before changing their name to The Shins. The album was recorded in 1997 and was released on Omnibus Records.
In a May 2009 interview with ...
'', was released.
In 2016, the group recorded a cover of
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "
The Word" for the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
show ''
Beat Bugs
''Beat Bugs'' is an animated children's television series, created by Josh Wakely, and produced for Netflix by Grace: A Storytelling Company and Thunderbird Entertainment since 2016. The series is centred around five young anthropomorphised inse ...
''. During this time, Mercer was at work on the band's fifth album, which he felt was closer in sound to the Shins' earlier work than ''Port of Morrow'': "I made a concerted effort on certain songs to fit the palette, to use the palette that I've used historically for the band." The group announced their new album, ''
Heartworms'', in January; it was released on March 10, 2017. In January 2018, they released ''
The Worm's Heart,'' an album which reimagined their previous album ''Heartworms''.
Former band member Swift died on July 3, 2018. He was admitted to the hospital in June for hepatitis.
On September 24, 2020, the band released a new single titled "The Great Divide".
In April 2021, a 20th anniversary reissue of ''Oh, Inverted World'' was announced for release on June 11, 2021. The reissue was remastered by
Bob Ludwig
Robert C. Ludwig (born c. 1945) is an American mastering engineer. He has mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists including Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Qu ...
, with Mercer serving as an assistant. A "21st birthday" tour of North America was announced in May 2022, where The Shins will play ''Oh Inverted World'' in its entirety.
Musical style and influences
Mercer described the Shins as a "
pop project" from the beginning.
The group were inspired by any and all music that they discovered. "Everything we listen to
..makes its way in somehow, but we've been inspired by a bunch of bands who basically just keep reinventing the same thing," said Mercer.
The group received comparisons to the "pop revivalists" at the Elephant 6 Recording Collective early in their career, such as
The Apples in Stereo
The Apples in Stereo, styled as The Apples in stereo, are an American pop/rock band associated with Elephant 6 Collective, a group of bands also including Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Of Montreal, and Circulatory Sy ...
, whilst Mercer's vivid, often surrealist lyrics and infectious melodies drew comparisons to the songwriting style of
Robert Pollard
Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices. In addition to his work with Guided by Voices, he continues to have a prol ...
from
Guided by Voices.
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' credited the band with bringing "the pop traditions of 1960s pop bands—groups like
the Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band formed in the early 1960s in St Albans and led by keyboardist and vocalist Rod Argent and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group had a British and American hit in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US, two fu ...
, and
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
—to a new generation of music fans."
Members
;Current
*
James Mercer – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass
(1996–present)
*Yuuki Matthews – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
(2011–present)
*
Mark Watrous
Mark Watrous is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and graphic/video artist from Richland, Washington. He is best known as a former member of the band Gosling (also known as Loudermilk). Watrous is currently a member of Earl Burrows and ...
– guitar, keyboards, lap steel, backing vocals
(2012–present)
*
Jon Sortland
Jon Sortland (born September 12, 1973) is an American musician, record producer and video director, currently playing the drums for indie rock band The Shins. Sortland has also played drums, bass, keyboards and backing vocals in the band Broken ...
– drums, backing vocals
(2016–present)
*Patti King – keyboards, backing vocals
(2016–present)
;Former
*
Jesse Sandoval
Jesse Sandoval (born November 15, 1974) is the former drummer of American indie rock group The Shins. Sandoval initially formed Flake with singer-songwriter James Mercer, guitarist Neal Langford and bassist Marty Crandall in Albuquerque, New ...
– drums, percussion
(1996–2009)
*
Martin Crandall
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
– keyboards, backing vocals
(1998–2009), bass
(1998–2000, 2003–2009)
*
Dave Hernandez
Dave Hernandez (born September 20, 1970, Guadalajara, Mexico) is a Mexican guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the American indie rock band The Shins, with whom he recorded four studio albums. Hernandez is ...
– bass, guitar, backing vocals
(1998–2000, 2003–2009)
* Neal Langford – bass
(2000–2003)
*
Eric Johnson Eric Johnson may refer to:
Music
*Eric Johnson (guitarist) (born 1954) an American guitarist and recording artist
* Eric D. Johnson (born 1976), member of multiple indie-rock bands including Fruit Bats, The Shins and Califone
Politics
* Eric Joh ...
– guitar, keyboards, piano, banjo, backing vocals
(2007–2011)
*
Ron Lewis
Ronald Edward Lewis (born September 14, 1946) is an American retired politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1994 to 2009, having represented the 2nd congressional district of Kentucky.
Lewis a ...
– bass
(2009–2011)
*
Joe Plummer
Joseph E. Plummer is an American drummer from Portland, Oregon. From 2004 to 2012 Plummer was a percussionist and drummer for the indie rock band Modest Mouse and performed on their album, '' We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank''.
