THE SHINS hail from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and while your reviewer didn't catch their 2001 debut album, "Oh, Inverted World" (a surprise crossover success, selling 150, 000 copies in the US from nowhere), he'd like to hear its' follow -up, "Chutes Too Narrow" on the basis of this single.
When I tell you "So Says I" is released on Sub Pop, you may already be formulating an idea of the way The Shins sound in your head, but proceed with caution and prepare for a U-turn when I continue to let you know it's actually far closer in spirit to either the better produced end of the "Nuggets" era or the ebullient US pop peddled by luminaries such as Big Star and The Scruffs. Indeed, basically "So Says I" wins out because its' surprisingly fresh and contemporary sounding as well as sitting happily under the banner marked, 'cool, three-minute pop songs' making judicious use of a strategic "hoo hoo hoo" hookline. So there.
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Brilliantly, this effortless stuff was laid down in frontman James Mercer's living basement, with producer Phil Ek (previously responsible for Pretty Girls Make Graves and under-rated weirdos Built To Spill) at the controls. The single features two further cuts from these basement tapes in the floaty, deep space strumming of "Mild Child" and the celebratory and slightly unsteady country-pop of "Gone For Good", both of which continue to whet your appetite. Lovely. More please.
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