It has been brought to my attention by a small core of friends that
I “just don’t get” The Shins. Well, my deepest apologies to my peeps
when I write that if there is something to ‘get’ from listening to
the latest Shins CD Wincing the Night Away, I don’t want it. To be
honest, I have never liked The Shins (or cronies Arcade Fire, The
Decemberists, or The Frames). To me, they are all lame derivatives
of Modest Mouse, who, in turn, could be described as a lame tribute
band of the amazing Built To Spill. But, under peer pressure from
my small core of friends—and trust me I have given it a valiant effort—I’ve
tried to like The Shins. But, admittedly, I’m just not a big fan of
bedroom rock, the pretentiously self-deprecating subgenre of indie
rock. Unfortunately, Wincing the Night Away could have easily been
titled Wasting the Night Away (unless you are trying to cure your
bout with insomnia).
The main obstacle that blocks the blossoming
of my deeply buried (as my friends see it) appreciation for The Shins
is that one doesn’t listen to bedroom rock. One fucks to it or sleeps
to it. Bedroom rock is exactly what its name implies: it is
music to put you to sleep or to soundtrack a drunken roll—it is mere
background music, to sum up. In other words, The Shins are a ruse
to convince that hot babe (if she is dull, that is) at some bar that
you are a sensitive male. It also comes in handy, I found, to aid
in napping before you hit the bar.
In retrospect, the title of the
opening song “Sleeping Lesson” should have been a red flag. By the
time I reached “Phantom Limb,” the fourth track, I honestly felt that
my ears had become phantom limbs due to the numbing effect of the
first three songs. Similarly, “Sea Legs” left me wishing that I could
swim far enough away to be out of earshot of James Mercer’s pimply
whine. Unfortunately, by the time I reached last track “A Comet Appears,” I
was ready to disappear.
Maybe I am so jaded because I can’t buy into
all the hyper-critical and corporate-sponsored hype that seems to
surround The Shins. It doesn’t make their music any better if
some marketing agent was able to schmooze Natalie Portman into proclaiming
that, “The Shins will change your life!” in some stupid movie (unless
she meant it in a worse way). I file pretentious bullshit like
that in the same box as the sales sticker I once saw on a Bloc Party
CD that read, “This CD could possibly be more influential than The
Clash’s
Unless you are planning to “change your life” by becoming more
depressed, I can find little redeeming value to this recording (or
the Portman quote, it appears) other than the presence of Phil Ek.
But, I truly find it sad (or I’m jealous) that bands like The Shins
get the opportunity to work with Ek, one of my favorite producers
(who did a fabulous job on my band’s recordings), and they fail to
take advantage of his abilities. According to Wikipedia, Wincing
the Night Away is the most experimental album yet from The Shins. As a musician, I have to honestly state that these so-called experiments
feel forced and contrived, and they seem to get in the way of the
vulnerable heart of what I experienced of Ek’s production abilities.
A talented engineer and producer, Ek has earned every dime of his
indie credibility, which, I am sure, is not missed by those industry
types involved with The Shins.
I guess selling a jingle for a McDonald’s
commercial or the inane diatribe spouted by a famous actress hasn’t
hurt the ascension of The Shins as indie darlings. Of course, all
it is going to take to dethrone The Shins from their hallowed pedestal
is for Arcade Fire, The Frames, or The Decemberists to release a new
album. But, then again, all you bedroom rock fans can feel rest
assured that there is no need to fret. Remember, I just don’t get
it.
