The Shins are an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and centered on singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer. Known for melodic indie pop, jangly guitars, psychedelic touches, and Mercer’s distinctive lyrical style, the band became a defining act of 2000s indie rock with the album Oh, Inverted World and its signature songs “New Slang” and “Caring Is Creepy.” They followed with the acclaimed Chutes Too Narrow and Wincing the Night Away, featuring favorites such as “Kissing the Lipless,” “Saint Simon,” “Australia,” “Phantom Limb,” and “Sleeping Lessons.” Later albums Port of Morrow and Heartworms produced songs including “Simple Song,” “It’s Only Life,” “Name for You,” and “The Fear.” “New Slang” gained an especially large crossover audience through its prominent use in the film Garden State, while Wincing the Night Away earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.