Before ...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2009–2016)
*
Jessica Dobson
Jessica Dobson (born 1984) is an American singer and multi-instrumentalist. She has performed with several musicians and bands, including Beck, – guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
(2011–2013)
*
Richard Swift – keyboards, piano, organ, synthesizers, bass, guitar, percussion, drone box, backing vocals
(2011–2016; died 2018)
*Casey Foubert – guitar
(2016–2018)
Timeline
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:110 bottom:60 top:0 right:30
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/2023
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1996
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1996
Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals
id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:keyboard value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:lines value:black legend:Studio_albums
LineData =
at:06/19/2001 color:black layer:back
at:10/21/2003 color:black layer:back
at:01/23/2007 color:black layer:back
at:03/20/2012 color:black layer:back
at:03/10/2017 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Mercer text:"James Mercer"
bar:Johnson text:"Eric Johnson"
bar:Dobson text:"Jessica Dobson"
bar:Watrous text:"Mark Watrous"
bar:Foubert text:"Casey Foubert"
bar:Crandall text:"Martin Crandall"
bar:Swift text:"Richard Swift"
bar:King text:"Patti King"
bar:Hernandez text:"Dave Hernandez"
bar:Langford text:"Neal Langford"
bar:Lewis text:"Ron Lewis"
bar:Matthews text:"Yuuki Matthews"
bar:Sandoval text:"Jesse Sandoval"
bar:Plummer text:"Joe Plummer"
bar:Sortland text:"Jon Sortland"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Mercer from:01/01/1996 till:end color:vocals
bar:Mercer from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/2000 color:guitar width:7
bar:Mercer from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1998 color:bass width:5
bar:Mercer from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/2000 color:keyboard width:3
bar:Mercer from:01/01/2000 till:01/01/2003 color:guitar width:3
bar:Mercer from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2022 color:guitar width:7
bar:Mercer from:01/01/2003 till:08/15/2016 color:keyboard width:3
bar:Mercer from:01/01/2011 till:08/15/2016 color:bass width:5
bar:Mercer from:08/15/2016 till:01/01/2022 color:bass width:3
bar:Mercer from:08/15/2016 till:01/01/2022 color:keyboard width:5
bar:Mercer from:01/01/2022 till:end color:guitar width:3
bar:Johnson from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2011 color:guitar
bar:Johnson from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2011 color:keyboard width:7
bar:Johnson from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2011 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Watrous from:01/01/2012 till:end color:guitar
bar:Watrous from:01/01/2012 till:end color:keyboard width:7
bar:Watrous from:01/01/2012 till:end color:bvocals width:3
bar:Foubert from:08/15/2016 till:01/01/2018 color:guitar
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2000 color:bass
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2000 color:guitar width:7
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2009 color:bass
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2009 color:guitar width:7
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2000 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Hernandez from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2009 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Dobson from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2013 color:guitar
bar:Dobson from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2013 color:bass width:7
bar:Dobson from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2013 color:keyboard width:5
bar:Dobson from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2013 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Langford from:01/01/2000 till:01/01/2003 color:bass
bar:Lewis from:01/01/2009 till:01/01/2011 color:bass
bar:Matthews from:01/01/2011 till:end color:bass
bar:Matthews from:01/01/2011 till:end color:keyboard width:7
bar:Matthews from:01/01/2011 till:end color:bvocals width:3
bar:Sandoval from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/2009 color:drums
bar:Plummer from:01/01/2009 till:08/15/2016 color:drums
bar:Plummer from:01/01/2009 till:08/15/2016 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Sortland from:08/15/2016 till:end color:drums
bar:Sortland from:01/01/2022 till:end color:bvocals width:3
bar:Crandall from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2009 color:keyboard
bar:Crandall from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2000 color:bass width:7
bar:Crandall from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2009 color:bass width:7
bar:Crandall from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2009 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Swift from:01/01/2011 till:08/15/2016 color:keyboard
bar:Swift from:01/01/2011 till:08/15/2016 color:guitar width:7
bar:Swift from:01/01/2011 till:08/15/2016 color:bvocals width:3
bar:Swift from:01/01/2011 till:08/15/2016 color:bass width:5
bar:King from:08/15/2016 till:end color:keyboard
bar:King from:01/01/2022 till:end color:bvocals width:3
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''
Oh, Inverted World
''Oh, Inverted World'' is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Shins, released on June 19, 2001, to critical acclaim. Omnibus Records put out an initial run of vinyl distributed by Darla. Sub Pop Records reprinted the vinyl, but ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Chutes Too Narrow
''Chutes Too Narrow'' is the second studio album by American rock band The Shins. Produced by Phil Ek and the band themselves, the album was released on October 21, 2003, through Sub Pop. The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Young Pilgr ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Wincing the Night Away
''Wincing the Night Away'' is the third studio album by the indie rock group The Shins. It was released by Sub Pop Records on January 23, 2007. It is the band's third album, and the last under their contract with Sub Pop. The album was recorded in ...
'' (2007)
* ''
Port of Morrow
The Port of Morrow is the port authority in Boardman, a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States, on the Columbia River.
History
In 1958, Morrow County residents approved the creation of a port district by general election. A $500 loan ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Heartworms'' (2017)
Awards and nominations
*Nominated: (2008)
Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Ho ...
for ''Wincing the Night Away''
References
External links
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shins, The
Musical groups established in 1996
Indie rock musical groups from New Mexico
Alternative rock groups from New Mexico
Columbia Records artists
Sub Pop artists
Musical groups from Portland, Oregon
1996 establishments in New Mexico
Warner Records artists
Third Man Records artists