The Shins Are Back, The Time Is Right

The new album from The Shins
, Port of Morrow, will be out March 20. First single Simple Song has already received the obligatory "it's too poppy/too commercial" review, but I think it's not too hot, not too cold, it's just right. The same review compared it to Phantom Limb as an example of the Shins trying too hard, and Phantom Limb is one of my favourite songs of all time, so I guess I'm too poppy too. I can live with that. Any band that can competently cover Squeeze (one of the best pop bands of all time) is on the right track. I'm hoping Simple Song can be one of those pop hits out of left field like Pumped-Up Kicks, 'cause it's the kind of song I wouldn't mind hearing in supermarkets and such.













I kinda like this cover, too.