With lilting vocals and bouncing rhythms that demand your attention, Portland, Oregon-based band The Shins have cemented their place in indie pop history. Fronted by James Mercer, the group’s singer/songwriter and guitarist, the band has undergone a number of lineup overhauls to eventually achieve Mercer’s original vision, but has remained active and respected through them all. The Shins began touring as opening act for Modest Mouse and gained widespread fame when two of the songs from its debut album, Oh, Inverted World, were featured on the in the film Garden State. 2007’s Wincing the Night Away debuted at number two on the Billboard Top 200 charts, and a growing fan base remains loyal to The Shins, as well as to Mercer’s innovative side-project with Danger Mouse, Broken Bells.
