Warbling The Night Away

So my recent most favorite band is The Shins. I've been listening the heck out of their latest album, "Wincing The Night Away". I was turned on to them a few months ago by my friend Paul, purveyor of all things hip (except for blogsites, of which he currently has none), and now I'm hooked. As usual, it took some time because I was initially exposed to them by that movie "Garden State", which I was a little apprehensive about. Not that I didn't like it, or that I don't like Zach Braff or Natalie Portman, but I just felt that movie was marketed as the ultimate definition of aloof coolness (kind of like the Wes Anderson movies, which of late have become so intensely cool, it hurts to watch them), and that if you "didn't get it", well then, you're just not hip! But I digress. The Shins are truly the American incarnation of Belle & Sebastian, which in turn are derivative of The Smiths, which like it or not they emulate in style and look, if not in sound. It's funny that in all of the reviews of "Wincing", not once do I see any comparison to Morrissey; maybe the reviewers are too young. Lead singer James Mercer even makes a Mozzer reference in the album's liner notes. This album is their third, and their rich, melodic, varying style just keeps improving with age. Incidentally, iTunes goofed with this album and made it available almost 3 months ahead of it's planned release (23 Jan 07), and immediately withdrew it once they realized the error. I just finally bought it last week after burning out "Chutes Too Narrow" and "Oh, Inverted World"; I'm the latecomer, as usual. So I recommend checking out this album and "wince the night away", or wither away in uncoolness. Natalie Portman said so.