Chances are, even if you've never heard the music of The Shins before, you have. The New Mexican quintet have practically pulled a Moby with their musical output, licensing their tracks to companies as diverse as Guinness and Gap, and featuring in films as discordant as Wicker Park and err.. The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. (Let's keep that one quiet). One film that did make a notable difference to their career, though, was 2005's Garden State - a movie written, directed and starring long-time Shins devotee Zach Braff. The inclusion of two tracks from their 2001 debut 'Oh, Inverted World' on the film's soundtrack brought their music to a new audience - and one that certainly wouldn't have paid attention to a relatively-unknown American indie-pop band. The fact that release-week sales this album gave their Sub-Pop label its highest-ever Billboard chart placement (#2) pays testament to James Mercer and co.'s new-found popularity. The pressure was on for them to deliver an accessible album, yet one that wouldn't alienate their older fans; thankfully, Wincing the Night Away perfects a genial balance between the two. Kickoff track Sleeping Lessons' dreamy, gloopy resonance draws comparisons with Flaming Lips - a resemblance cemented by Mercer's quasi-Coyne melancholic falsetto - but musically, WtNA stretches as far as jangly, C86 Britpop of the 80s, and bands like Echo and the Bunnymen and Aztec Camera's rich sound (Turn On Me, Girl Sailor). Single Phantom Limb is a prime example of the classic downbeat pop chime that The Shins have honed, its chord change both clever and sharp, while Black Wave fires the imagination with its Espers-like folky lament. Mercer has a wonderful talent for lyrical imagery, too, and though often obtuse, his scope ranges from bittersweet odes to unavailable girls (Australia) to sinister Philip Larkin-esque dark humour (Pam Berry). If, for some strange reason, you haven't liked The Shins' output up till now, this probably won't change your mind; if you've already been hooked by their gorgeously-crafted, catchy indie-pop, however, you'll gleefully Wince your Nights Away with this.
